My name is Pete Zimowski and I am the Chief Pilot and an Instructor Pilot at Sofar. My father was a US Air Force officer so I am from “everywhere”. Just to pinpoint a place on a map, let’s say I’m from San Antonio, Texas. I currently reside in the quiet neighborhood of Yorkville on the Upper East Side in Manhattan.
Tom Cruise, of “Top Gun” fame, once said (paraphrased), “The three best jobs in the world are actor, rock star, and fighter pilot”.
I have been fortunate to be able to dabble in all three, but my first love is aviation. After graduating from the US Air Force Academy, I went to Air Force Pilot Training in beautiful Lubbock, Texas. I was then assigned to fly the venerable McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II all over the world, based in Germany and Southern California.
After ten glorious years of going fast and upside down I decided to pursue a “quieter” life as an airline pilot for Delta Air Lines. I spent thirty-two wonderful years at that extraordinary company. I discovered that the same dedication to duty and pursuit of excellence required of a fighter pilot was a valued asset in the world of commercial aviation.
I retired from Delta in 2021. I knew that I wasn’t ready to hang up my flying spurs yet. I was hired by a large company flying the Phenom 300 where I learned that professional airmanship is essential in the challenging charter environment as well. When the opportunity arose to come to Sofar to be an integral part of a growing, vibrant organization, I jumped at it.
At Sofar our top four priorities are: Safety, Customer Service and Comfort, Fuel Management, and Reliability. Our mission at Sofar is to provide outstanding service to our customers while never straying from our priorities.
A professional pilot must be confident in their competence, never arrogant, and be able to adapt to ever-changing, dynamic environments. At Sofar we hire pilots to be leaders of a team who inspire trust and empower team members. Sometimes the team is just the two pilots flying the aircraft, navigating the challenges or Air Traffic Control and the weather. When operationally necessary, the pilot must also be able to expand the team to include Sofar Operations personnel. Leadership in aviation starts with self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the courage to keep learning every day.
Cessna 172, T-33, T-37, T-38, F-4D/E/G, Boeing 727, Boeing 737, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, McDonnell-Douglas MD-88, Airbus A330, Phenom 300 and Phenom 100. 25,000 hours and still going.
Preparing for a day of charter flying usually begins the day before the trip if not earlier. There are many bits of information crucial to flight planning that aren’t “firm” until just before departure, and some that change completely even after we’re airborne. Once the pre-flight planning is complete, the next stage is preparing the aircraft, both technically by ensuring it’s airworthiness, and by seeing to passenger comfort needs (catering, a stocked galley with food and beverage, etc.). As always, the most rewarding moment of the day is when we “kick the tires and light the fires” and fly the jet.
I have had the good fortune in my life to travel the world, doing what I love, and getting paid for it. There is no better job. Witnessing the dawn of a new day as the sun rises up from out of the North Atlantic, or the sun setting peacefully and brilliantly over Key West, are humbling moments, and I am grateful for every one. More gratifying than the places I’ve visited are the people (now life-long friends) I’ve worked with and the adventures we’ve shared together.
Ahh. You’ve really got to want it. Aviation must be a burning fire in your soul - a passion, not a job. Like a doctor, a chef, a lawyer, or a carpenter, you must give yourself to it completely. You must humbly celebrate your victories, and with the same humility, learn from and be emboldened and motivated by your setbacks. Never give up. Never surrender.
I really love my role as Chief Pilot and Instructor Pilot. It’s gratifying to mentor pilots pursing their dream and see them develop into skilled professional aviators.
I would like to go to France.
