Certificates
Aircraft Categories
Brett Rexford "Rex" Mayes is the co-owner and manager of the Williams Soaring Center, located at the Williams Gliderport (CN12) in Williams, California. He began his aviation business career in the summer of 1984 by managing Lagoon Valley Soaring in Vacaville, California, while on break from Sacramento State University. He operated that business with his twin brother until 1993, when they relocated the operation to its current home in Williams. As an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, Mayes conducts Private Pilot and Flight Instructor practical tests in gliders.
In addition to administering exams, Mayes is a Certified Flight Instructor - Glider (CFIG). He holds a Commercial Pilot certificate with single-engine land and glider ratings, as well as a Private Pilot certificate with a multi-engine land rating. He is also a certified Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA), serving as the Chief Inspector for the FAA-certified glider repair station at the gliderport. His wife, Noelle, and their sons, Ben and Nick, are all active in the family business as tow pilots, flight instructors, and technicians. Since June 2015, Mayes and his wife have managed the U.S. dealership and service operations for Alexander Schleicher sailplanes. He is also the co-owner of Sage Variometers, received the Soaring Society of America's Charlie Spratt Award in 2013, and served on the Colusa County Solid Waste Independent Hearing Panel from 2014 to 2018.