Elevate your skills.
Expand your horizons.
I'm Josh, a flight instructor in the Phoenix area. Whether you're looking to just get into flying or you're experienced and want to grow your aviation knowledge, I'll meet you where you are.
Hi, I'm Josh.
I'm a flight instructor in the Phoenix area, and I'm here to help whether you're looking to just get into flying or you're already experienced and want to grow your aviation knowledge.
Before becoming a flight instructor I worked in finance, in the hedge fund and private equity industries. In my free time I worked on my PPL, fell in love with aviation, and never looked back. When I'm not flying I'm spending time with my lovely wife, attempting to get better at golf, or officiating local high school sports.
I train new pilots working toward a private pilot license, and experienced pilots adding an instrument rating or earning a commercial pilot license. Flying represents the ultimate form of freedom. I want to make not just safe pilots, but also show people how much fun flying can be. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Where to start
Most people begin with a discovery flight. If you're already flying, skip straight to the training or proficiency work you need.
Discovery Flight
Thinking about learning to fly? This is the one. A full hour in the airplane with the controls in your hands.
- One-hour flight
- Pre-flight briefing and walk-around
- You fly — I'm there the whole time
- Hour logged towards your total flight time
Certificates & Ratings
Plane rental: $85/hr, fuel not included
Structured training from your first lesson through the checkride, with ground instruction along the way.
- Private Pilot (PPL)
- Instrument Rating (IRA)
- Commercial Pilot (CPL)
- Ground instruction included
Proficiency & Currency
For certificated pilots staying sharp, getting current again, or checking out a new airplane.
- Flight reviews (BFR)
- Instrument proficiency checks (IPC)
- Aircraft and insurance checkouts
- Any other services
What I teach
Single engine land instruction across every stage of training and most of the things pilots need after the checkride — plus multi engine land for safety pilot and ferrying work.
Certificates & ratings
- Private Pilot (PPL)
- Instrument Rating (IRA)
- Commercial Pilot (CPL)
- Ground school
- Checkride prep
Proficiency & currency
- Flight reviews (BFRs)
- Instrument proficiency check (IPC)
- Currency training
- Night currency and proficiency
- Aircraft / insurance checkout
- Safety pilot
Skills & experience
- Intro / discovery flights
- Spins and upset recovery
- Mountain and backcountry flying
- Cross-country flying
- Flight planning (VFR, IFR)
- Time building
Where we fly
Based out of Falcon Field but can go to any airport in the Valley, including the ones below, by appointment. Plane rental is available at Falcon Field.
Training programs
What the FAA requires for each certificate, rating, and proficiency check. These are the key minimums; we'll build a plan around where you are today.
Private Pilot
The national average is about 65 hours.
- 3 hours of cross-country flight training
- 3 hours of instrument flight training
- 10 hours of solo flight time
- One solo cross-country with full-stop landings at three points, one segment over 50nm
Reference: 14 CFR 61.109 and the Private ACS
Instrument Rating
Builds on your private pilot certificate.
- 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time
- 15 of those hours with a CFII
- One 250nm trip on a filed IFR flight plan, with instrument approaches at three different airports using three different kinds of navigation (typically VOR, ILS, and GPS)
Reference: 14 CFR 61.65 and the Instrument ACS
Commercial Pilot
The step toward flying professionally.
- 20 hours of training
- 10 hours of training in a complex or TAA aircraft
- One 2-hour day dual cross-country
- One 2-hour night dual cross-country
- 5 hours of solo VFR flight at night
- One 300nm solo trip with landings at three airports
Reference: 14 CFR 61.129 and the Commercial ACS
Flight Review
Formerly the Biennial Flight Review (BFR). At least 1 hour of ground and 1 hour of flight training; the length depends on your experience and currency.
- Training areas are at the discretion of your CFI
- Content is tailored to the type of flying you do
- Your CFI acts as both evaluator and trainer
- A new certificate or rating counts as a Flight Review
- You must demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of your pilot certificate
Reference: 14 CFR 61.56 and AC 61-98D
Instrument Proficiency Check
An IPC is required once you've been out of instrument currency for more than 6 months. Its content comes from the Appendix to the Instrument ACS.
- Holding procedures
- Recovery from unusual flight attitudes
- Intercepting and tracking navigational systems and arcs
- Precision and non-precision approaches
- Circling, missed, and partial-panel approaches
- Landing from an instrument approach
- Checking instruments and equipment
Reference: 14 CFR 61.57(d) and the Instrument ACS
Other Services
Custom-tailored flight training for a wide variety of needs.
- Insurance checkouts
- Training in newly purchased aircraft
- Aircraft delivery and training trips
- High-performance endorsements
- Complex endorsements
- Mountain flight training
- Local area familiarization
- And more
Get in touch to discuss your specific requirements.
How it works
Three steps between the form below and your hands on the yoke.
Send the form
Name, and a phone number or email. Takes about a minute.
We pick a time and a field
I'll reach out to sort out scheduling, which airport suits you, and what you're hoping to get out of it.
You fly
Briefing and walk-around first, then up. You'll be flying the airplane yourself.
Get in touch
Leave your details and I'll get back to you. No payment taken here.
Contact
Prefer to reach out directly? Give me a call or send an email.