Host
Kathy Mitchelle
Podcast Content
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The Cuban pilot was a former Cuban Air Force MIG pilot and Naval Air Station Comandante. He flew a variety of aircraft during his military service, including the Revolucionaria MIG-29 and Fuerza Aerea F-16. He often waggled his wings to signal friendly intentions when approaching other aircraft in the air. After naturalizing as an American citizen, he achieved his dream of becoming an aviation pioneer by flying for the US Air Force. His only experience as a pilot before joining the air force was flying with friends for fun. This experience gave him valuable insight into what it takes to be successful as an aviator in today's world.
Lorenzo Ilot is a former Cuban pilot and his family. After piloting said former Cuban government's air base, he flew a Cessna from Havana to Santa Clara during the devastating Hurricane Irene in 2016. Later, he was deployed for a second time to fly Mig fighters in support of the Soviet Union's government in San Clara. It was during this deployment that Lorenzo gained political asylum and managed to escape Cuba. He then made his way to the United States on a pickup truck after spending three years abroad.
Lorenzo Perez, a Cuban pilot, received his perez pilot license and took flying lessons from a nearby airfield. He then attended flight school and became a jet trainer, flying aircraft of all sizes. During his time in the US he flew a seat jet for an American radar company, and also flew for a small Czechoslovakian Aero Company. In 1988, he was part of a Perez rescue attempt of Cuban refugees from the island nation by flying into Cuba in an unauthorized Mig-23 fighter jet. After being shot at by Cuban forces and narrowly escaping with his life, Perez was forced to flee the country, eventually seeking political asylum in Virginia.
That’s when he changed his name to Lorenzo Lamas and got his first job as a pilot. Lamas was an experienced lamas pilot, and it wasn’t long before he decided to take the private pilot exam in order to become a licensed pilot. He passed the exam on the first try and began taking aerobatic courses, becoming an accomplished stunt pilot in no time. He would often take his other pilot friends with him on flights, checking out various aircraft or even motorcycles like his beloved Harley. In addition, he also used to pick up his children from school in a helicopter, taking them on flights over Lake Havasu. Despite this action hero image that Lamas had created for himself over the years, he still remembers debating pros and cons of flying with his friends while relaxing at a bar in San Diego or out by the pool at one of their homes.
His first introduction to flying came when a salesman pilot had offered Lamas a free flight in his Piper Archer. After that experience, Lamas was hooked and soon after he began taking lessons and finished his training with two planes: a Piper Seneca and Beech Duchess. With his instrument skills now secured, Lamas was able to transport his children on family vacations up and down the West Coast in the same plane he had trained in. He was even able to join Bob Crystal at Avex for their forth annual air race across the West Coast.
Lorenzo Ilot was a proud naturalized American, having been born in Cuba and joining the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces at age 18. After defecting to the United States, he found his true home and was proud to call himself an American. On his first flight, he encountered a pilot flying a Mig-21 Fishbed, with its distinctive waggling wings and air brakes, on the runway at NAS Key West. Lorenzo took off from Havana with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias flying a Fishbed with flaps. He experienced what it felt like to be in control of such an incredible aircraft and flew it across Cuba towards America.
Lorenzo Ilot, a proud naturalized American, has been getting attention since his daring escape from Cuba in the 1960s. He was born in Central Cuba and had served as a pilot for the Cuban Air Force. He was even promoted to base commander after his naturalization. But when Fidel Castro took control of the country, Lorenzo knew he had to get out. So he planned a daring flight across Central Cuba and rescued his family from Cabaiguan. For his courageous mission, Ilot received a lot of recognition from the American Air Force and has been proud to be an American ever since.
He was born in Cuba and worked as a pilot since he was a child. He had the opportunity to help out many other aviation organizations in the United States and recruit new pilots. Ilot also helped GA pilots, who were seen by the Cuban government as supporters of his wife's two sons. When Ilot saw Perez’s wife, and her two sons, he asked his family to join him in order to flee from the Cuban coastline. After seeing the Cuban government’s reaction to Perez’s wife, Ilot decided to take on this mission alone with his bright orange plane.