About Us
Luc Zipkin
Owner & CFI/MEI
Burlington, VT
Luc learned to fly in gliders first, in the mountains of northern Vermont, before transitioning to classic taildraggers. Today, he has flown 50+ different types of aircraft in a variety of professional, non-profit, and family-use contexts, with over 1,500 hours of tailwheel time.
He is licensed as a Flight Instructor (CFI/MEI) and Commercial Pilot (ASEL/ASES/AMEL/IR/GL) with a DC-3 SIC type rating. Primarily, he is a flight instructor at BETA Technologies, but continues to accept external students and clients. He is also the founder and Unit Leader of the CAF New York Wing, an aviation writer, and previously worked for the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Luc read public policy and law at Sciences Po and holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University.
Eric Zipkin
Senior Instructor & Contract Pilot
Middlebury, CT | St-Barth, FWI
Eric has been a pilot for over 35 years and involved in the warbird and vintage aviation movement for over 20 years. As the leader of the D-Day Squadron, he coordinated the commemorative tour of the UK, France, and Germany by 15 Douglas DC-3/C-47s for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. He has been authorized to lead civilian formations over the President of the United States and foreign heads of state, and is the only living DC-3 amphibian captain. He currently serves as President of the Tunison Foundation, Chief of Staff of the Commemorative Air Force, and Development Officer at the CAF New York Wing.
Eric is the Co-Founder and CEO of Tradewind Aviation, which today operates more than 35 Pilatus PC-12s for scheduled airline service and private charter from bases in Connecticut, New York, Florida, and Puerto Rico. He is licensed as a Flight Instructor (CFI/CFII/MEI) and Airline Transport Pilot (ASEL/ASES/AMEL/AMES) with Commercial Glider privileges, and holds CE-525S, CHV-F4U, DC-3, G-TBM, MI-A6M, and N-P51 type ratings. Eric has more than 12,000 hours of flight experience, with over 2,200 hours of tailwheel time. Additionally, he is a Part 135 check airman, pilot examiner for St. Barthélemy Airport (TFFJ) landing qualifications, and a partner in Goodspeed Airport & Seaplane Base. Eric holds a B.S. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and attended law school at Pace University.
Luke Hedin
Contract Pilot
Charlotte, NC | Woodbine, NJ
Luke currently flies a variety of light tailwheel aircraft for High Exposure Aerial Advertising during the summer months, with over 600 hours of tailwheel experience. Additionally, he is a staff pilot for the Tunison Foundation.
He is licensed as a Commercial Pilot (ASEL/AMEL/IR) with a DC-3 SIC type rating. Luke has managed public affairs and media for the Tunison Foundation, Vintage Flying Machines, Warbird Digest magazine, and the CAF New York Wing, where he is currently serving as Public Affairs Officer. Previously, he worked as a volunteer firefighter in North Carolina.
Our Story & Values
Goodspeed Flying Service is the third generation of a family aviation tradition.
Our flying story begins with Herbert Zipkin, the grandfather of Luc Zipkin, who served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II. After taking some college courses on the G.I. Bill and deciding it wasn't for him, he used the remainder of the benefit to learn to fly, and earned his Private Pilot's License in 1951. Over the next 40 years of personal flying, he owned a Boeing Stearman, Stinson 108, and several Cessna 172s, imbuing his family with a deeper passion for aviation.
His sons, Eric and David, learned to fly in college and quickly figured out that if they were going to spend all of their time at the airport, they should find a way to get paid to do it. In 2001, they founded Tradewind Aviation, which has grown into the leading private regional airline with bases in New York, Florida, and the Caribbean and a fleet of over 35 aircraft. Through a Tradewind client and early team members, the Zipkin family also became involved in the warbird industry, coming to operate a Douglas C-47, Beech C-45, and North American SNJ, in addition to their own Piper J-3 Cub, in the mid-2000s.
In 2023, Eric's son Luc, having grown up around antique airplanes all his life, founded Goodspeed Flying Service as a tailwheel-only flight school, leasing the Piper J-3 Cub from his dad. The following year, he expanded the business into aircraft ferry services. Three years after our founding, in 2026, we sadly had to close our flight school in order to focus on our specialty practice, in which we provide contract pilot and instructional services, as well as consulting on aircraft sales, acquisitions, management, maintenance, operations, and displays.
To serve this market, Goodspeed Flying Service is focused on pairing discerning owners and collectors of specialty aircraft, including antique military types, with the best possible instruction, flying, maintenance, management, and advisory services. To do this, we combine industry-leading experience, work ethic, and commitment to safety and quality with radical integrity and customer focus.