Pilots Nick and Jenny Kanakis on ABC News
It was a proud moment for the team at Spirit of Douglas to see our pilots, Nick and Jenny Kanakis, in a recent story by ABC News highlighting their shared passion for flying historic aircraft and preserving aviation heritage.
Nick's passion for aviation began at an early age, inspired by the heroic Allied pilots of World War II and a desire to follow in their footsteps. That passion led him to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated with a degree in Military History specialising in military aviation, before later returning to teach military history for the United States Army.
Nick's military flying career began as a Black Hawk pilot and continues today as a reservist and KC-135 Evaluator Pilot with the United States Air Force Reserve Command. In civilian life, he is a Boeing 737 First Officer with United Airlines.
Alongside his commercial and military flying careers, Nick is a passionate advocate for historic aviation and has been flying the iconic Douglas DC-3 since 2017. Today, he combines his love of military history, storytelling and vintage aircraft to help bring the remarkable story of Spirit of Douglas to audiences around the world, where Nick and Jenny worked together on sector 2 of the journey. On their mission to share her history, adventures and legacy directly from the cockpit.
Seeing Nick and Jenny and Spirit of Douglas featured on American television is a reminder that this aircraft's story reaches far beyond New Zealand shores. Built in 1942 and still inspiring generations more than 80 years later, Spirit of Douglas continues to connect people, countries, and histories through the enduring magic of flight.