Most Visited

Meet Captain Brian Flegel and Line Crew Lead Jaazia C Moran Flegel

They met on a climbing wall — a flight instructor and an artist. Today, they share a dock for an office.

Husband-wife duo — Kenmore Air Captain Brian Flegel and Line Crew Lead Jaazia C Moran Flegel — are passionate adventures. As a pair, they have trained and performed as both trapeze and acrobatic artists. They’ve spent a summer commercial fishing in Alaska and four summers woodland firefighting.

It was there, creating firebreaks and protecting the forest, that Brian’s passion for seaplanes was ignited. He learned to fly at Walla Walla University, but it was on an uphill firebreak that his own personal spark was ignited. During breaks, the couple watched as firebombers (seaplanes equipped to dump water) swooped just above the flames and released their loads.

“It’s one of the most memorable moments to be in your engine and see that plane come in flying low and let the water go,” explained Jaazia.

While working as a flight instructor in Hermiston, Oregon, Brian earned his seaplane rating at Kenmore Air. “And then I just started bugging Quinn endlessly for a job,” said Brian. (Quinn Dillon was a flight instructor at the time and is now Assistant Chief Pilot.)

Brian’s persistence paid off. He became a flight instructor in 2019 and by February 2020, he was flying the line as a Kenmore Air pilot. Today he is certified to fly Kenmore’s entire seaplane fleet.

But he wasn’t the only one making waves. He and Jaazia moved to Seattle together and she joined the line crew at Lake Union. At the time, she was finishing her degree in Studio Art from Whitman College.

“The job was perfect. I love being outside and working with my hands. It was about a 6-hour shift where I was doing things. Then I’d be done and I could study,” said Jaazia.

Promoted to the head of line crew in October of 2021, Jaazia’s working days are a bit longer now — but just as hands-on. And while Brain has never forgotten about firebombing and Jaazia is always up for another project that involves building things, the couple has found a comfortable slice of home at the north end of Lake Washington. “This is an incredible place to work and an incredible place to call home,” said Brian.

Quick Facts About Jaazia & Brian

Jaazia C. Moran Flegel

Occupation: Line Crew Lead, Kenmore Air

Age: 25

Birthplace: Tacoma, WA

Current Residence: Shoreline, WA

Years Working at Kenmore: 1

Brian Flegel

Occupation: Captain

Age: 28

Birthplace: Madras, OR

Current Residence: Shoreline, WA

Years Working at Kenmore: 4

Favorite Plate to Fly: Deer Harbor

“The greenery. The shimmering water. It’s just a lovely place to fly with a beautiful dock and they have really good ice cream,” said Brian.

Delightfully Simple Crab Cakes

Serves 4 The key to this super simple, yet delectable, crab cake is a delicate touch. You don’t want to overmix your ingredients or pack your cakes too tightly. Let that gorgeous crab meat shine. These make an excellent main. For an appetizer portion, make 8 smaller cakes and reduce the cooking time to 3 minutes per side.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. jumbo lump Dungeness crab meat, picked over to remove all cartilage and shell fragments
  • 2 medium scallions , green part only, minced
  • 1 TBS fresh parsley leaves or cilantro, dill, or basil, chopped
  • 1½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 TBS dry bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 4 TBS butter (or fat of choice)
  • Tartar sauce (optional)

Directions: :

Gently mix crab meat, scallions, herb, Old Bay, bread crumbs, and mayonnaise in medium bowl, being careful not to break up crab lumps. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Carefully fold in egg with rubber spatula until mixture just clings. Divide mixture into four portions and shape each into a fat, round cake, about 3 inches across and 1 1/2-inches high. Arrange on baking sheet lined with waxed paper; cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. (Can refrigerate up to 24 hours.) Put flour on plate or in pie tin. Lightly dredge crab cakes. Heat butter in large, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Gently lay chilled crab cakes in skillet; pan-fry until outsides are crisp and browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Serve hot, with or without sauce.

Sunset Kayak

Tucked in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, at the watery edge of the US and Canadian border, the San Juan Islands are a kayaker’s paradise. The more than 170 islands and inlets are sheltered from the biggest ocean swells. This is thanks to their neighboring landmasses — the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island. More so than any other vessel, the sea kayak allows you to see the shore and waterways from an angle that would otherwise be inaccessible. With a minimal below-surface profile, the kayak can navigate past rocky shorelines. The wide and sturdy base lets these man-powered crafts cut through waves — from Mother Nature and larger vessels.

Private Blakely Island Estate

$10.3 million for 7,694 square feet: 450 Eagle Bay Rd. is the pinnacle of secluded island luxury. It offers 180° of westward views and 291 feet of low-bank waterfront, allowing you to savor the Salish Sea with as few (or many) people as you desire. Ideally suited as a personal getaway or a perfect corporate retreat, this estate includes four separate structures, accommodating the most discerning guests. The sale includes a hangar adjacent to the tarmac with three utility vehicles to get around. The estate is offered furnished, subject to exclusions.

Agents: Deborah Jones 360-298-4558 × dhjoneshomes@gmail.com

Marcela Barrientos 206-234-6354 × marcela@somelabdesign.com

Beds: 5
Baths: 6

Licensing Info: Orcas Island Realty LLC

 

ENTER OUR PHOTO CONTEST

If you have a photo to enter, we want to see it. You can send it to us at the email provided below, post it on Kenmore Air’s Facebook page or tag it on Instagram with #kenmoreair. We’ll publish the best images, including the winners who will also receive a $500 flight voucher from Kenmore Air. Finalists and the issue winner will be notified by the medium in which they made their submission. Finalists’ photos will be posted on Kenmore Air’s Facebook page, Instagram account, Twitter and on our website. The grand prize will be judged on composition, image quality and uniqueness. SEND IMAGES VIA EMAIL TO Mikaela@MakingLanguageCount.com

Enter Contest