Mr. Frazier: the man, the myth, the legend.  

He is best known for teaching aviation at the Arlington Career Center. From his corner classroom, he is also everybody’s buddy and a role model. 

I started to have little conversations with Mr. Frazier in my junior year because one of my friends is taking his class. Every time I pass by his classroom, he asks: Is your friend doing bueno? That simple question gave me a sense of comfort, and it also gave me the ability to ask about some of his life and his stars in this career.

He just answered: “Of course, anytime.” So, enjoy. 

• Where are you from, and how did your interest in aviation come from? 

Mr. Frazier is from the city of Chicago. His interest in aviation started as a kid watching a lot of cartoons and a lot of robot shows. 

• What have been some of the challenges you faced in your aviation career? What did you learn from that experience?

Mr. Frazier said a fact about the aviation field. Believe it or not, it is a very small field, and less than 1% of the United States population are pilots. From this statistic, when Mr. Frazier first started in the field, it was hard to get into because he felt that nobody would talk to him if he didn’t have certain skills. That was a challenge he persevered through by talking to other professionals to get advice and the knowledge he needed. 

• Has there been an experience that changed your way of seeing aviation? 

One experience that changed Mr. Frazier’s perspective on aviation was when he was on air crew duty, where he went to Australia, and did a ground stop with diplomats, and he sat in the 747 and the 767 captain’s seat. The 747 was one of the biggest airliners in the world back then. Mr. Frazier said when he sat to fly the airplane, he felt good to be sitting there, and it felt natural for him. That moment was a turning point when he realized he wanted to pursue his career aggressively and to get his licenses done. That turning point drove him to where he is nowadays. 

• As a teacher, what is the most common mistake you see your students make?

In the words of Mr. Frazier, one mistake that he sees his students make every day is the lack of commitment. He recognizes that students have a lot of things to do, and each of them studies differently. His opinion about it is that if a lot more students can find their own way to manage their time better, they can help keep the grades up and stress level down, and that will help them even once they leave high school. 

• How have your flying experiences influenced the way you teach your students?

Mr. Frazier revealed he is paranoid when he flies. Flying is a serious business, and if he doesn’t feel well, if the plane is not working right, or if the weather looks remotely crazy, he decides not to fly, and he trains his students the same way. “If anything looks off, you don’t fly.” That is something that kept him alive and helped him become a safe pilot. He brings that advice to the classroom to make sure students are safe and become competent pilots.

• We know you’ve won awards, but what do they mean to you beyond being recognized? 

For Mr. Frazier, the awards he won mean to him that the way he taught his students is valued and appreciated. The awards help him to show students what they can do. For Mr. Frazier, the awards he earned mean focused attention to detail, doing the right thing, and being respectful to everyone. He said that it is nice to have that done, and if students see that, they can aspire to do that as well. 

• How did you get into ACC, and why did you choose ACC over other schools?

  Mr. Frazier said he got into ACC because he used to teach JRTC in high school, and he wanted a job that was closer. At that time, ACC had a part-time position in aviation. He said that when he applied, nobody was teaching it, and they used to have a long-term substitute. Mr. Frazier related that he was interviewed for the position, and he got the job because he had the qualifications. As mentioned before, he started part-time with just one class. That one class went to two classes, then to a full set of classes, and lately to a two-year waitlist for students who wanted to take the class. He liked the environment here at ACC, the community, and the students. 

• What do you like to do in your free time?

Mr. Frazier said that he likes going to movies and watching science fiction TV shows. He also likes comic books and loves Marvel trains. He also loves to go out and eat dinner; his favorites are steak and potatoes. 

• Any advice that you would give to someone who wants to pursue a career in aviation? Is there anything that you would like to know that nobody told you when you were younger? 

Mr Frazier said something that he would like to know when he was younger is aviation is a broad field. It is not just about pilots; the pilots make up a small part of the aviation industry. Mr. Frazier’s advice is just to get into it. Find out what you like, don’t get discouraged, talk to people, and most importantly: actually do what you want to do. He said, ” If you want to become a pilot, take the lessons, build hours, and stay in the field. He also adds, “As you go forward in aviation, you will meet other people, and those people you meet may show you other things you can do on the field.”That’s how someone can grow in the field. 

In closing, Mr. Frazier knows that many students might start off wanting to be a pilot, but later they might decide to be a traffic controller, or to be a flight attendant. They may decide to be an aerospace engineer or aircraft mechanic. The thing is to stay in it, don’t stop, and just get out there and achieve your goals.