OSHKOSH, WIS. – Jim DiMatteo, a decorated U.S. Naval Aviator who has served in several aviation leadership positions, has joined EAA as Vice President of AirVenture Features and Attractions.
DiMatteo recently retired from the U.S. Navy as a Captain, a career, which included leading the 2011 Centennial of Naval Aviation Foundation programs nationwide. In more than 20 years as a Naval Aviator, DiMatteo flew more than 5,000 hours in five different fighter aircraft, including 72 combat missions in support of Operation Desert Storm.
DiMatteo also served as Commanding Officer for TOPGUN Adversary Squadrons in Florida and Nevada (VFC-111 and VFC-13), where his squadrons earned the unprecedented “Triple Crown of Naval Aviation” – top honors for operations, safety and maintenance. Following that achievement, DiMatteo was promoted to a position reporting directly to the Commander of Naval Air Forces, overseeing all TOPGUN Adversary programs.
From 2006-10, DiMatteo served as International Race Director for the Red Bull Air Race World Series, a worldwide series of aviation events that captured public imagination and high visibility as a unique aerial competition featuring the world’s top aerobatic pilots. In 2011, DiMatteo was invited to join Air Race Inc., an international company that is developing the next generation of single aircraft timed air racing (www.eaa.org).