?»?Robert C. Bickle was born in California in the 1960s. At the age of four his parents, Fred & Lynn Bickle, took him flying for the first time in Torrance, CA. From that date forward he had one thing on his mind, aircraft. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve as an Airman Recruit and attended Avionics A School. First attached to VA305 Lobos, he saw his first Sea Duty aboard the USS Ranger. Although working on aircraft was something he enjoyed, he was focused on becoming Aircrew, something that was not possible in the single seated A7 Corsair II & F/A18 Hornet. Transferring to the HAL5 Bluehawks, he worked his way up from Flight Mechanic, to Door Gunner, and then to Crew Chief in HH1K Iroquois/Huey Gunships, flying missions in support of Naval Special Warfare. One of the HH1K aircraft he flew is now enshrined in the Naval Aviation Museum. When the Navy purchased HH60H Rescuehawk, he transitioned to the new platform and a new squadron, the HCS5 Firehawks. Tasked with CSAR and Naval Special Warfare Support, he was part of the team that performed the first high altitude, NVG, starlight rescue for the Navy. Robert also trained Navy SEALs in helicopter tactics at BUDS and trained other squadrons transitioning to HH60Hs in the tactics of CSAR & NVGs. Seeing combat in Desert Storm, he earned the Air Medal for Strike/Flight. Commissioned as an Ensign in 1992, he served as an Aviation Intelligence Officer for COMNAVAIRPAC, HCS-5, COMTHIRDFLEET, COMCARGRUONE, COMCARGRUSEVEN, and as an Interrogator for ONI. Robert was recalled to Active Duty following the attack of 9/11/01 and ended his career with the ONI HUMINT Division. Robert retired from the Navy in 2004. In civilian life, Robert worked for companies such as Litton Aero Products developing and manufacturing Avionics for commercial and military aircraft. Robert has shared his knowledge of aviation as a teacher in Middle School enrichment programs teaching Aviation and Aeronautics, to the Boy Scouts as an Aviation Merit Badge Counselor, and as a pilot in the EAA Young Eagles program. Robert continues to share his love of flight with his wife Janet and his two children, Caitlin and Landon. Robert is still accumulating flight hours in private aircraft such as Cessna 172s & 182s; Piper Warriors & Archers; Citabrias, PZ TS-11 Iskras, and his own beloved Beechcraft Bonanza.