History of ChrisAir

ChrisAir originally started as Christman Flight Training (CFT) in December 1999 by founder/instructor Dan Christman as a means of providing quality flight instruction in northern Indiana. CFT was based out of the Fulton County Airport (KRCR) located in Rochester Indiana, and provided a wide range of flight training, from Private to ATP.

In 2002 Dan moved from Indiana to Oklahoma due to his military service in the U.S. Air Force. Dan decided to shorten the name to ChrisAir, in order to reflect this new geographical move, and new multi-state training program.

Dan still gives instruction in Indiana through the Mentone Flying Club, Inc. which is based out of the Fulton County Airport. He also currently provides part-time flight instruction through the Aero Club of Enid, located at the Woodring Regional Airport in Enid OK.

What kind of Training has Dan had?

Dan began flying several years ago when he was 11 years old, taking his first flying lesson in 1990. Five years later, he soloed on his 16th birthday in the same aircraft, N9442U, a 1976 Cessna 150. Dan received his Private Pilot Certificate a year later when he was 17.

Obviously, his training didn’t stop there, after graduating from High School Dan attended Vincennes University as a Professional Flight Technology student. There he continued training and received his Commercial and Instrument Certificates in his first year. The following year he took acrobatic training in a Decathlon and received his CFI, CFII, and Multi-engine ratings.

In 1999 Dan received his Associates Degree from Vincennes, and then promptly transferred to Purdue University to earn his Batchers degree in aviation. At Purdue he gained experience in flying high performance, corporate and airliner aircraft. Some of the aircraft he flew were the Beechjet 400, Beechcraft Super King Air 200, and the Boeing 727-100 / 200. Dan also took classes in airline indoctrination, & Dornier 328 systems with Chautauqua Airlines, as well as Boeing 727 systems with Ryan International Airlines. Dan was also involved in partnership classes with Comair, DHL, UPS, and ATA. Upon graduation from Purdue, Dan stayed for a summer semester to finish training toward his Flight Engineer Certificate on the Boeing 727. During his free time at Purdue, he received his Multi-engine Instructor Certificate as well as his Commercial Glider and Sea Plane Ratings.

In 2002 Dan was selected for a pilot position in the U.S. Air Force. In the spring of 2002 Dan attended the USAF's Officer Training School (OTS) at Maxwell AFB, AL. Three months later he was commissioned as a 2Lt. He then reported to Vance AFB in Enid OK, were he received his military pilot wings. While at Vance, Dan received training in aerobatics, instruments, formation flying, and low-level navigation, in the T-37B, T-38A, & T-38C aircraft. Following his training at Vance, he was selected to stay and instruct new T-38C students as an Instructor Pilot (IP).

Past Flying Jobs

Dan has been a Certified Flight Instructor for the Past 8 years and has enjoyed every minute of it. He has also been a mission pilot and instructor with the Indiana Wing of Civil Air Patrol. For Two years Dan worked as a Flight Instructor for the Culver Academes. But his greatest joy was that of Chief Flight Instructor for the Mentone Flying Club. The Mentone Flying Club was and is the backbone of his flying career. They are the ones who started him on his path, and have supported him all the way.

In Dan’s short aviation career, he has been fortunate enough to pilot everything from a simple ultra-light, to an airliner, to a super sonic fighter. There are few types of aircraft that Dan has not flown, but that probably won’t last too long.

Organizations Dan is a Member of:

Mentone Flying Club, Inc. -- member 16 years
AOPA -- member 12 years
NAFI / EAA -- member 9 years
Seaplane Pilots Association -- member 6 years
Soaring Society of America -- member 6 years
Lafayette Soaring Society – member 6 years
Civil Air Patrol -- member 3 years
Aero Club of Enid -- member 2 years
Angle Flight – member 2 years

©ChrisAir 2005