Check Out Our CFIs

 Call Sign: Bill

Why I'm a Pilot:  I grew up around aircraft; my grandfather and father were both pilots. I was hooked at a very early age!  With my father and grandfather being pilots, I spent very little time in daycare as a child.  Instead, my summers were spent at the airport hanging out at the hangar, flightline, pilot's lounge, and flight planning rooms.  My father and grandfather were both A&Ps, so I witnessed many airframe related repairs and lots of engine work.  I spent my first two years out of college as a software engineer before I began flying.  Since then,  I have amassed time in single engine, multi-engine, and turbo.  Next on my list is tailwheel and seaplane!  I am passionate about flight instruction and sharing the magic of flight with others. 

Favorite Plane: DA-40

Occupation: IT

Favorite Aviation Experience: 

Flying with my family

Call Sign: Luke  

Why I’m a pilot:   It's been my dream 

since I was 6 years old and I love teaching!

At 6 years old my dream was to become a pilot.  I accidentally fell into that when a friend's dad offered me a ride in his airplane and I logged my first flight before I could drive a car.  I attended Purdue University, majoring in Aviation Technology, and instructing while in school.  I've always loved being a teacher and was able to train many pilots for their Private, Commercial, and Instrument ratings.  I also gained valuable experience as a ferry pilot, moving aircraft around the country for owners, maintenance shops and sales departments.  University led me to the airlines, until I tired of seeing my toddlers taking their first steps via video from my wife while I was stuck in a hotel.  I left the airlines and brought their professional, structured training with me.  Now I'm instructing once again and truly doing what I love.  I have over 6,000 hours of experience and I'm excited to fly with you!  

Favorite Plane:   From single engine 

two seaters to multi-engine jets, I love

 them all! 

Occupation:  CFI  

Favorite Aviation Experience:   

Ferrying new and old aircraft around the US

 Call Sign: Z

Why I’m a pilot: I knew that I wanted to have a job that I am excited about everyday.

Favorite plane: Piper J-3 Cub

Occupation: CFI

Most Exciting Aviation Experience: Flying to Leadville, Vail, and Glenwood Springs for the first time.

Call Sign: Kilo

Why I’m a pilot:  I've always loved airplanes and wanted to fly them!  I started my journey at Meadow Lake Airport where I earned my Private Pilot certificate.  From there, I went on to Centennial Airport and earned my Instrument, Commercial, Multi-Engine, and CFI certificates.  I have been blessed to have experience in a range of environments, from the coast of California, to weaving in the clouds over the Rockies.    

Favorite Plane:   B-25 Mitchell

Occupation:  CFI/CFII/MEI  

Favorite Aviation Experience:  

Weaving through the clouds over the Rockies in a Saratoga.   

 Call Sign:  Max

Why I’m a pilot:  Ever since I can remember I wanted to fly, but it seemed impossible to achieve. Sure enough, I took the risk and have been happy with my decision ever since. I completed all my flight training in beautiful south Florida. Although I enjoyed my time flying there, I look forward to Flying in Colorado.

Favorite Plane:  Any flying object

Occupation:  CFI 

Favorite Aviation Experience: 

Taking my brothers and friends flying. Also watching my students pass their check rides to become certified pilots.

Call Sign:  Ashton

Why I’m a pilot:  I grew up listening to my grandfather tell stories about crop dusting, and then found out the cockpit is my happy place.

Favorite Plane:  Lancair 320

Occupation:  CFI 

Favorite Aviation Experience: Anytime flying!!

Call Sign:  Jake

Why I’m a pilot:  I don’t remember a time when I wanted to do anything else! I started flying in high school and went on to earn a degree in Aviation in 2017. I then commissioned into the Army and went through initial entry rotary wing training and the UH60M Course at Fort Rucker, AL. I love everything about general aviation, from airport management to the sense of community, and of course, flying.

Favorite Airplane:  DC-3

Occupation:    Pilot

Most Exciting Aviation Experience: Island Hopping in Hawaii

 Call Sign:  Anything but Jessie!     

Why I’m a pilot:  Like most things in my life, the choice to become a pilot was very practical!  After 16 years as a mountain guide and rock climber I needed a new career that was physically easier, kept me in the mountains, and was still very mentally engaging! Helicopter pilot fit the bill perfectly since helicopters are challenging to fly and are capable of accomplishing many tasks, especially in the mountains, that planes cannot. My ultimate goal is to combine flying skills with mountain and rock-climbing knowledge to rescue injured people in high angle terrain using a technique called short haul. I love how aviation keeps you a lifelong student, there's always opportunity to contribute to what inspires you, and sharing aviation with others never gets old! 

Favorite Aircraft:  

AS350 "AStar" Helicopter    

Occupation:  Commercial Helicopter Pilot, CFII, Public Speaker 

Most Memorable Aviation Experience:  Flying up close and personal to the mountains in a helicopter is an unbelievable (and humbling) experience. Also, the pride I feel when others excel (for example in a flight lesson, solo, or check ride), or when I see people get excited about helicopters and overcome their biases or fears about them, which are typically unfounded!

 Call Sign:  Money      

Why I’m a pilot:   For the love of flight of course! Aviation is also a very rewarding career in the fact that you can continually learn and grow regardless of how long you’re in the industry. 

Favorite Aircraft:    

Bell 407      

Occupation:  Med Evac helicopter pilot, helicopter flight instructor 

Most Memorable Aviation Experience:  

 Every flight is unique. Landing above 14,000’ or Landing at the bottom of the Grand Canyon when the sun hits the canyon walls just right are two of my favorite experiences. Seeing a student grasp a concept for the first time is something I never tire of either. Let’s go FLY! 

Call Sign: Paddy

 Why I’m a pilot:   I have always wanted to be a military pilot since before I started grade school.  I enjoyed airshows and would go to the airport with any extra change to get flights whenever I could.  In pursuing military aviation, I received a random mailer from the Marine Corps that said if you passed a flight physical and an aptitude test (AQT/FAR), they would promise I would go to flight school.  No promise that I’d complete it, but that I would at least get there.  So I went through the Platoon Leadership Course commissioning program with the Marine Corps and spent the next 21 years of my life as an officer and aviator – enjoy every minute of it.  Since I retired from the Marine Corps, I still wanted to fly, but wanted to do something when I was flying, so I began instructing on the civilian side, and am a CFI, CFII, MEI in airplanes and helicopters.    

Favorite plane:  I flew the T-28B in flight school. When I went through, there was still 1 squadron that was half T-28B/Cs and half T-34Cs (all of the other squadrons had transitioned to the T-34C).  That plane was initially a beast, but it has so much power, and a speed brake, that it just became a lot of fun to fly.  I also really enjoyed the CH-53E.  While not small, it was extremely maneuverable and when empty had a lot of excess power.  Flying that aircraft down low, day or night, was always enjoyable. 

Occupation:  My full time job is in the Defense Industry, but I am also a flight instructor because it is something I enjoy doing. 

Most Memorable Aviation Experience:    I have had many memorable aviation experiences, almost all during my military career.  They include going supersonic in a F-4, flying a Space Shuttle approach in a T-38, being the lead test pilot for the low airspeed/critical azimuth testing of the pre-production prototype of the Army Special Operations aircraft, the YMH-60K, landing an OH-58 (military version of the Jet Ranger helicopter) on floats in the water, flying to the Washington Mall for the display after the first Desert Storm (and almost lifting the top off of the carousel and taking out the windows of about a dozen cars – oops), and flying multiple instrument approaches to the ship, to minimums, while offloading the infantry after a deployment.  There are many more, but those can be talked about at another time. 

Call Sign: Deni

 Why I’m a pilot:  Like most of Arapahoe’s instructors, my fascination with airplanes goes back as far as I can remember.  Two of my great-grandfathers flew in the WWI era, and my grandfather had a military flying career that spanned the P-51 to the F-4. 

 My determination to fly led me to the University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, and then into a career with the airlines.  I have always enjoyed flight instruction and have been a pilot mentor and instructor at two different airlines.  The pandemic provided the opportunity for me to reconnect with general aviation and become active as a Civil Air Patrol orientation pilot and an instructor at Arapahoe.

Favorite plane:  The one I happen to be flying at the moment!  (I am partial to air conditioning on a hot day :)  Declaring a favorite airplane is like picking a favorite kid, you just love them all and appreciate their uniqueness.

Occupation: Pilot Instructor

Most Exciting Aviation Experience: 

Seeing the things that you can’t behold from the ground, soaring free above the earth, and the times that I’ve been with my family are my favorites!

Call Sign: Taz

 Why I’m a pilot:  It's in the family.  

Favorite plane:  

Piper PA-18 Supercub

Occupation: Flight Instructor

Mountain Course Certified

Most Exciting Aviation Experience: 

It's a long story - ask me about it sometime!