On Friday August 18th staff and instructors crowded around our training center as we watched Nelson Krueger cut the ribbon to the grand opening of the classroom, we decided to name after to him. 

Our COO, Robert Renfro, met Kruger back in 2008 when he began his pilot journey at Lawrence Municipal Airport. Since then, Nelson has been a mentor for Robert supporting him through every part of his journey to get him where he is today. 

“Kilo Charlie Aviation opened in March of 2020, and Nelson Krueger was one of the first individuals to come see us as the COVID-19 restrictions were being lifted. All he wanted to do was just be a part of the training of our students and wanted to just know how he could help. From there, every week we got to see Nelson visiting our flight school and helping with instilling his passion for aviation in our students.” – Robert Renfro, COO  

Nelson Krueger was a very influential person in Kansas City Aviation and had a remarkable career as a pilot. Krueger flew as a TWA pilot for over 30 years and during that time accomplished a variety of outstanding things like completing 665 Atlantic Ocean crossings, training TWA’s first female pilots, and even flying Pope John Paul II on Shepherd One during a 1979 tour of the United States. 

As a result of his astonishing career, he is the recipient of several awards including being the first recipient of the Wright Brothers Master Pilot award, which recognizes 50 consecutive years of safe flying without any incidents, accidents, violations or citations. As well as being added to the Federal Aviation Administration Master Pilot Honor Roll and being inducted into the International Aviation Forest of Friendship by the 99’s, the association of female pilots. 

In all, not only was Nelson a huge influence on Kansas City Aviation, but a huge influence on our company and helping us become what we are today. So it is with great pride that we now have the Nelson Kruger classroom to share his legacy for years to come.