Page 6 - Oct24

Ray Briers regularly flies his King Air B100 across Texas and in and out of Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico for work related to his companies, The Pipe Yard and Credo Services LLC.
“Even in my car, Geddy is super intrigued when he spots my King Air magazine on the seat near him. I’m guessing it’s because he loves to fly,” Ray said.
Fortunately for Ray, all his children have loved to fly with him. He has daughters Carolinn (23) and Skylar (17) from his first marriage, stepson Colton (13) and Geddy Lee with wife Jessica.
Now 53, Ray started flying when he was 26 years old and has accumulated about 1,500 hours over the years, flying a mix of business and recreational trips from his homebase at Houston Southwest Airport (KAXH).
Encouraged to Fly
Ray earned his private pilot certificate in 1997, becoming the first student of a friend who had recently
become a flight instructor. He was encouraged by his family, too.
“My uncle was a pilot, and I remember that my dad had an airplane at some point when I was growing up but he was never a pilot,” he said. “My dad regretted never learning to fly and told me I should do it while I had the chance. So, I did. I completed my complex and high performance training right after getting my private, and then jumped right into getting my multi-engine rating. I flew multi for probably 10 years without my IFR certification, and then I went back and got my IFR.”
He received a tailwheel endorsement and tried some aerobatics early on, but said, “I knew my goal was always to go farther, faster and with more weight so a twin engine airplane was the direction I went in.”
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4 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2024