Avionics News October 2016 - 71

"These guys were building a hangar, and I stopped
Like many aviation enthusiasts, Farrar's interest in
by to ask them about it," Farrar explained. "They
aviation and electronics started a long, long time ago.
said it was going to be a new avionics shop. So I
"I got interested in electronics and airplanes
quit navigating boats and went to work helping them
somewhere around 12 years old," he said. "My
build that radio shop in March
aunt married a guy who
1967. I've been there ever
worked for the Link Trainer
since."
Company, which made those
early simulators. That got me
The more things
interested in airplanes. The Civil
change...
Air Patrol had a lot of them
around here, so I joined.
"That first company was
AVIONICS AREN'T THE
"Along with airplanes, he also
Fleeman Flying Services, but
ONLY THINGS FARRAR
got me interested in electronics.
they changed the name to
He showed me how to build
Fleeman Aviation a couple of
HAS SEEN CHANGE.
crystal radios, how to put up
years later - I guess aviation
antennas that worked, and how
was higher class than flying
to use different crystals and tune different stations.
services," he said. "Then they sold out and became
He was the instigator in all this stuff. He and my aunt
Legacy Aviation, which sold out to Monroe Air
divorced a long time ago, but we stayed friends. He
Center a couple of years later. Of course, Monroe sold
passed away about four years ago.
out to JPS Aviation, and that's what we are now."
"Around the 10th grade, I joined the
Today, as avionics manager for JPS Aviation,
Air Force (youth) program. I stayed
Farrar and his team see and work on all kinds
with it through high school, then the
of avionics systems passing through the shop.
day after I graduated, I went into the
"We have four King Airs and a Baron
Service. I was trained as an avionics
in our charter fleet, so we have a lot of
technician assigned to the Doppler
experience on those types," he said. "But we
navigation system aboard the F-105D
work on all types of aircraft from homebuilts
jets.
to business jets. Right now, we have
"I stayed in the Air Force for four
five mechanics and three avionics
years. After my discharge, I went
technicians on our staff. We
to work as the chief navigator for
can do it all."
the California Oil Company. I
Farrar said that no matter
was responsible for all its boats
the system or aircraft, he
in the Gulf of Mexico. I liked
truly enjoys the avionics
airplanes more than boats."
side of the business.
That "liking" of airplanes
"The best highlights
often led Farrar to drive
of my career have been
around Monroe Regional
the radical changes in
Airport in Monroe, Louisiana,
equipment over the
just to see what he could see.
years," he said. "I enjoy
During a drive-by, he spotted
all the technological
a construction project on the
advancements I've seen,
airport that would send his
Continued on following page
career back into aviation and
avionics.

WITH 50
YEARS IN THE
BUSINESS,

avionics news

*

october

2016

71
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