LtCol Charles Samuel USAF A-10

LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARLES W. "SAMMY" SAMUEL USAF, Retired

Lieutenant Colonel Charles "Sammy" Samuel is the quintessential pilot. All he has ever wanted to do was fly airplanes, since he was five years old, and saw the Thunderbirds perform at an airshow in Germany. Throughout his career he has flown for the United States Air Force, commercially, and for private corporate aviation. He has accumulated more than 10,500 total flight hours.

In the Air Force, Lt Colonel Samuel flew the A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the Warthog, while stationed at Royal Air Force Bentwaters and Royal Air Force Alconbury, United Kingdom, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. He also flew the T-37, as an Instructor Pilot, at Reese Air Force Base, Texas. Sammy finished his 23-year military career flying A-10s with the Connecticut Air National Guard (ANG). He flew 234 combat missions in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Southern Watch, and Deny Flight, and accumulated over 3500 flight hours in his beloved warthog.

While in the ANG, Sammy also flew for United Airlines as a First Officer on the Boeing 727, 757, and 767 aircraft. After 5 years with United, he took a new position as a Demonstration Pilot with Bombardier Aerospace. He has flown as a Captain on their Challenger 350 & 605, Global Express Classic, 6000 and 7500 aircraft. With Bombardier he has flown comfortably on all six major continents and operated in over 60 countries.

Sammy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a Master of Aeronautical Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Having lived in Germany for several years as a child, and in the Air Force, he is fluent in conversational German.

Lt Col Samuel is also a proud son, husband, and father to Air Force officers. Married to the former Susan Teague, a retired Air Force Major, they have two daughters, Anna and Amanda, who are on active duty in the Air Force. Sammy and Susan live in East Granby, Connecticut.