'Cool to continue the cycle': Naval pilot hopes to inspire the next generation

Experiencing the Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo as a young boy, Naval Lieutenant Commander Zach “Plattles” Drum was inspired him to become a pilot.

“Growing up in Winter Haven, Sun ‘n Fun is a huge air show. It’s world-famous people come from all over the world to see it," Drum said. "That certainly, I think, played a big part in my interest in aviation as a career.”

Now, he wants to do the same for other kids.

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Drum is part of the the Rhino Demo Team where he flies an FA-18 Super Hornet. The 4-person team arrived at Sun ‘n Fun on Thursday and will perform tactical flight demonstrations Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s an incredible opportunity," Drum said. "I’m incredibly blessed and fortunate to be able to come home to where I grew up and showcase the combat capability of the United States Navy and how we’re able to project that abroad to defend freedom and democracy around the world.”

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Drum, 32, competed in swimming and soccer at All Saints’ Academy before graduating in 2008. He went on to the Naval Academy, where he left with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics in 2021. He later earned a Master of Science in finance from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

Drum earned his commission as an Ensign in the Navy in 2012 and reported to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola in January 2013. In Pensacola, he began his training as a naval aviator and earned his wings of gold in March 2015 at Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi after completing intermediate and advanced flight training in the T-45 Goshawk.

“I was always drawn to the Naval service," said Drum. "I went into the Naval Academy out of high school, I was really interested in the mission and this organization and this group of people.”

Throughout his 10 years in the Navy, Drum completed eight patrols in the Western Pacific aboard the USS Ronald Reagan and has flown in support of Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea.

In May 2016 Drum reported to the “Diamondbacks” at the Naval Air Facility in Astugi, Japan where he assisted in relocating the squadron to the Marine Corp Air Station in Iwakuni, Japan. He joined the Rhino Demo Team team in 2020 after receiving his initial Super Hornet training after earning his wings of gold through the “Gladiators” of Strike Fighter Squadron in Oceana, Virginia.

Drum returned to the “Gladiators” in February 2020 as an instructor pilot. He says his primary mission is to train new students to fly the super hornet.

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“My day job is instructing the next generation of strike fighter air crew for the US Navy," he said. "On the weekends, we take the airplanes to different air shows and do the flight demonstrations for the crowd.”

Drum’s decorations include two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. He has accumulated more than 1,600 flight hours and over 400 carrier landings.

“Hopefully, there will be another kid like me in the crowd that sees that and thinks ‘hey I’d like to do that one day,’” Drum said. “It would be cool to continue that cycle.”

Breanna A. Rittman writes news features for The Ledger. Send your feature ideas to BRittman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Winter Haven navy pilot looking to inspire kids at Sun 'n Fun