Ever since his early years growing up in Albertson, Mike Baltzer had his sights set on the Air Force. In 1984 his dream came true when right after graduating from SUNY College at Old Westbury he received a Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

On Thursday, April 10, Major Michael Baltzer will relive his flying career as part of the Cradle of Aviation Museum's Legends of Air & Space Lecture Series. Now in its fifth year, Legends of Air & Space has featured a series of famous and significant speakers including Astronauts Fred Haise, Scott Carpenter and Wally Schirra, as well as aviators Bob Smyth, Captain Kim Campbell and Eric Lindbergh.

Major Baltzer flew a variety of aircraft: T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-15 and the A/OA-10 Warthog. During Operation Desert Storm, Major Baltzer piloted the A-10 Warthog on a series of missions earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters.

After leaving active duty in 1992, Mike continued to fly A-10s for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. He retired in 2007, serving as an admissions liaison for the Air Force Academy. Since 1992, Mike has been a commercial airline pilot for American Airlines.

One of the highlights of the museum's extensive aircraft collection is an A-10 Warthog which features the nose art and aircraft markings of Major Baltzer. The A-10 will serve as the backdrop for Major Baltzer's lecture.

The lecture will be held on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.00/$8.00 for museum members. Seating is limited. To reserve your seat, call 572-4066.

The Cradle of Aviation Museum is located on Museum Row, Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in the Garden City/Uniondale area. The Cradle serves as home to over 75 planes and spacecraft and Long Island's only IMAX Dome Theater.