A pilot since 1967, Doug Sowder has accumulated 3500 hours of flying time, and is a single-engine, multi-engine, and instrument rated private pilot. He first flew aerobatics in 1971 with a 5-hour course of instruction in a Citabria, and in 1992, purchased a Pitts S-1S. Since 1993, Doug has flown more than 65 contests.

Doug began flying Advanced in 1998, flying a Pitts S-2B that he rebuilt from a wreck. Since 2006, he has been flying Advanced category with an Extra 300L.
As a member of the 2004 U.S. Advanced Team, he flew a rented S-2B at AWAC in Ljungbyhed, Sweden.

Doug is an IAC National Judge, and has judged Unlimited at the U.S. Nationals for the past seven years, in addition to judging and chief-judging at numerous regional contests each year. He has served two terms on the Board of Directors of the International Aerobatic Club, and is currently the Vice President of IAC.

Doug and his wife, Pat, live in Spokane, Washington, and hangar their Extra 300L and Cessna 180 at Felts Field. They have two grown children, Christine and Colin, and when not flying or working on airplanes, enjoy skiing, tennis, and traveling.