Hometown: Amarillo, TX

Ratings:Air Transport Pilot (ATP), CFII MEI, Advanced Ground Instructor Instrument, Type ratings in B737, A320, BE1900, BE300

Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus TAA aircraft and applying the training and operating philosophies of Cirrus into learning, understanding, and operating the aircraft efficiently and confidently.

Flight Experience 48 years of flying, 33 years in the airline industry, retired American Airlines captain.

What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
After a career of professional flying I enjoy working with people on the basics of flying and building a foundation of experience and confidence in their aviation endeavors.

Favorite Quote:
“A good pilot is always learning. “

Hometown: Naperville, IL

Ratings: CFI, CFII, CPL SEL/MEL, Instrument Airplane, Complex, High performance

Flight Experience/Training:
B.S. Aeronautical Science Fixed-Wing
Minor in Applied Meteorology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle’s Flight Honors Achievement Award Recipient

What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
I enjoy being a servant leader in the aviation community. To be able to watch my student smile behind the controls makes me remember my time as a student when I first started this journey. I enjoy teaching my students how to be effective leaders in and out of the cockpit in hopes that they will one day share my teachings to other students.

Favorite Quote:
“Stay the Course”
– Pepere

Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona

Ratings: CFI, Commercial Multi/Single, Instrument, Complex/High Performance Endorsement

Flight Experience/Training:
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott 21′
B.S. Aeronautical Science Fixed-Wing
Minor: Air Traffic Control
Graduated with Flight Honors, and Cum Laude

What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Being able to teach the next generation of pilots is something that is incredibly rewarding to me. I enjoy watching my students learn and comprehend the skills I teach them in order to become a safe, well-trained pilot. One of the most memorable experiences as a pilot is when I took the controls by myself on my first solo flight. My goal is to make this one of the top memories in all my students flight careers.

Favorite Quote:
“Aviation is the proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible”
– Eddie Rickenbacker

Hometown: Mariposa, California

Ratings: Commercial single engine, Commercial multi engine, CFI/CFII, AGI/IGI, sUAS
Complex endorsement, high-performance endorsement, high-altitude endorsement

Flight Experience/Training:
Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science
Fixed wing with a quadruple minor in Air Traffic Control, Applied Meteorology, Aviation Safety, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Graduated with Embry – Riddle Flight Honors

What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
I remember how much fun I had while I did my discovery flight and I want to share that fun with my students while learning a few things along the way. Personally, I think the most important thing while flying especially flight training is safety. The most rewarding thing that has happened to me is having a past student call me and say that something I taught him during training saved his life and his passengers lives.

Favorite Quote:
“Every takeoff is optional, but every landing is mandatory!”

Steve Gay is a recently retired Airbus Captain with American Airlines. Steve got his start as a flight instructor and gave over 2,700 hours of instruction before leaving for the airlines. He obtained the Gold Seal certification from the FAA during his time as an instructor.

Steve enjoys general aviation and passing on his knowledge to a new generation of pilots. He grew up in Brazil and is fluent in Portuguese.

Hometown: Issaquah, WA

Ratings: CMEL, CSEL, IR, CFI

Flight Experience/Training:
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott
Aeronautical Science, Fixed
5 Years Flying Experience

What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
I love being able to share my love of aviation with like-minded students. Seeing a student begin to understand and enjoy what its like to be a pilot is truly rewarding.

Favorite Quote:
“Do…or do not. There is not try”
– Yoda

Hometown: Elgin, IL

Ratings: Commercial Multi, CFI, CFII

Flight Experience/Training:
Southwest Flight Center – Scottsdale, AZ
The Flying School – Loveland, CO

What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
I love the opportunity for both student and instructor to grow and learn together. Being able to see the improvement in their skills, the excitement in their eyes, after all their hard work, knowing you played a small part in their success is the most rewarding part.

Favorite Quote:
“The most rewarding things you do in life are the ones that look like they cannot be done.”
– Arnold Palmer

Hometown: Port Orchard, WA

Ratings: CFI, CPL: ASEL, AMEL, IR, Complex

Flight Experience/Training:
Central Washington University
B.S. Professional Flight

What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Seeing a student’s passion for flying grow as they gain confidence in themselves. Flying is something not a lot of people can say they do and I really enjoy sharing that experience with others, along with helping them reach higher potential that they thought was possible. They sky is the limit (literally)! Finally, being able to share knowledge and information that I acquired from my instructors years ago makes me feel proud that I am able to help out someone else in the pilot community.

Favorite Quote:
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”
– Wayne Gretzky
– Michael Scott