About the Author

I’m a grandpa with nearly seventy years of  life experience. I have not acquired a master’s in education or a PHD in child development, but I can write a story that children love. My wife of 50 years and I have raised two children who are both happily married. Between the two, we have been blessed with six grandchildren, five boys and one girl. As you might imagine, sometimes grandpa treats his only granddaughter a little extra special. 

My stories are written for middle grade readers with enough excitement and intrigue to keep them reading. Like a tapestry, virtues are woven into the fabric of the story. Compassion, responsibility, friendship, work, courage, perseverance, honesty and faith, or the lack of them, are depicted through characters. Of course, if you’re a little older and would like to read the story yourself, that’s perfectly acceptable too.

In my life, I have discovered only a few things that truly matter: God’s unconditional love, the love that my wife has so graciously bestowed upon me and the joy of family. At this stage of life, our desire and hope is to help others build strong healthy families. With God’s help, we will. Some call me “Grandpa Jimmy.” 

Jim Ertel served in the US Navy from 1967-1971. The last 12 months of his service were spent in Viet Nam as a helicopter crewman flying river patrol with HAL-3, (Helicopter Attack Light 3). His first love was flying. So, he became a commercial pilot with multi-engine and instrument ratings; then traveled, or I should say flew, the country selling private aircraft for Piper and Cessna. That may be the reason for the creation of the Adventures from Hangar 1 stories. He transitioned into business as an insurance and investments adviser which led him to what he did for the next twenty years. He served as a development officer, working directly with the public, communicating the vision of  large non-profit organizations. During that time, he also taught college classes, as an adjunct, on family and children.