Flying in an I-28 airplane would get most people’s hearts pounding but, that was not enough for full-time SRJC student Rose Pattenaude. She wanted to fly upside down, and she did so earlier this year at the Sonoma County Air Show. This is one of several exciting events Pattenaude has come across since she became a volunteer at the Pacific Coast Air Museum.

Oak Leaf Co- Editor-in-Chief Andrew Cameron talked to Rose Pattenaude about her life and works at Pacific Coast Air Museum.

Q: How long have you been working at the Pacific Coast Air Museum?

A: I have worked here since ’06.

Q: How did you start working here?

A: I had to do a senior project to graduate high school. I wanted to do something different. I went to the air show and decided to come out here. I have lived here my entire life and have never been out here. Immediately they put me on an airplane. I was drilling, riveting, and all that stuff in the first couple of days. I fell in love with the place. My mentor Ron Stout helped me out a lot.

Q: What do you do here?

A: That plane[Russian IL-14]. I am the crew chief on it. I restore it along with my crew, who is Ben Martin. He is my assistant crew chief.

Q: What are some of the things you have done to restore it?

A: We recently have made pillow covers for the seats. We painted the props. We painted the floors. We did the flooring. We have a lot of big projects coming up including ripping the walling out and the cockpit windows.

Q: How long of a project do you think this will be?

A: Forever lasting. The whole plane itself. I mean, it’s like a car. You can never say you are done with it.

Q: What kind of plane is it?

A: It is a Russian IL-14. It is one of two in the US. The other is in Reno.

Q: What was the plane used for?

A: It was a Russian VAP carrier. It was used in the ‘50s.

Q: What High School did you graduate from?

A: I graduated from Windsor High School in 2007 and have been attending the Santa Rosa Junior College.

Q: What are you majoring in?

A: I am majoring in Art. I am going back for my customer service and art certificate as well.

Q: What do you hope to do with those?

A: Customer service[certificate] get a job. Mainly to look better on my resumé. With art I hope to incorporate my creativity wherever I am.

Q: What kind of job are you looking for?

A: Something where I can express creativity. I don’t see it as one defined thing. I don’t want to say because I do art, but that doesn’t mean I specifically want to be an artist. It is just a closed box you can move around that.

Q: Do you want to go into a career working on airplanes?

A: No, I think of it more an interesting hobby. I love doing volunteer work. That is what I have done most of my life. I have done a whole lot more volunteering than I have working for money. I feel like I am living out here now.

Q: What are some of your favorite moments you have had here?

A: Well, I actually met my boyfriend here. That’s definitely a highlight. And I don’t know where I would be without him. We met on the A-26. Definitely air shows because then you get to show off all the things you have done.

Q: Would you describe yourself as being a busy person?

A: I am always doing stuff. I don’t want to sit home and do something. Working on the plane. Restoring the plane. Working on projects like the little P-40. It’s always crazy. Crazy work stuff. It is our open cock pit. So, I was like, “lets make a haunted plane.” I decided to switch it up a bit.

Q: How often do you do events here?

A: We try and do events every month. There is hot dog Thursday. And we will do open cockpit, which takes place on the third Saturday of the month. We have meetings so all the members can check in with each other. And the Air Show is once a year.

Q: What are your thoughts on volunteering here?

A: I am really glad I got into this. The people here are like family if you need anything. You ask and they will do that, plus more for you.