Don Symington: Owner, pilot, and CEO of Santa Fe Top Gun Adventures
Graduated Princeton University, 1967 with a bachelor's degree in history.
Don's passion for flight began early in his life. The love of motor driven machines manifested itself in the form of building and driving go carts. SCCA racing occurred later after he finished college, awaiting his call to the military. The love of golf, also, developed early and led to playing competitively in high school. The combination of these two passions developed not only remarkable hand-eye coordination, but developed a keen sense of tactics and how to perform under pressure. These became the foundation for his intent to become a Navy fighter pilot.
Joining Navy flight training in April, 1968, he used these developing skills and understanding to finish in the top 10% of his class. He was honored by graduating as a distinguished naval aviator which allowed him to join the elite fighter community as an F4 Phantom pilot. This also earned him a commission in the regular Navy as a line officer.
He became a pilot in Fighter Squadron 151, aboard the USS Midway (CVA-41), stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin, 1971-72, during the Vietnam conflict. He flew more than 1200 hours in the Phantom and made over 150 day and night arrested landings aboard the Midway. Also, he chose to undertake the duty of LSO (Landing Signal Officer) which put him in control of the pilots' carrier landings as they approached and 'trapped' aboard ship. Grading each approach and de-briefing the pilot upon completing the recovery, was Symington's initiation into the art of teaching. At the end of his second cruise aboard the Midway with VF151, he
>> sought a career in commercial aviation and departed the Navy in 1973.
He chose to fly 'corporate' and found a match with International Paper Co., becoming captain in Falcon 10 and 20 aircraft. His total flight time is in excess of 4000 hours.
Don is also a fully licensed PGA golf instructor working out of the Marty Sanchez public golf course in Santa Fe.He is president of FORE Kids of Santa Fe, Inc., a non-profit foundation established to provide life skills training and golf instruction, specializing in golf for underprivileged youth. His love of teaching is fully manifested when these young people discover self-esteem and confidence when realizing they, too, are able to play the game they had first determined to be a fantasy.
For those of you who love golf and/or flight, come, learn from a true professional who has unbounded passion for both endeavors.
Come, experience the exhilaration of flight in the meticulously restored Navy T6 with Don and Geoff. Whether you are looking for instruction, experiencing the graceful moves of a bird in flight, or merely seeing the beautiful scenery from an all-glass canopy in the third dimension of space, join our crew in one of the most memorable experiences you will ever encounter.
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