Sun Lakes Aero Club
Member Profile Form

See Al’s Portrait Below

Name:	Al (Galvi) Galvanoni
Call Me: (Nickname)	Al
Spouse:	Gladys
Date of Birth:
Birth Place:
Raised In:
Pilot Ratings:	Current CFII (Certified Flight Instructor – Instruments)
Planes Previously Owned:	Shares of numerous general aviation planes through decades of Club Ownership
Planes Currently Owned:	Shares in Four Planes as member of Phoenix Flyers Club – Planes currently owned by Club: 4 Piper Planes; 2 Archers, 1 Comanche and 1 Arrow
Planes Flown:	Numerous general aviation types plus military and heavy civil aircraft while employed in experimental flight testing.
Hours Flown	6,400+ in General Aviation (4,400 in Instructing) Estimate 2,000 Military & Civil.
Military Experience:	Served Air Force in Uniform in role of “Technical Representative for Engine Manufacturer”
Rank When Retired:	Technical Representative
Professional/Life Work:
Education and Degrees	Mechanical Engineer, Degree with Distinction
Club Affiliations	SLAC & Phoenix Flyers
Interests/Hobbies	Fully Retired. Continuing with Flight Instruction, Church Volunteer, Gardening, Racquet Ball, Biking and for course Flying Activities.

Portrait of a Member

Meet Al Galvi

Al was an aviation enthusiast since his youth. He received an M.E. Degree with Distinction in 1939 at the age of 19 from the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. In college, Al was a recipient of a number of awards for research that he conducted on reciprocal engines. Befriended by a supportive professor who recommended Al to an aircraft engine manufacturing company, Al was recruited by the Wright Aeronautical Company directly from college.

During the 10 years Al was with Wright Aero, he became a Senior Project Engineer and he contributed to the design and development of the engines that powered the Boeing B-29. In the flood of new aircraft that emerged at that time, many would experience technical problems with engine performance or with the installation of an engine. These problems would typically ground an entire fleet of aircraft. Al directed and flew experimental programs to certify Wright products and re-certify equipment after correcting engineering or installation problems.

Following the development of the jet engine and the resultant demise of Wright Aero, Al was hired by M. W. Kellogg Company as the contract officer representative to the Boeing Airplane Company. Boeing had designed the proto-type B-47 that had solid propellant jet assist take off (JATO) engines. The Air Force wanted to replace the Boeing design JATO with liquid propellant engines. Al contributed to the design and development of the JATO replacement engines while he coordinated the retro-fit process with Boeing personnel.

The next 10 years Al was a general manager in the Reynolds Aluminum Company. This was the first time he was in a job unrelated to aviation. However, when you purchase a box of Reynolds Plastic Wrap, thank Al for introducing that product to the company. Al’s successes at Reynolds led to his recruitment by the Cadillac Plastics Company as General Manager in one of their divisions. Although Al was becoming more valuable to the corporate world, his underlying interest in aviation was unfulfilled.

In 1950 Al founded Galvi Associates, his own management consulting firm. Al conducted extensive travel during the next 20 years; most of his business travel was accomplished by piloting his personal airplane. As retirement approached, Al devoted time to flight instruction for business owners desiring to fly their own planes. This became a full-time pursuit prior to moving to Sun Lakes in 1994 and a passion Al has followed to this date at Chandler Municipal Airport. The time was ripe; Al was the ideal person to organize an aero club at Sun Lakes.

To get the flying club off of the ground, so to speak, over a period of time Al wrote aviation related articles for the Sun Lakes Splash. He always made an appeal for interested aviation buffs to call him. He ensured that frequent reminders of the organizational process were published in hopes they would attract an interest. He solicited aviation minded persons to call him at home.

One caller was Elton Dyal. Elton noted Al’s articles in the Sun Lakes Splash and brought them to the attention of his friend, Sam Doria. Elton and Sam were long time aviation buffs, and real-time Sun Lakers who were involved with the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force at Mesa Falcon Field.

RDE 6/17/04