Jones has been flying aircraft since 1973. He is a retired Marine Corps LtCol. and served as a Naval Flight Officer with a specialty as a Bombardier/Navigator in the A6 Intruder. Since his retirement in '93 he has been an Assistant Chief Flight Instructor at the University of Illinois and also serves as a glider flight instructor for a local glider club. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot, Commercial Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor-single engine, Instrument, Multi engine and Glider along with Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor ratings.