About Us
Our Leadership Team
Jamison Richart
President
Jamison is a 21 year retired Veteran of the USAF. During his time of service he flew multiple aircraft, and is now a pilot for United Airlines. He considers himself lucky to have instructed glider aviation at the US Air Force Academy and now still greatly enjoys the sport.
His primary duties with Soaring Eagles include lostics, agenda setting, and recruitment.
Chris Rothe
Vice President
Chris has been in the Air Force for 22 years and continues to serve as a reservist and glider instructor at the Air Force Academy. He is also a pilot and instructor for United Airlines. He loves soaring and sharing that with everyone he can
Vice President
Chris Rothe
Randy Rothe
Chief Pilot
Randy was one of the founders of Soaring Eagle Foundation in 2012. He spent 30 years as an Air Force
pilot, and 30 years as a United Airlines pilot. He has over 40 years’ experience as an FAA Certified Flight
Instructor, and was an instructor pilot in the Air Force and at United. His passion is teaching. Randy
volunteers to instruct young aviators with Civil Air Patrol and with AeroLab, where he has soloed
numerous teenagers. He is proud to fly with veterans, where he’s seen a positive impact on their lives.
Your FAA Glider Instructor Team
Mark Dickerson
Glider Instructor/Tow Pilot
Colonel Dickerson holds a BS degree in Engineering Physics from Cornell University,
an MS degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Stanford, and an
MBA from Regis University. He is a graduate and former Deputy Commandant of the
USAF Test Pilot School and is also a former Board Member with the Society of
Experimental Test Pilots, where he served as editor and production coordinator of their
seminal Handbook for Critical and Exploratory Flight Testing. After leaving the Air
Force, he spent seven years as a NASA Project Manager and is the only African
American to ever become a Research Pilot at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research
Center. His extensive aviation experience earned him the FAA’s distinguished Wright
Brothers Master Pilot Award. He has served as a Foster Parent, Church Deacon, and
on his church’s Men’s Leadership Team. Col Dickerson is a former President of the
Hubert L. “Hooks” Jones Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc. (TAI) and a winner of the
Noel Parrish Award, the most prestigious award presented by that national
organization. He has served on the Adjunct Faculty of two different universities and has
published his second book WARNING: This Book May Get You Killed, a study of
heroism by everyday people. He is married to the former Phyllis Dubose of
Sacramento, California.
Thomas Pressley
Glider Instructor
Tom is a semi-retired scientist and college professor who still teaches occasionally at the US Air Force Academy and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He has been heavily involved in research, education, and curriculum development. His passion is aviation, and he has over 30 years of experience as a glider pilot.
Bob Chapman
Glider Instructor
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Joe Pico
Glider Instructor
Joe graduated the USAF Academy in 1982. He spent 26 years as an Air Force pilot, and 34 years as a
United Airlines pilot. He has over 42 years’ experience as an FAA Certified Flight Instructor, and was an
instructor pilot in the Air Force and at United. Joe still loves fly and also teach flying. Joe lives in Frisco,
Colorado.