Alan is a Captain and Check Airman for American Airlines and lives in Grapevine, Texas with his wife Karen. Alan grew up in the United States (Ohio and Georgia), as well as England and Nigeria. He began flying while a college student at Georgia Tech (Electrical Engineering) and Georgia State (Physics). Alan also has engaged in Radar and Bio Physics research at Georgia Tech Research Institute as a Co-Op student. He first learned to fly in gliders then added various power ratings accumulating time in 92 different types of aircraft along the way. Alan first met the Perlan Team while attending Soaring NV’s Wave Camp 2015 in Minden. He has attended the camp for the past four years and worked the Badge Desk for the last two. Recently he became co-owner of an 18-meter LS8 sailplane based in Minden. He is also a Texas Soaring Association member and tow pilot. This is Alan’s first trip to El Calafate with the team and he feels very fortunate to be able to work with so many exceptional people on such a significant project.