Faces of N85
Alexandria Field has a diverse group of individuals with experience and interests in many areas. We take pride in that and are dedicating this space to the people who make Alexandria field their home base. We hope you welcome the opportunity to learn more about some of the individuals at N85 who share your common interest in flight. We will continue to update this section with more individuals so check back for more!
Aram and Daniel Elmi, Mother and Son Student Pilots
Daniel is a junior at Moravian Academy. I am his mom. At work as a pediatrician I consider myself a mom of sorts to the kids in the community. Daniel and I have always been interested in airplanes and flying. We used to live in Washington DC and whenever we go back, his favorite place to see downtown is the Air and Space Museum. Here at home we live close to a skyway that leads to the Lehigh Valley Airport. We have the opportunity to see a variety of planes flying in and out. Probably the most breathtaking one was the Solar Impulse which gently glided and landed here on May 25, 2016. It was on its way to being the first solely solar powered plane to fly around the world.
Daniel had always stated that he wanted to be a pilot. My husband’s friend and colleague, Dr John Fritz, is a pilot and he suggested that Daniel would take flying lessons at Alexandria Field Airport. On Jan 1st, 2016 my husband took us out for what we thought was a casual drive and ended up at the airfield! We had the pleasure of meeting Linda, Cork and Andy and started taking lessons.
Daniel had his first solo flight on Saturday Oct 15th after less than 18 hours of lessons with Andy. I am still working on it…
Taking flying lessons at Alexandria Fields has the advantage of being in a quiet airfield where we usually do not have to wait in line for takeoff or landing. Our instructor is brilliant. We are learning not only how to fly a plane but also the science including physics and meteorology associated with aviation and that is amazing on its own. Our friends here are like family. We look forward to many more weekends here at N85.
Bill Trecartin, Pilot
My Name is Bill Trecartin. I am a general Dentist practicing in Flemington,NJ. I obtained my Private Pilot Certificate in August 2011 and my Instrument Rating in January 2013, both at Alexandria Field (N85). Having spent the first 17 years of my life on Air Force bases, being a pilot has always been a dream of mine. My father was an Air Force pilot for 22 years. Seeing the planes overhead and hearing the stories of flying instilled the desire to fly in me.
My dream had to be put off for a while though. Dental school, getting married, having 3 kids, coaching sports, starting a dental practice, and all other aspects of family life put flying on the wish list. Then my wife surprised me with flying lessons for Christmas.
From that first flight at N85 until today, I have felt like a member of the N85 family. I cannot imagine another airfield where one is made to feel as if they belong. Corky, Linda and Willie make you feel like one if the family, and the lessons and experiences learned are priceless.
I enjoy the sights and trips that flying allows me, and I look forward to many more!
Andy Phillips, CFI
I obtained my Private Pilot license in April of 1991 in Texas. I was living in the UK at the time; traveling back and forth to the US as part of my job with a publishing company. When I moved to the US headquarters in 1997 I renewed my love of flying for pleasure, mainly out of Solberg airport which was a short ride away from our home in Branchburg, NJ.A few years later we moved to a new home in Asbury, NJ close to Alexandria Field (N85), where I have been actively flying since 2002, achieving my instrument and Commercial ratings in 2003 and 2004, respectively. My love of flying motivated me to earn my Flight Instructor certification in October of 2007. Through my relationship with Alexandria airport I have worked with talented instructors, always an opportunity to expand my own learning. Linda Castner was doing research on “Why More Women Don’t Learn to Fly” which evolved into a workshop. I have had the opportunity to be a part of the three persons Flight Facilitator Team led by Rich Stowell, well known for his EMT program, the writing of several books on upset recovery, and one of the founding members of the SAFE organization. The workshops I was involved with were: The Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Education Program Grant in June 2011 for female science teachers and August 2011 for female high school students interested in science. Most recently in May of 2013 I was part of the team delivering the Take Flight at Rutgers workshop for female Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math faculty. Through these opportunities I have been exposed to how the process of learning to fly can be so much more than mastering the techniques of flying. The “flying effect” is real and personally empowering. Over the years I have had the good fortune to work with many talented students, across a wide range of ages, with various motivations for wanting to learn to fly an airplane. I truly enjoy teaching. Because I have a full-time position working as a VP, Director of Finance I mainly limit my instruction time to the weekends, with occasional lessons scheduled during the week and evenings. Thankfully, this works well for many people wanting to gain their private pilot’s license, as they have to organize their learning around their own busy working schedule. I have accumulated just over 1,900 hours of flight time to date, including around 1,130 of Instruction,and look forward to teaching and learning something new each flight.