Navy Aerobatic Air Shows
Presented by Warbird Aviation Rendezvous, Inc.

Clyde Zellers

Born in Chicago and raised in Oaklawn, Illinois Clyde was introduced to flying at an early age by his father Woodrow Zellers.   At the age of eleven he started flying lessons at the Chicago-Hammond Airport in Lansing, Illinois and was signed off as, "except for age, o.k. for solo,"  after seven hours of instruction. 

Gaining experience through dual instruction by many flight instructors over the next six years allowed Clyde to solo on his sixteenth birthday and receive his private pilot certificate on his seventeenth birthday.

Attending college, working and continuing to build flying time over the next fourteen years led to many enlightening experiences.  Some of these experiences are:  towing aerial banners and gliders; hauling sky-divers; purchasing his first North American SNJ at the age of 23; continuing practice with aerobatics and formation flying; making many friendships in continuous membership with Civil Air Patrol and exposure to the airshow circuit since 1966; flying ex-military aircraft (WARBIRDS) since 1969; not ever crashing; attendanding the F.A.A. Academy for Air Traffic Controllers in Oklahoma City; and last but not least, marrying my lovely and understanding wife Melinda, who is very supportive of my extra-aviation activities.

In 1984 Clyde was hired at Britt Airways, a regional commuter airline based in Terre Haute, Indiana.  Eight months and a day after starting out in Beech-99 Airliners and Swearingen Metroliners he was promoted to the left seat as a Captain.  A year later Clyde was flying various models including the much larger Fairchild FH-227 Friendship.  Leaving Britt Airways in 1987 Clyde began flying for Trans-World Express, another regional commuter airline based in St. Louis.

Clyde remained with Trans-World Express until 1989 when I started service with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (which is where he is employed today).  There he flies both airplanes and helicopters in executive transportation.

June of 1997 saw the purchase of his second SNJ.  After an eight month restoration process he started flying aerobatic demonstrations at airshows with this aircraft.