Setting Sights High: Don Av8’s Cirrus Vision Jet

Don Medine has a story like many others – an early interest in aviation that fell to the wayside as other aspects of life took priority. The high cost of flying and the fact that he did not have any aviation mentors growing up sidelined his lifelong skyward dream for many years.

After college, Don became a police officer in Northern California and had “an action-packed, 18-year career.” While his law enforcement career was cut short due to injuries, he was able to fall back on a company he founded a few years after becoming a police officer – Tactical Command Industries. The company designed and manufactured various tactical earpieces and headset solutions for law enforcement and military agencies across 60 countries. 

Alongside his wife Patti, Don operated the company for nearly two decades until it was acquired in late 2013. Freshly retired at 48, he had newfound time to pursue his passions. Patti purchased flight lessons as a birthday gift and encouraged him to fulfill his longstanding goal of becoming a pilot. And in 2014, he fulfilled that dream and earned his pilot’s license within a year of retiring. 

Don then worked towards his instrument and commercial ratings, which allowed him to travel the country. These ratings also allowed him to dive deeper into volunteer and philanthropy work. Don coaches high school football and is involved with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Medine is also involved with several volunteer pilot organizations, including the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, Patient Airlift Services, Angel Flight Soars, Lifeline Pilots and Veteran Airlift Command. The common denominator among these organizations is the mission to provide free-of-charge, non-ambulatory transportation for those requiring treatment at medical facilities outside of their local area and transportation for veterans and their families. To highlight the work of these organizations and some of his flights, Don created the YouTube channel “Don Av8’s.” 

“It’s been a really positive experience so far, and I see the engagement with viewers growing,” said Medine. “Aviation is an international passion, and it’s great to reaffirm that through the online engagement. I hope I leave viewers with the impression that I am a conscientious pilot that enjoys helping others.” 

Roughly 50 percent of Don’s flying is for volunteer pilot organizations, while 40 percent goes toward personal and destination flying. The remainder is typically flights for friends or folks interested in the Vision Jet and its operations. An enthusiastic aviator, Don’s excitement for flying and his aircraft is infectious. On top of spreading the work conducted by volunteer organizations, his YouTube viewers can learn a lot about the Cirrus Vision jet, whether it is visual approach procedures, a washing and waxing demonstration, or panel shots during flights.

Don currently divides his time between these philanthropic endeavors and business consulting services in the form of corporate optimization, talent development, product design and leadership practices. He also consults aviation businesses and aircraft owners in areas like aircraft selection, shared ownership options, and partnership referrals for accounting, legal, financing, brokering, management, training and maintenance.

Though formally involved in aviation for just seven years, Don quickly ascended to turbine ownership from his first training flight. During primary flight training, he flew Cessna 172s along with 182s for Civil Air Patrol operations. Shortly after obtaining his private license, he purchased a used Cirrus SR22 G5, which he flew for about 18 months. Next, he bought a new Cirrus SR22 G6 for about a year and a half until he started looking for an aircraft with an extended range. Currently, he owns a 2018 Cirrus Vision Jet and operates out of KMQY in Smyrna, Tennessee. 

“I had been a Daher TBM fan for almost a decade and had a feeling I may eventually move in that direction. I also considered other airplanes like the Piper Meridian, Eclipse Jet and the Citation Mustang. I probably had 30 turboprops and light jets under evaluation before purchasing the Cirrus Vision Jet.”

Prior to purchasing the jet, Medine flew it with his wife and aircraft broker Mark Egan with Lone Mountain Aircraft. At the time, he was a 1,100-hour pilot that “started flying later than most people.” He found that the SF50 was a great transition from the SR22s he had owned for several years. The need for a type rating in the Vision Jet was also a welcomed challenge.

“I found the SF50 fit my mission well and has predictable operating and maintenance costs. It would allow me to fly even longer volunteer flights and be great for our trips between our homes in the Nashville area and New Hampshire. I soon realized it allowed me to visit relatives in Texas, Florida and South Carolina much more frequently than I imagined. It also opened opportunities to fly my wife to various Thoroughbred horse races, which is one of her passions.”

The Cirrus Vision Jet checks many boxes for the Medine family, with several aspects about the aircraft that Don appreciates. 

“I really enjoy the safety, comfort and stability of the SF50. Active and passive envelope protection and the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) provides pilots and passengers with confidence in flight. The Garmin Perspective Touch avionic package is feature-rich, and places approach procedures, vertical navigation, crossing restrictions and other functions at the pilot’s fingertips. All of these features provide phenomenal situational awareness, in my opinion.”

He went on to note that there is not really anything “missing” from the Vision Jet. “The airplane has so much to offer pilots like myself. The roomy cabin and forward-facing passenger seats are rare in the very light jet category of aircraft. I hope the next generation SF50 has a little more useful load, speed, and a higher service ceiling, but I have never been in an aircraft that offers the same forward visibility as the SF50. As such, calling it the Vision Jet is absolutely fitting.”

The aircraft has enabled Don and his family to expand their travel footprint. They frequently enjoy traveling to Longview, TX (KGGG), Laconia, NH (KLCI) and Atlanta, GA (KRYY). That said, volunteer flights take N379JM places where Don normally might not travel. Flying into new airports keeps him “engaged and challenged” in aviation and flying his airplane. Naturally, the thought of transitioning to another aircraft has crossed his mind. 

“I am at the point where I have been thinking about my next airplane and seeing my jet go to a new owner to enjoy, but the SF50 is nearly perfect for my needs at the current time. It’s a dream to fly and so many people like its aesthetics. Purchasing a new SF50 is certainly being considered, but I will have to get back in line due to tremendous demand. It is an exceptional pilot-owner airplane, and there is nothing better in terms of a piston to jet transition aircraft in my opinion.”