Bandit Flight Team

Paul “Auzzy” Franzon
GROUND COORDINATOR
Paul started flying gliders while a student in Australia. After a winch launch, he would use his glider to chase the kangaroos on a nearby ridge that often produced lift. He has since gained a power license as well as Instrument and Commercial ratings. He now has over 2000 hours of flight experience, including several West Coast trips, and trips around Australia. Paul is the Cirrus Logic Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University and Director of Graduate Programs. He also served for 13 years with the Australian Army Reserve as an Infantry soldier and officer. He has been flying RVs since 2001 and currently flies an RV-8.
GROUND COORDINATOR
  • Wanda “Sterling” Jackson GROUND COORDINATOR
    Wanda Jackson is a Raleigh native and two-time graduate of NC State University. She graduated with a BA in English, worked for American Airlines for 9 years, and then returned to NCSU to earn a Masters in Accounting. Those years spent in airports with American left their mark, though. After many years indoors as a licensed CPA, she decided that she wanted to fly. Wanda is an instrument rated pilot and owns a Cessna 182. After spending the majority of her life not flying, she is absorbing as much aviation as possible and loves being part of the Bandit Flight Team. She and her husband Frank have been happily married for over 30 years.
  • David “Ferdinand” Schlabach GROUND COORDINATOR
    David is a Principle Software Engineer and flies as a hobby. He inherited the love for flying from his father Ross, a US Air Force F-106 fighter pilot. As a young boy his dad took him flying in the local trainer, even when sitting on phone books, he still couldn’t see over the dash. The father-son pair later enjoyed building and flying RC planes and helicopters where David was the youngest nationally ranked Fun-Fly competitor. In 2007, David earned his own private pilot’s license and currently has over 500 flight hours in various aircraft ranging from J-3 cubs to a B-25. His current certificates are Commercial, Single-engine, Instrument, and Remote Pilot (Drone). David lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife, Laura, and their two sons, Henry and Porter. The family enjoys flying to Georgia’s coast and visiting family.
  • Tom “Jethro” Stevens GROUND COORDINATOR
    Tom is a former US Navy pilot with a wide variety of flight experience. After graduating from NC State University with a Civil Engineering degree, he joined the Navy and attended Navy flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Tom spent 20 years in the Navy and was qualified in five different Navy aircraft accumulating over 3900 flight hours. Tom is currently a First Officer with Southwest Airlines flying the Boeing 737, and is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina. Tom and his wife, Ann, have been married 25 years and have four children, Brock, Hannah, Sarah Beth, and Austin. They live in Cary, NC.