At one time, to be in aviation meant that you had to know how to fly, but not any more, especially in the airline industry. Even many air traffic controllers who are advising pilots on how fast they need to be on final approach, do not know what it is like being in the cockpit. Such is not the case for the Director of Aviation Programs at Phillips 66 Aviation, Rosemary Leone of Collinsville, Oklahoma. Leone is an active pilot. She has owned airplanes and her own flight school, and participated in cross-country air races.
“I placed in the top 10 in four Air Race Classics (4th in 2000, 2nd in 1999, 6th in 1994, 3rd in 1992) and in various Illi-Nines Air Derbys and the Great Southern Air Race,” says Leone.
The Air Race Classic is a 2500 nm course with eight legs across the United States; the Great Southern Air Race covers the Southeast United States into the Bahamas; and the Illi-Nines Air Derby was in Illinois.
Leone raced with Linda Schumm, who she met when they both worked at IBM in Peoria, Illinois. Leone and Schumm co-owned several airplanes together, and operated a flight school in Peoria called “Legacy Aviation.”
“I actually bought half of a 1969 Cessna 172 with Linda before I had my license,” Leone notes. “It worked out well as Linda was a new pilot herself, so after I got my license, we would fly places together. We learned a lot about flying and navigating by doing that. We also had the same flight instructor, Jean McLaughlin, who was always cheering us on and pushing us to learn new flying skills. It was Jean who got us involved in air racing.
“We sold that plane and bought a Cessna Cardinal. Over the years Linda and I each opted to get new ratings or certificates instead of doing biennial flight reviews and eventually Linda got her CFI, and then her CFII. A few years later I got my CFI and CFII as well.
“Linda and I kicked around the idea of starting a flight school, and in 1999, sold our Cardinal and purchased a new Cessna 172S as our first flight school aircraft.”
Legacy Aviation was open for 12 years and Leone and Schumm recently closed the school, “mainly because I got married and moved away,” says Leone. “It’s a bit tough to keep a school going when one of the owners lives 600 miles away.”
Leone reflects on that business relationship: “One thing that was interesting about owning planes with Linda is that when we bought our first plane, we really didn’t know one another very well, so we treated the plane as a business and had an agreement as to how we would manage it. This made it easier years later when we opened the flight school…we already knew how to work together in a business mode.”
As Director of Aviation Programs at Phillips 66 Aviation, Leone is responsible for the programs the company offers its branded FBOs, including Phillips 66’s loyalty program “WingPoints,” and credit card offerings. She is always looking for new programs that Phillips 66 can offer both pilots and FBOs.
“A good example of a program we offer pilots is the ‘EAA Young Eagles Rebate Program’ that provides a rebate to pilots for their fuel purchases made when doing Young Eagles flights,” says Leone. “There are always challenges of keeping programs fresh, and also keeping pilots and FBOs aware of all of the available programs.”
For additional information on Phillips 66 Aviation’s pilot and FBO incentive programs, contact Phillips 66 Aviation Customer Service at 800-234-6603, or refer to the Phillips 66 Aviation website at www.phillips66aviation.com.
