Since he was 19 years old, René Minjares, now 70, has called the sky home.
He got his start flying small engine planes in Hawthorne, California, when he was just a teenager. After earning his pilot’s license, he joined the military. As a Marine in the 1970s, the fighter pilot flew F-4 Phantoms in Japan, during the Vietnam War’s twilight years.
“The war was just about to wind down by then,” he told the Sun, “so I pretty much missed the whole thing. But I went into the [United States] Marine Corps because they offered flying, which I could do.
“It was the best move I ever made,” he added.
After leaving the corps, Minjares worked for more than 30 years as a commercial airline pilot, streaking across international airspace as regularly as the average person drives a car.
And even though he’ll admit he’s not as spry as he used to be, you wouldn’t notice once he’s firmly established in a cockpit.
“I couldn’t imagine life without flying,” he said. “I’ve retired three different times: first from the Marine Corps, then from Continental Airlines, and finally Jet Airways of India. I just can’t sit down. I’d rather work—and this is a lot of work—and be flying and maintaining the hangar and aircraft.”
Minjares’ company, Barnstormers Aero Services, offers a variety of sky-high thrills: from stunt rides, to lessons, to airborne tours of the Central Coast, all with Minjares as captain. For the less daring, he offers RV tours throughout the nearby wine country.
He bases his operation at the airfield in Lompoc at 3972 Celestial Way, where he has his own hangar and at least three planes on hand at all times (he owns eight). One of those planes is a Pitts Special light aerobatic biplane, which Minjares uses to rip across the sky at high speeds in the forms of barrel rolls, loops, and vertical reverses.
“The Pitts is a little hot rod: It can go straight up to do all kinds of maneuvers,” he said. “It flies upside down quite easily.”
Minjares also has a Stinson V77—a five-person aircraft originally designed in the 1940s.
“That’s a great airplane,” he added. “It’s just a real easy airplane to fly. It’s like a cream puff. It just kind of levitates.”
The former Marine pilot’s passion bleeds through his work, and is evident throughout the giant yellow hangar that houses his prized possessions.
“Very first time I flew was kind of thrilling—there was a big smile on my face,” he said. “I want to try to share that with the people I take up there with me.”
Highlights:
• Lauren Lowe, current owner of Wine and Design Orcutt, announced on Oct. 16 that she was seeking buyers for her current studio space before making a move out of the area to be closer to family. Inquiries can be made to cutt@wineanddesign.com or 868-1746.
• The Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Maria Valley saw enormous support at the inaugural Great Futures reception event. The organization’s top donors attended the function honoring those who committed $1,000 or more in unrestricted contributions during the 2017 campaign, which generated more than $180,000 in funding support for programs and services to local youth.
Information for Business Spotlights should be sent to the Sun via fax, mail, or email at spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 26 – Nov 2, 2017.