USUA welcomes Steve Bensinger, who is the new acting representative for Region 4 (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virgin Islands).

Steve began building and flying Ultralights in 1984 with a Teratorn Tierra UL. He flew a RANS S-4 Coyote from 1993 to 1996, and an Aventura II seaplane from 1996 to 2005. He now owns a Hawk II Arrow and a Hawk Sport.

Steve founded and was president of the Flying FOOLZ (Fraternal Order Of Lightplane Zealots) ultralight club when he was living in Michigan, and as currently secretary/treasurer of his local club. Steve lives in Florida with his wife on an airport four miles from the Paradise City ultralight strip at Sun N Fun.

"My biggest joy involving ultralight flying centers on competition, and I'm a great believer in its value for creating safer pilots. I also hugely enjoy group cross-country flights, meeting new flyers, and visiting new airports. While my chosen form of defying gravity is via fixed-wing, I believe all types of flying machines should be represented. It's all flying, and it's all good.

I've been a member of USUA since before it was USUA (AOPA Ultralight Safety Foundation, USUF). In all these years, I've never been more impressed with the leadership of USUA than I am now, which is why I'd like to lend a hand. As liaison between the USUA's leaders and Region 4 members, I'd help members understand what their leaders are doing... and help the leaders understand what members want." - Steve Bensinger

Steve can be reached via e-mail, at: region4@usua.org