A former Haverfordwest man is being admitted into the prestigious Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame later this year following his highly successful career as a pilot and helicopter aviation instructor.

Derek Rowe is one of just five pilots who will be officially inducted at a ceremony in November.

“This award is very special to me and I shall be dedicating it to the many friends, colleagues, industry professionals and members of the community who are the true heroes,” he said.

“They are the ones who need the recognition for all the help they’ve given me over the years.”

The first time Derek Rowe sat in a helicopter as a ten-year-old Army Cadet, he knew he wanted a career in flying.  But being one of seven children growing up in Foley Way, Haverfordwest, he realised his ambition to reach the cockpit would be a tough one.

He was faced with two options – he could either pay for an expensive education following his education in Sir Thomas Picton school, or he could join the military.

And so when he was 16, he joined the Welsh Guards followed by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers where he won the top recruit at their camp in Aborfield.

There followed a stint in the army air corps as an observer crewman before returning to the REME in the UK. He then applied to become a pilot in the army air corps and fought his way through 250 hopeful applicants to become one of only 22 who were chosen. Of those, only nine completed.

Western Telegraph: Derek Rowe, soon after qualifying as a pilotDerek Rowe, soon after qualifying as a pilot (Image: Robert Rowe)

Derek began his pilot training in 1993 and, after marrying his American wife Teri, moved to America where he intended working for a flying medical company.

Sadly, whilst completing his training, Derek developed a heart condition that required surgery. As a result, he had to give up flying and so began teaching helicopter aviation in Nashville, Tennessee.

There he resurrected the school's nearly defunct Aviation STEM program, growing it to serve approximately 150 primarily low-income students each year.

As a result of his success, Derek was offered a job as aviation instructor at Tullahoma High School where he continues teaching to this day.

“Recommending Derek to lead the aviation programme at THS has been one of my best decisions as principle,” commented the school’s head, Jason Quick.

“His enthusiasm for flying, combined with a passion for his students, has allowed the THS aviation programme to soar to great heights very quickly.”