CJ Stephens (Air Racing and Safety)

CJ is one of the most well-respected and influential people in modern air racing. He is a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, corporate pilot and test pilot. CJ purchased his first airplane at age 15 and has logged over 12,000 hrs flying in more than 120 different types of planes (from fast jets to historic war birds) including 3,000 hrs in F-4 Phantoms across 232 combat missions in Viet Nam where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and 12 Air Medals.

He retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In aviation sport, CJ is best known for his work with the famous Reno Air Race. CJ is the Chief Instructor at the Reno Pylon Racing School. He is the Race starting and safety pilot for the Sport Class and has also competed in the Phoenix, Denver, and Kansas City Air Races. For ten years he has been the Chairman of the Pilot Standards Committee for the Sport Class and has competed for fourteen years in a Hawker Sea Fury and P-51 Mustang in the Unlimited (Gold) Class at Reno.

He holds an All Types Authorization to fly any piston powered ex-military aircraft and is a Certified Flight Instructor in both powered planes and gliders, and is a regular selection as test pilot. CJ was the first recipient of the ‘Spirit of Flight Award’ trophy presented by the Society for Experimental Test Pilots and Experimental Aircraft Association for outstanding achievement in Flight Research, in addition to a number of other accolades and directorships. CJ is one of the most respected figures in air racing and has a BSc in Aviation Studies and an MBA, both from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.

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