Author, speaker, trainer and executive coach
Bob Snelling
From Navy destroyers and airline cockpits to the Georgia legislature and church communities, Bob’s life has been shaped by service, faith and the people around him.
Learning to fly in community
After high school in Western Pennsylvania, Bob entered the United States Naval Academy and graduated with the Class of 1965. He spent two years in gunnery and anti-submarine warfare aboard a Navy destroyer in the Atlantic, then entered flight school and earned his wings in 1968. He commanded P-3 Orion aircraft on flights across the Pacific, including deployments with duty in Vietnam.
Flying taught him something that would shape the rest of his work: setting takeoff power may be an individual action, but no aircraft launches without a larger community behind it.
A life of service and teaching
Bob spent 31 years as a Delta pilot, including 12 as a flight instructor, and an additional 10 years training Delta Boeing 777 international pilots. He also served eight years in the Georgia House of Representatives. His professional and personal travels have taken him to more than 50 countries.
In aviation, he learned to rely on the work of an entire team. In the legislature, he learned how communities work together despite strong political differences. As an elder in the Presbyterian Church, he has traveled nationally as a teacher, leader and discipleship coach.
The people behind the stories
Bob and his wife, Paula, raised three children and remain active in the lives of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He has shared his love of a cappella singing in chorus and quartet with his grandsons.
Today, Bob brings his experiences to his work as an author, speaker, trainer and coach. His memoir, Takeoff Power, explores his passion for human relationships through stories of community, faith and decades of flying.
Bob earned his Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential in 2020.
The next chapter
Every journey begins with a connection.
Discover Takeoff Power and the people who shaped Bob’s life.