Shane Lundgren facts for kids

Shane Christopher Lundgren, born on March 21, 1961, is an American pilot and a successful businessman. He leads a company called Metolius Aviation Capital. Shane has spent his whole career working with airplanes, from flying them to helping companies buy and rent them.

He is also a member of the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club, which means he's a real adventurer! Shane has led many exciting trips focused on aviation.

Early Life and Flying Dreams

Shane Lundgren was born in Palo Alto, California. He went to the University of San Diego and finished his studies in 1984. While in college, he also went to National Air College. There, he earned all the licenses he needed to become a professional pilot and even a flight instructor.

In 1982, when Shane was just 21 years old, he learned to fly the Boeing 737 airplane. This was with Air Berlin USA, an airline his father, Kim Lundgren, started in Berlin, Germany. At that time, Shane was the youngest person ever to fly a 737 for an airline!

A Career in the Sky

Shane Lundgren flew as a captain for Air Berlin from 1982 until 2012. When the Berlin Wall came down, he worked with his father to help the airline change. Air Berlin became a German airline, which was a very rare thing for an airline to do!

After leaving Air Berlin, Shane started working in aircraft leasing and finance. This means he helped companies rent and buy large airplanes. In 2015, he started his own company, Metolius Aviation Capital. Today, he helps people and companies invest in commercial airplanes.

Amazing Flying Expeditions

After the Berlin Wall fell, Shane traveled a lot in Russia. He had an idea to fly across Siberia in old Russian Antonov An-2 biplanes. These are small planes with two sets of wings.

In 1994, he led a special trip called the "first online expedition." This trip was sponsored by magazines and tech companies like WIRED and Apple. The flight started in Moscow and went north of the Arctic Circle all the way across Siberia to Magadan.

In 1995, the Smithsonian Institution's Arctic Studies Center joined Shane on another flying trip. They wanted to learn about the native people living from Yakutsk to Alaska, flying across the Bering Straits. This trip also helped launch Discovery Online, an early internet website.

Shane also led trips to the North Pole in 1997 and 1998. National Geographic Television even made a documentary about his original flights to the North Pole.

His special expedition airplane, the Antonov An-2, is now on display at the Boeing Museum of Flight!

Community Work

Shane Lundgren cares about his community. He was on the Black Butte School Board from 2007 to 2017. He was also the president of the Black Butte School Foundation. This foundation helps give money for scholarships to local students every year.

Family Connections

Shane Lundgren comes from a family with interesting history. His great-grandfather, John Adam Zehntbauer, started the famous swimwear company Jantzen in 1915. As you know, his father, Kim Lundgren, founded Air Berlin in 1978.