Flight Instructor in Bay Area
I’m a 2000 hour commercial pilot, certificated flight instructor, and instrument instructor, for single engine land aircraft. I can train you for sport pilot, private pilot, instrument pilot, commercial pilot, or instructor. I can also provide aircraft checkouts, complex and high performance endorsements, mountain flight training, flight reviews, and instrument proficiency checks, in addition to other recurrent training. I’m a part time instructor with a tech day job, so I prefer to teach evenings and weekends. This meshes well with students who also have day jobs. Other times can be arranged as needed. As a part time instructor, I keep only a few long term students at a time, so contention for my time is rare. I’ve had a long time relationship with Civil Air Patrol, as a search/disaster pilot, instructor pilot, and check pilot (all with mountain qualification) in their Cessna 172/182/206 fleet, as well as introducing CAP youth to flight [note that CAP does not endorse me or any other instructor]. I teach primarily at Reid Hillview in East San Jose, where I have ready access to a fleet of rental aircraft. It is a well situated, lively airport with closer practice areas than Peninsula airports (especially in summer when the coast is clouded). I can also teach in your plane at Palo Alto, San Carlos, San Jose or Watsonville, provided we meet some basic insurance requirements. Flying is a wonderful adventure, and I hope to share it with you!
Details
- State*California
- CFI Insurance*Yes
- Aircraft Access for Pilot TrainingYes
- Open to traveling across the countryNo
Held Certifications*
- CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor)
- CFII (Instrument Flight Instructor)
- AGI (Advanced Ground Instructor)
- Commercial ASEL (Airplane Single Engine Land)
- High-Performance Endorsement
- Complex Endorsement
- Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)
Training Stages (Can offer)
- Private Pilot License (Certificate) - PPL
- Instrument Rating - IR
- Commercial Pilot License (Certificate) - CPL
- Certified Flight Instructor - CFI
- Certified Flight Instructor Instrument - CFII
- Sport Pilot License (Certificate)
- Unmanned Aerial System - UAS (/Drone)
- High-Performance Endorsement
- Complex-Airplane-Endorsement
Flying At/Near These Airport(s)
Flight Training Available at These California Airports KRHV – Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV), located in San Jose, California KPAO – Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County (PAO), located in Palo Alto, California KWVI – Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI), located in Watsonville, California
Specific Aircraft Access
Cessna 172, Cessna 182, Piper Archer, Piper Arrow
Aircraft Experience (Instructed in)
Cessna 172, 177, 182, 206 (including turbo and retractable models), Piper Warrior, Archer, Arrow.
Aircraft Experience (Piloted)
2000 hours total time in airplanes (single engine land)
Pilot Training Provided
- Certificates/Ratings Flight Lessons
- Intro/ Discovery Flight
- Flight Reviews - Biennial Flight Reviews (BFRs)
- Checkride Prep
- Safety Pilot
- Time Building
- Aircraft/Avionics-Specific Training
- Mountain/Backcountry Flying
- Cross-Country
- Flight Planning (VFR, IFR)
- Currency Training
- Aircraft Checkout
- Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC)
Pricing - Hourly Rate (e.g. Ground School, Flight Lesson, Travel Time, Flight Review)
$100
Pricing Notes
No instructor charge for aircraft determined to be unairworthy before takeoff, except for ground lessons. Price otherwise includes all time where flight or ground instruction is taking place.
Airplane Category
- Single Engine Land
Ground School Programs Experience
- Gold Seal
- Finer Points
- ASA
Location
Reviews (0)
About the instructor
I learned to fly at Palo Alto in 2011, and have since accumulated 2000 hours total time. I got into aviation from my day job, which involved data acquisition systems for a large multi engine airborne astronomical observatory. Since then, I’ve developed skills introducing youth to aviation, search and rescue, disaster assessment, and aviation training. I've been involved with Civil Air Patrol since 2014, and served as commander for the Palo Alto squadron from 2021-2025, with additional roles as instructor pilot, check pilot, mountain qualified mission pilot, search trainer, and aircraft maintenance officer. I can offer training toward private and commercial certificates as well as instrument ratings in single engine airplanes. Complex and high performance airplanes, mountain training, flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, and other recurrent or transition training are also available. As I have a day job, I do quite a lot of training on weekends, holidays, and evenings, and can easily be available to student pilots in a similar situation. Other times are available by arrangement, even if recurring, to support student needs. I am not an instructor to build time for airline eligibility; I do this for the love of the craft, and have no plans to fly for airlines even though I have passed the customary 1500 hour mark.
I learned to fly at Palo Alto in 2011, and have since accumulated 2000 hours total time. I got into aviation from my day job, which involved data acquisition systems for a large multi engine airborne astronomical observatory. Since then, I’ve developed skills introducing youth to aviation, search and rescue, disaster assessment, and aviation training. I've been involved with Civil Air Patrol since 2014, and served as commander for the Palo Alto squadron from 2021-2025, with additional roles as instructor pilot, check pilot, mountain qualified mission pilot, search trainer, and aircraft maintenance officer. I can offer training toward private and commercial certificates as well as instrument ratings in single engine airplanes. Complex and high performance airplanes, mountain training, flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, and other recurrent or transition training are also available. As I have a day job, I do quite a lot of training on weekends, holidays, and evenings, and can easily be available to student pilots in a similar situation. Other times are available by arrangement, even if recurring, to support student needs. I am not an instructor to build time for airline eligibility; I do this for the love of the craft, and have no plans to fly for airlines even though I have passed the customary 1500 hour mark.