by Bruce Estes

Look across Lincoln Airport on an early morning and you might see Kevin Finney in his powered parachute, flying low and slow.

Kevin Finney’s interest in aviation started many years ago when, as a child, he watched airplanes through an airport fence. Many years later, he was able to do more than watch.

Kevin was a firefighter for four years with Rocklin, and then 28 years with the city of Roseville. After retiring as a fire captain, Kevin took up the hobby of radio controlled model airplane to fill some of his new found free time. Flying the models from the local Lincoln model airplane club, he watched full size airplanes flying into and out of Lincoln Airport. Kevin also saw a few strange looking flying things that looked like lawn chairs with a parachute and an engine strapped to the back of the lawn chair flying around the Thunder Valley Casino. Kevin thus discovered powered parachutes.

Kevin started investigating and what he discovered was:

• For a single seat powered parachute, no license is required.
• For a two seat powered parachute, a sport pilot license with a powered parachute endorsement was required.

Kevin was hooked. Kevin soloed a single seat powered parachute with 45 minutes instruction. That’s right, 45 minutes. Kevin received his Sport Pilot license with a powered parachute endorsement in November 2013. Kevin’s next step will be to get his Single Engine Land add on endorsement to his license, so he can fly Light Sport Airplanes.

In addition to flying his powered parachute, Kevin also likes to travel. Last year, Kevin and his family backpacked through Europe for a month.

As Kevin has discovered, the aviation world is not just about Pipers and Cessnas. The aviation world has something for everyone. Those that find a passion just need to explore and take the plunge.
Good job Kevin.

Kevin Finney (forward) with son Keenan getting ready to fly. (Photo via Kevin Finey)