08/11/2026
From Flying Gas Stations to Training the Next Generation of Pilots.
In our recent interview with Dr. Lorenzo McDuffie, he explained that during his Air Force career, he served as an in-flight refueling specialist, working in the back of a KC-135 tanker to refuel aircraft while flying thousands of feet in the air. They described it as essentially being a “flying gas station.” But the job involved much more than refueling. Boom operators also assisted with navigation, cargo, and other responsibilities while flying missions, including missions over the southern no-fly zone during the Persian Gulf War.
That experience led to another fascinating chapter: helping military pilots make the transition from military aviation to civilian flying.
One thing that we did not know is that someone with decades of military flight experience can't simply walk into a commercial airline cockpit. Military and civilian aviation operate under very different rules, communication protocols, and procedures. Pilots have to learn how to navigate the FAA system and adapt from a military environment to civilian aviation.
That is where Sunex Air comes in. Dr. McDuffie's flight school has developed specialized training to help experienced military pilots earn their FAA certifications. And in 2021, after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Sunex Air stepped up to help Afghan military pilots who had arrived in the United States as refugees.
The philosophy behind the training. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, Sunex Air focuses on how each individual learns.
Sunex Air has grown beyond flight training, with locations in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Puerto Rico.
I love stories like this because they show how one experience can lead to another, and how military service, education, entrepreneurship, and community impact can come together in unexpected ways.
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