Mr. Alexander has devoted his lifetime to aviation. He took his first airplane ride at age 14, earned his private certificate at age 17, flew for Indiana University, graduated from Indiana University
as a Distinguished Military Graduate, flew for the USAF and then for Delta Airlines. Ron moved to Griffin, GA, in 1974 to live on a community airstrip and begin flying for Delta Airlines.
Mr. Alexander has accumulated over 24,000 flight hours and is an Airline Transport Pilot. He has flown many airplanes including C-45, DC-3, C-130, C-7, J-3, PT-17, Taylorcraft, DC-9, B-727, B-737,
B-767, and CV 880. He has flown military missions including a tour in Vietnam where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in combat. He also performed duties as a Flight
Instructor, served as a Delta check pilot, and as Chief Pilot for its restored DC-3 airplane. Today, Mr. Alexander owns and flies a J-3 Cub, a Stearman C-3B, a DC-3, a Waco YMF-5, and a Stearman
Cloudboy 6L.
Mr. Alexander is also an aviation businessman of considerable notoriety. Ron founded the Alexander Aeroplane Company in 1979 in Griffin, GA, which became a major supplier of materials to
aircraft builders and restorers. Ron sold the Alexander Aeroplane Company to Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Company in 1996. Ron bought the Stits Poly-Fiber Company in 1992 and led that
company for several years prior to selling the business.
Ron also developed “hands-on” workshop programs to instruct aviation enthusiasts in aircraft building and restoration methods. He sold the SportAir Workshops business to the Experimental
Aircraft Association (EAA), which still conducts these workshops nationally and at its annual EAA AirVenture fly-in. In 2003, Ron started the Atlanta Aerospace Composites Company to perform
repair services on the emerging composite structures and skin technology used today in many general aviation and airline aircraft. Recently, he founded the Candler Field Museum to document
the history of old Atlanta, GA, airport, which was originally named Candler field. This museum is located at the Peach State Aerodrome near Williamson, GA.
In recognition of his significant contributions to aviation through his activities as a pilot, aviation business owner, and developer of technologies to support aircraft repairs, restorations and
leadership in aviation, Ronald R. “Ron” Alexander was enshrined into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame on April 27, 2013.