Cecil Lee Ross is a distinguished aviation expert with 50 years of dedicated flying experience
Mr. Ross’ dedication to aviation safety is exemplified by his accident-free flying career of more than 45 years and over 18,500 hours of professional flying.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR, March 21, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — Cecil Lee Ross has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
A distinguished expert in aviation with a career spanning five decades, Mr. Ross currently serves as the training solutions manager at CAE USA, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, as a full-time remote employee supporting the Instructional Systems Group (ISG) in Sherwood, Arkansas. He began his journey at CAE in 2019 as a courseware developer supporting military training contracts. He then worked as a Solutions Architect Group lead and advanced to the role of training solutions manager, which encompasses proposal solutions and project management for awarded contracts. Prior to his tenure at CAE, Mr. Ross enjoyed an illustrious 20-year career with Southwest Airlines, where he served as a first officer and captain from 1999 to 2019, accumulating over 14,200 accident-free flying hours in the Boeing 737 series of aircraft.
In a tenure marked by significant achievements and leadership roles, Mr. Ross served on active duty in the military for more than 22 years. He enlisted in the Army in 1976 and attended infantry basic training, followed by Warrant Officer Rotary Wing flight school. He flew as a medevac pilot and rotary wing instructor pilot before transitioning from the Army as a chief warrant officer 3 (CW3) to the United States Air Force in 1984. During his 14-year tenure in the Air Force, Mr. Ross ascended through the ranks from second lieutenant to major (O-4), holding instructor and evaluator pilot positions and squadron, wing, and major command (MAJCOM) positions in safety, plans, MAJCOM scheduling, and C-130 curriculum management. During his Air Force flying career, Major Ross flew over 4000 hours in the T-37, T-38, and C-130 E and H models.
Aviation has been a lifelong passion for Mr. Ross, who attributes his success to his early exposure to aerospace education through his involvement as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol and his disciplined military training. His formal education endeavors were another important factor in his professional growth. He holds a Master of Science in Management and Human Resource Development from Webster University, obtained in 1994, and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aviation Management from Troy University, completed in 1984.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Ross is actively involved in civic organizations. He currently serves as the deputy commander for senior members in the 42nd Composite Squadron of the Arkansas Civil Air Patrol Wing. Additionally, he manages disaster preparedness and safety for his church and has served on the board of directors for a local non-profit organization supporting homeless relief efforts. His professional contributions have been recognized with several awards, including letters of recognition from complimentary airline passengers. At the same time, his storied military tenure saw him honored with three Meritorious Service Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, three Army Commendation Medals and an Air Medal for his service in Desert Storm and several additional named military operations.
Mr. Ross’ dedication to aviation safety is exemplified by his accident-free flying career with more than 45 years and over 18,500 flying hours of professional flying. With his extensive Air Force flight safety investigation skills and experience in accident investigation of a class A accident, he continually promotes safety in aviation at every opportunity and is always willing to share lessons learned to help prevent future accidents. One touching memory from his early days as a medevac pilot embodies the spirit of aviation and the heart of humanity. During a medevac mission to transport a premature infant and mother from a rural hospital to a regional children’s hospital, the patient and mother were delivered safely. The following Christmas, the unit received a heartfelt Christmas card from the baby’s parents that included a note expressing that their daughter was healthy and strong.
Outside of his professional life, Mr. Ross enjoys woodworking, exercising and spending quality time with his family. As he prepares to end his full-time career, he looks forward to traveling without work commitments and pursuing a single-engine flight instructor certificate as a part-time endeavor during retirement.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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