Hi there! I’m David. I’ve worked as a flight school manager, flight instructor, personal private pilot, and corporate pilot for a fractional ownership company. Flying over fifteen different aircraft types, I have a huge passion for aviation and I’m here to share my knowledge, my experience and my stories with others!
This website is reader-supported, which means we may be paid when you visit links to partner or featured sites, or by advertising on the site. For more information please read my Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
How David was first inspired by aviation
As a child growing up in Los Angeles, California, my summers consisted of going outside with my friends, playing sports, and summer camps. The summer going into the fifth grade, my infinite wisdom thought it would be a bright idea to climb a tall fence to get into a closed park. On my way down, the fence got the best of me, and my arm met the hot concrete and a first-class trip to the emergency room. My summer plans changed with a broken arm, but this was the first time I ever played the infamous computer game Microsoft Flight Simulator X. With one arm, I learned all about aircraft from this computer game ranging from single-engine props to heavy 747s. I had quickly become an aviation nerd. On my thirteenth birthday, I took a discovery flight at my local airport, and since that flight, I’ve never looked back.
Starting my aviation journey
I started my aviation journey in 2016 when I attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I received my bachelor’s in Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle with minors in aviation safety and flight. My coursework included flight training, aviation law, and safety systems. My time at Embry Riddle unleashed my true passion for aviation. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I graduated to a halted industry. However, I continued my education and received my qualifications to teach flight, receiving the big three CFI, CFII, and MEI.
When I started teaching
Once the world started returning to normal, I began teaching at a small flight school in Daytona Beach, Florida. Here I taught in a multitude of small general aviation aircraft. Within a year of working at the school, I transitioned to a manager responsible for hiring, training instructors, creating training documents, marketing, and acquiring aircraft. I discovered my passion for teaching flight, taking a student from zero to a hero and continue to provide part time instruction when I can.
My first corporate job
After my time at the flight school, I received my first corporate job, where I flew a Piper Meridian M500 (P46T) for a private owner. This job was challenging at times; with inadequate company training and just around 800 hours of total time, I was flying a single-pilot operation all across the United States in a turbine aircraft. This dynamic job only lasted six months, and when the owner sold the airplane, I quickly found a new job flying a Pilatus PC-12 for a fractional ownership program. I love being a corporate pilot. While the schedule is demanding, no day is the same, and to me, that’s special.
What have I flown?
Building my experience, I’ve worked as a flight school manager, flight instructor, personal private pilot, and corporate pilot for a fractional ownership company. Flying over fifteen different aircraft types, I’ve flown everything from slow single-engine, twins, and high-powered turbines.
Whether teaching student pilots to fly or transporting private owners across the United States, I’m here to share my ideas and stories to educate our exciting community on everything and anything aviation. I’m really excited to be here, speak soon friends.
You can contact me here, or through my Linkedin profile
-Dave
