Robert Nestor
Captain Robert “Bob” Nester has accumulated over 45 years of aviation experience and over 25,000 hours flight experience. He is a graduate of Parks Aeronautical College of St. Louis University with a bachelor of science in Aeronautical Administration. He served for 37 years as a pilot and commander in the United States Air Force and the Air Force Reserve with 189 combat missions in Vietnam. He retired as a Major General. He flew commercially as an airline pilot for 24 years and subsequently spent 12 years as an Aviation Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration as both an Aircrew Program Manager and a Principle Operations Inspector.
Bob has an ATP and is type rated on the B-757, B-767, DC-8, DC-10, FK-100 and L-1011 aircraft. He has extensive crewmember time as a both a pilot and flight engineer on the B-727 and A-300 aircraft. His military flight experience includes the T-37, T-38, T-33, F-4, A-37, A-10, F-16, F-15, KC-10, KC-135, C-130, and C-5 aircraft. He has been a flight lead, instructor pilot, check airman, flight examiner, director of training, director of operations, squadron commander, and vice commander of a wing and numbered Air Force.
His duties with the FAA included approving and monitoring air carrier training programs, check airman and aircrew program designated pilots. His experience includes air carrier certification, certification of new aircraft on existing air carrier certificates and air carrier certification for polar operations as well as long range navigation. He has experience investigating aircraft accidents and incidents in both air carrier and general aviation.
Bob has served as National President of the Reserve Officers Association of the U.S. and as the U.S. Vice President for the Confederation of International Officers Reserve. He is married and has three grown children, and five grandchildren. His oldest son is a forecaster with the National Weather Service, his daughter is a teacher, and his youngest son is an airline pilot and a pilot in the Air Force Reserve.
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