Progress 2011: First-rate Flier

Published 2:00 pm Monday, March 21, 2011

Name: Bryce Nelson

Secret Identity: sales and events director at Wedgewood Cove Golf Club

Bryce Nelson after landing safely after he jumped from a plane. -- Submitted photo

Base of operations: Albert Lea

Superpowers: Staying safe while skydiving, making hard landings and maneuverability

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Kryptonite: Free falling for long periods of time and working his job too often to improve on it

Affiliations: dad, Tom Nelson; step-mom, Angie Nelson; brother, Kameron; sister, Katelynn.

Origin: Growing up, Nelson always wanted to fly. His father and grandfather were crop dusters, and their stories and photos sparked his interest. When Nelson was 14 years old, he was given a certificate for a pilot lesson at Albert Lea airport from his parents at Christmas. The day he went up, he knew he wanted to fly commercial planes. After working various jobs in food service around Albert Lea, Nelson started working on getting a two-year degree from Riverland Community College. At age 20 he was hired as a flight instructor and later by Mesaba Airlines. After acheiving his dream, Nelson found out that working for an airline didn’t fit his personality or lifestyle, but luckily he still had a passion for working at restraunts. Nelson still enjoys being in the air but now jumps out of airplanes instead of flying them.