The Warbird Academy

Chris Rounds is the President of THE WARBIRD ACADEMY. Chris started his aviation career at a very early age. His parents took him for a flight in a Piper Cub when he was only six weeks old. His father started teaching him to fly, in Tullahoma, Tennessee, in the family 1959 Cessna 172 when he was 10 years old. He soloed a Cessna 140 when he was 16 and earned his Private Pilot’s license when he was 17. Chris received his Commercial Pilot Certificate and Instrument Rating at 19. He received his Certified Flight Instructor’s rating in 1982. Chris flew corporate aircraft including a Cessna 401 and a Beechcraft Queen Air in the early 1980’s.

Chris graduated from Auburn University in 1987 with a degree in Aviation Management. Following his graduation from Auburn, Chris joined Atlantic Southeast Airlines and flew Shorts 360’s and EMB 120’s for several years.

He returned to school and received his Airframe and Powerplant Certificate (A & P) in 1990. Chris founded Rounds Aviation that same year, to provide aircraft restoration and aviation consulting services.

Chris purchased a North American T-6 and started flying Warbirds in the mid 1990’s. He has continued flying and serving as an A&P on Warbirds from then on. He Purchased the Red Knight T-33 in 2003.

Chris Rounds has over 17,000 flight hours in a wide variety of aircraft. Chris holds the following FAA Type Ratings: Boeing 737, T-33, T-28 and P-51 Mustang. He has over 3,000 hours as a Flight Instructor in both single and multi-engine aircraft. He currently serves as both a Warbird Flight Instructor and a Warbird Mechanic.