Meet Alexios:
My name is Alexi Stavropoulos and I am deeply honored to be serving as AFW’s Safety Officer along with Bruce Poulton. I am grateful to own a Cirrus SR22T. Without a doubt, my favorite flying activity in my Cirrus is to fly for AFW when my work schedule and weather permits. Both have been a challenge as of late. Otherwise, I love staying in the pattern, humbling myself! And of course, flying with my family.
Bruce and I have big shoes to fill in this role. Rich Pickett has served this role honorably and with great commitment. He has graciously offered to remain as an advisor, as his schedule permits. I fully intend to capitalize on his offer and tap into his knowledge for advice and counsel. Thank you Rich!
I have worked for United Airlines for almost 31 years. I am currently a B777 Captain and Line Check Airman/Evaluator. For the last 20 plus years, I have been serving and continue to do so, as the SFO ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association) Safety Committee Chairman. I have also served in the past as an Incident Responder and Mishap Investigation Committee Chairman for the entire United Airlines pilot group through the Central Air Safety Committee for ALPA. I have also served as the Domicile Safety Officer for the SFO Chief Pilot’s Office. I started in GA, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where I also graduated with an emphasis in Aviation Safety and Accident Investigation.
There is an abundance of extremely valuable experience among many of AFW’s pilots. This safety structure belongs to all of us, and we all have valuable input to offer. I am looking forward to acting as a liaison to the wonderful staff of AFW to the absolute best of my ability. We all share one common goal: to function in our flying within Safe Operations. And this will be the theme of our first communication. I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible, learning from you and helping in any way that I can.
Meet Bruce:
I’m honored and humbled to be selected for this volunteer position.
I’ve been a general aviation pilot for almost 45 years, and I’ve been lucky enough to be a part owner of a Beechcraft Bonanza A36. Prior to owning the A36, I was a partner in a 1954 E35 Bonanza for 28 years. I love flying Angel Flight missions and getting to assist some amazing people.
Although I’ve wanted to be a professional pilot since forever, I instead had a career at Lockheed Martin Space as a Satellite Engineering Manager. My career allowed me to stay involved in GA and enjoy the benefits of owning an aircraft. I regularly participate in formation flying with the NorCal Beech Boys, Bonanzas to Oshkosh, and the Memorial Squadron, and I’m an FFI certified Formation Flight Lead. I love to coach other pilots on how to safely fly formation.
I retired from LM a couple years ago, and I somehow got to fly FedEx Cessna Caravans for a few months. Then the most amazing thing happened – I was hired on with a small jet charter company in Hayward, CA to fly the Citation XLS+. I finally met my goal of being a professional pilot!
Although I lack Alexi’s formal safety credentials, I have always been focused on safety. The formation community has excellent protocols and procedures for training and practice, and I’ve been lucky enough to participate in forming some of those procedures and training new and advanced formation pilots. Although it may seem that Angel Flight missions and formation flying have little in common, I believe that they share many safety and risk management principles.
I see this as a learning opportunity for me to work with the AFW volunteer pilots and understand their safety concerns. I look forward to working with Alexi to serve the AFW pilot community.
We look forward to welcoming and supporting Alexios and Bruce in their new roles as AFW Safety Officers.
