In my current role with D14 Aviation, I instruct Private, Instrument, and Commercial students
and serve as the lead ground instructor for a high-school aviation program using the AOPA You
Can Fly STEM curriculum. This work has strengthened my ability to communicate clearly,
maintain high standards, and mentor developing aviators — qualities that translate directly to
professional charter operations and passenger-facing environments.
During my 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and Illinois National Guard, I operated multiple
large turbine aircraft, gaining early exposure to complex systems, disciplined checklist use, and
structured crew coordination. That environment shaped my understanding of CRM long before I
entered civilian cockpits and built the foundation for the procedural discipline I bring to every
flight today.
Going to Frontier and Republic, I entered after a 25-year break from aviation and with only 320
hours of airplane time. I simply did not yet have the fixed-wing experience or comfort level that
I have today. That period, however, strengthened my procedural precision, and ability to adapt
quickly to new aircraft and operational demands. Since then, I have accumulated more airplane
time than helicopter time and built a strong foundation through instructing. The difference in
my confidence, proficiency, and situational awareness is profound. Those early challenges
ultimately made me a far stronger, more disciplined, and more self-aware pilot — one who is
now fully prepared for the demands of professional Part 135 operations.

Education

Dpaul Univeristy
Masters September 3, 1996 - May 15, 2001 I completed a Master’s in Computer Science with a concentration in Distributed Systems, where I focused on designing and analyzing large‑scale, fault‑tolerant computing architectures. My work centered on how independent nodes coordinate, communicate, and maintain reliability under real‑world constraints—giving me a deep understanding of scalable system design and modern distributed computing principles.
Governors State University
Bachelor's August 24, 1992 - May 20, 1994 I earned a Bachelor’s in Computer Science with a strong foundation in software development, algorithms, and systems design. Alongside it, I completed a Minor in Mathematics, which deepened my analytical skills and strengthened the theoretical grounding behind my technical work.

Work Experience

Instructor
D14 Aviation May 19, 2025 - Present Besides serving as a flight instructor preparing students for their Private, Instrument, and Commercial pilot certificates, I also lead the academic side of their training as the primary ground instructor for a high‑school aviation program. I teach and mentor 18 students through the year‑long AOPA “You Can Fly” STEM curriculum, providing structured ground school, hands‑on aviation concepts, and career‑focused guidance. I am credentialed as an Illinois educator, IEIN 1282737, supporting my role in delivering formal aviation education within the state.
First Officer
Republic Airways March 22, 2024 - January 9, 2024 Studied within the methodology of an AQP and learned the Embraer 170. While there I created a proof of concept for a program that would calculate how long you were able to stay in holding.
First Officer
Frontier Airlines November 7, 2024 - June 27, 2023 Learned the systems of the Airbus A-320 along with how to safely fly the aircraft. Also learned the rules of Part 121 operations.
Software Developer / Manager
Various April 15, 2019 - I led software development efforts across two continents, managing and mentoring a distributed team of up to 20 developers while delivering complex, high‑reliability systems. In addition to the technical leadership, I leveraged my deep customer service background to guide clients through the entire lifecycle—from early requirements gathering, through iterative development and delivery, and into long‑term support and relationship management—ensuring solutions that met both operational needs and strategic goals.

Highlights

Part 121 Training
March 22, 2024 Going to Frontier and Republic, I entered after a 25-year break from aviation and with only 320 hours of airplane time. I simply did not yet have the fixed-wing experience or comfort level that I have today. That period, however, strengthened my procedural precision, and ability to adapt quickly to new aircraft and operational demands. Since then, I have accumulated more airplane time than helicopter time and built a strong foundation through instructing. The difference in my confidence, proficiency, and situational awareness is profound. Those early challenges ultimately made me a far stronger, more disciplined, and more self-aware pilot — one who is now fully prepared for the demands of professional Part 135 operations.
Army Training
April 29, 1999 During my 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and Illinois National Guard, I operated multiple large turbine aircraft, gaining early exposure to complex systems, disciplined checklist use, and structured crew coordination. That environment shaped my understanding of CRM long before I entered civilian cockpits and built the foundation for the procedural discipline I bring to every flight today.

Aircraft Experience

PA-28
  • Time in Type: 175 hrs
  • Last Training: July 6, 2026
  • Training Type: Instruction
  • Facility: D14 Flight School