Short History

A LITTLE ABOUT US...

I (Tyler) grew up as a missionary kid overseas with Mission Aviation Fellowship where my dad flew for missionaries and the local people in Africa and South America. That is where my passion for aviation grew.  After graduating from an MK school in Quito, Ecuador, I moved to Omaha, Nebraska, intending to get a Bible degree at Grace University and then continue with Moody Aviation in Tennessee.  Due to some changes, I stayed in Omaha for five years, completing my Bible degree at Grace and Airframe and Powerplant degree through Iowa Western.
 
Renae is a native of the northern US.  Though born in Oregon, she spent about half of her years in North Dakota, where she graduated from high school in Rugby.  She followed in her parents footsteps both in choosing her college and her career.  Those steps took her to Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska, where she majored in Bible and Music Education, like her dad.  Her love for music developed through her family and church experiences.  She now teaches elementary music here in Spokane.

As you have probably guessed, we met at Grace University in Nebraska.  Funnily enough...we met through our family.  My cousin is married to Renae's sister, which does not technically mean we are related (for those of you wondering).  We began dating our junior year of college, and tied the knot in August, 2006.  We spent that next year finishing up school and jobs, then followed the Lord's direction to Spokane, WA, where Moody Aviation had relocated.  Tyler started flight school at Moody in the summer of 2007, graduating this past spring.  We also had another wonderful change in our lives this past summer, with the birth of our first child, Caleb Tyler Schmidt, born July 25. 

Presently, I am finishing my Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) training in order to start an internship at Spokane Turbine Center (STC) in Spokane, WA.  When I finish CFI,  I will be training with STC in order to start teaching classes on the Garmin 1000 (advance avionics used for navigation and flying, like a GPS).  While many things have changed for us and are still changing, we have experienced a great peace and direction from the Lord in the last few months.  This internship will help me gain experience, and I will also have the ability to use Moody airplanes to gain flight hours.  These things will help prepare me as we look forward to getting on the mission field in the next several years.