PRESIDENT

Dale Knuth

dale.knuth@gmail.com

Dale Knuth

President: 2023 - present

Dale grew up in the Sandhills of Nebraska and graduated from Valentine Rural High School, Valentine, NE. Dale was introduced to aviation at a young age as his father, Dan, was a pilot and used his "Champ" to check cows and windmills on the ranch. Dale took every opportunity to go along and learn to fly. Dale's grandfather, uncle, and cousin were also pilots. Dale earned his private pilot certificate in June, 1993, instrument rating in 2021 and will finish a commercial rating 2023. He is also pursuing a multi-engine rating as well. In 2015 he purchased a 1952 Cessna 170B. He continues to fly as much as possible and has over 1000 hours in it since the purchase. Dale also owns an RV9A and has owned a Rans S6-S, which was purchased for the purpose of getting more hours for his son, Dean, who is a 4th generation pilot of the Knuth family. Dean is a professional pilot, flying Cessna Citations and Beechcraft King Air's. Dale and his wife, Glenda, have three children and two grandchildren. Dale is a member of EAA and the Young Eagles Program and has given over 100 kids a ride in his Cessna. He is also a member of AOPA. He loves flying and jumps at the chance to get behind the controls of any airplane he can. Dale served in the Army, Nebraska National Guard, and South Dakota National Guard from 1985-1992. Dale has been a member of the SDPA since October 2015 and became a Lifetime member in October 2019. Dale served as Secretary from 2020 to 2022.

VICE PRESIDENT

Dwayne LaFave

dwayne.lafave@gmail.com

Dwayne LaFave

Vice President: 2022 - present

In his early teens, Dwayne worked as a flagger for aerial applicator George Grubbs at Rosebud Aviation in Gregory, SD. Dwayne's actual flying started with the purchase of a powered parachute (PPC) in 2002, eventually doing some PPC instructing. Using the Sport Pilot option to transition to fixed wing aircraft, Dwayne now flies a refurbished 1946 Aeronca Champ 7AC out of De Smet and the Northern Black Hills. LaFave was the first South Dakota aviator to visit all the SD airports with his "FLY South Dakota Airports!" Passport book in hand. LaFave's interest in aviation has roots prior to his birth, when his father Sam was with the Army Air Corps in WWII. Following WWII, Sam purchased a 1946 Taylorcraft and used his GI bill to join the fast-growing ranks of GA pilots. Dwayne's son Jeff began his flying as a De Smet High School student, by traveling to Brookings for instruction, earning his private pilot certificate and instrument rating through the South Dakota State University aviation program. Retiring in 2016 after 45 years as a public school educator, LaFave will be spending more time pursuing his interests in aviation and music basing out of De Smet and the Black Hills. Dwayne has been a member of SDPA since September 2003, and served as District 3 Director from 2011 to 2022.

TREASURER

Kelly DeBerg

debergk@protonmail.com

Kelly DeBerg

Treasurer: 2023 - present

Kelly is in aviation for both a professional career and for personal enjoyment. His pilot certifications are Private Pilot ASEL, and Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft-Helicopter with Instrument Rating, and Helicopter CFI. Kelly currently serves as the Flight Safety and Communications Manager at Avera Careflight. Prior to this role, he was a line helicopter pilot for Careflight, and other air medical programs before that. Kelly has also served as an aerial application helicopter pilot, flown helicopter tours and flight instruction. Aviation is his second career. He previously served as a police officer in Fargo, ND. Kelly has one son, Benjamin, who is a sophomore in high school who hopes to be an aerospace engineer. Kelly has been a LifeTime Member of SDPA since September 2022.

SECRETARY

Ryan Limesand

ryanlsf@gmail.com

Ryan Limesand

Secretary: 2023 - present

Ryan grew up near the airport in Luverne, MN, and was interested in aviation at an early age. He did not pursue it until his wife bought him a Discovery Flight after they were married. He began flight training in the fall of 2000, but pushed the pause button because raising a family took priority. Even though he was not a pilot yet, Ryan joined the local EAA Chapter 289 and attended as many of the aviation events as he could, including AirVenture multiple times. Ryan obtained his pilot certificate in 2019 and bought a 1946 Ercoupe, which he enjoyed flying and giving Young Eagle rides. He has since sold the Ercoupe, obtained his instrument rating in 2022, and joined the Mockingbird Flying Club in Sioux Falls. Ryan has been a member of SDPA since July 2018.

District 1 Director

Bob Burke

chummdinger@gmail.com

Bob Burke

District 1 Director: 2020 - present

Bob has lived in Pierre the majority of his life. While growing up he recalls catching the flight bug around the age of 6 on a flight in the co-pilot seat of a Piper Navajo piloted by Bernie Christenson, who was a friend of his grandfather and father. Bob's father was in the USAF, grandfather a Navigator in the Air Corps of WWII, and great-grandfather a GA pilot. Bob took an introductory flight in a Cesena 150 in 2010. He resumed training in 2015 from Wright Brothers in Mitchell while he was overseeing Fischer Rounds Real Estate in both Mitchell and Pierre. Bob passed his checkride in 2016 with DPE John Barney. With new certificate in hand, Bob and a local instructor flew to Tennessee to pick up a 1967 Cherokee 235 that was once owned by Hugh Downs. The 235 provided many hours of commutes and adventures for Bob and his wife to towns in SD, Colorado, Kentucky, and Arizona to see family and friends. Bob sold his Cherokee in 2018. He went to Riggin Flight School in Madison and earned his multi-engine rating. In 2019, Bob bought his current plane, a 1964 Twin Comanche with Robertson STOL kit. He earned his IFR rating in the Twin with the help of Morris Riggin and Heidi Stoeppler in 2020. The Twin gets him and his wife all those places mentioned above, plus a few more, just a little quicker. Bob joined the SDPA in February 2020 as a LifeTime Member.

District 2 Director

Dean Kirkeby

deankirkeby@gmail.com

Dean Kirkeby

District 2 Director: May 2023 - present

Dean grew up in Clark, SD, and went to SDSU for a degree in Agriculture. At 10 years old he became interested in aviation when his uncle gave him a ride in a J-3 Cub. Taking off from a grass strip, the entire passenger briefing was, "Put on your seatbelt and don't touch anything!" He passed ground school at SDSU, then again four years later at an in-person King School in Fargo. Time and money continued to get in the way, and he seemed unable to get past a solo permit. Flash ahead 20 years of reading magazines and talking with pilots, another opportunity knocked. As part of a deal to buy a used combine from a local farmer-pilot, flying lessons were included. Another crack at ground school in Watertown, and three different instructors finally produced a successful check ride in Marshall, MN on June 21, 2010. He obtained a tail wheel endorsement at Riggin Flight School in Madison, SD, in 2017. Currently, he still farms in the Clark area and lives at Benson Air Park, an FAA approved Residential Through-the-Fence airpark at 8D7 in Clark, SD. The hangar-home houses a 1973 Cessna 172M and a 1966 Champion 7E3 Citabria with the 150 horsepower Supplemental Type Certificate. Most of his flying is local, but a 3-4 hour cross-country is usually squeezed in once a year. Dean is a member of the EAA, AOPA, and a lifetime member of the SDPA since October 2015.

District 3 Director

Roger Lee

Rogerlee890@gmail.com

Roger Lee

District 3 Director: 2023 - present

Roger Lee took his first introductory ride in a Cherokee PA-28-140 in 1973 at the Huron Airport and has been a flying enthusiast ever since. Carl Fischer from Watertown was whom Roger finished his instruction. His private pilot certificate was signed off by Bernard Christenson in 1978. In 1991 Dave Gilbert from Madison taught Roger how to fly a taildragger. It was a Aeronca 7-AC. Roger graduated to a American Champion Scout in 1992. He owned American Aerial Advertising for a while and towed banners all over the state back in the 1990s. Roger now owns a Bellanca Citabria. He keeps the plane on the farm where he and his wife Mary have a grass strip (SD83; 3.400' x 60') located about 10 NM south-southwest of DeSmet. His son Robert is taking lessons from Riggin's flight school in Madison and has soloed. Roger looks forward to being District 3 Director. Roger Lee joined SDPA in October 1993 through 1996 and rejoined in April 2021.

District 4 Director

George Bittner

georgewbittner@gmail.com

George Bittner

District 4 Director: 2009 - present

George took a couple of lessons when he was 15 in a J-3 on a grass strip in PA, and then took a break for over 20 years before starting again in Mitchell, SD. He had his first and only engine failure on a descent into Storm Lake, IA, during his fourth flying lesson (4.1 hours total time). Luckily, there was a safe landing in a soybean field, by the instructor, no damage to the plane or crew. George earned his private pilot certificate in 1986, his instrument rating in 1994, and commercial rating in 2019. George is a funeral director in Mitchell and also the Davison and Hanson County Coroner. He has been a member of the Mitchell Municipal Airport Board since 2001. A member of AOPA and EAA, he joined the South Dakota Pilots Association because of their efforts promoting general aviation in SD. George has really enjoyed his time as District 4 Director and getting to know other pilots. George has been a member of SDPA since January 1998.

District 5 Director

Marsha Sumpter

tddmc@svtv.com

Marsha Sumpter

District 5 Director: 2003 - present

Born in Philip, SD, in 1943. Married in 1961 to lifetime partner, Bill, two daughter, Shelley and Sandra; legal secretary 12 years in Rapid City, returned to farm / ranch with family in 1975. Lifetime member of SD Farmers Union. Raised hogs for 20 years, got a plane in 1988, private pilot certificate in 1989. Member of SD Civil Air Patrol for 22 years of which she was the commander of Philip Composite Squadron for 16 years – reaching the rank of captain. Haakon County Commissioner 8 years, served on the SD Pork Producers Board, 8 years. Managed the family farm from 1978-2004. Write a weekly news column for Pioneer Review newspaper. Went from a C-150 to a C-172, which was used for meetings, farm business, and pleasure. Marsha has been a member of SDPA since July 2003, and served as Director for District 5 since July 2003.

District 6 Director

Sunny Stephens

stephens@rapidnet.com

Sunny Stephens

District 6 Director: 2012 - present

After retiring from teaching after 37 years, I am still subbing -- so I passed the 45 year mark in education – and I'm still getting educated! Teaching has really changed since 1972…all a person needs is thumbs! Haven't gotten back to flying, but continue to ‘barnstorm' on a daily basis, pulling hay out of the barn to feed my three horses, sometimes in a storm! Enjoy getting together with the other SDPA members, however, and wish I could contribute more to the association via flying experience. But I hope to explore more remote and unusual airports however I get there so I can share some fun experiences in the newsletters in addition to news from my region. Sometimes getting there is the easy part, being there is a hoot. Sunny has been a SDPA member since September 2012.

District 7 Director

Jerry Densmore

densmorejerry@gmail.com

Jerry Densmore

District 7 Director: 2020 - present

Jerry became interested in aviation after taking an aviation intro course at a local community college in Michigan when he was a senior in high school in 1974. Jerry started in the maintenance program at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in September of 1976 and by May of 1978, he had earned both Airframe and Powerplant certificates. Jerry also earned his private pilot certificate in May 1978 flying out of then Riverside Airport in Jenks, Oklahoma. He entered the U.S. Air Force in February 1979 as a crew chief on B-52H, B-1A/B, and later as a maintenance supervisor on RC-135U/V/W airframes retiring January 2007 from the 28th Maintenance Group at Ellsworth AFB. Jerry was active in four aero clubs performing aircraft maintenance at two of them. When the GI bill was reinstated for flight training, he used it for his instrument, commercial, and CFI certificates. After Jerry retired from the Air Force he worked for L&D Aero at Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) until the shop closed in October 2020. His current project is rebuilding a 1959 Piper Tri Pacer. Jerry has been involved with the Civil Air Patrol, the EAA as a technical councilor, AOPA as an Airport Support Network volunteer, and as an FAAST team member. He has been a member of SDPA since 2012.

Executive Director

Vacant