Meet Our Airplane Instructors

Chris White

Airplane Chief Instructor

Stephen Shoffner

Airplane Assistant Chief Instructor

Nicole Wolf

Director of Flight School Operations

Terry Riessen

Director of Safety

Rachel Becker

Airplane Instructor

Scott Briggs

Airplane Instructor

Stephen Slonaker

Airplane Instructor

Lily Batchelor

Airplane Instructor

Jacob Snyder

Airplane Instructor

Andy Tennant

Airplane Instructor

Hailey Doss

Airplane Instructor

Carl Ott

Airplane Instructor

Ryan Malmgren

Airplane Instructor

Matthew Komisars

AIRPLANE INSTRUCTOR

Mac McCullough

AIRPLANE INSTRUCTOR

Marc Boegner

Airplane Instructor

Connel Greer

Airplane Instructor

Zach Henderson

Airplane Instructor

Blake Murdock

Airplane Instructor

Ken Sangalang

Airplane Instructor

Josh Lebow

Airplane Instructor

Casey Brija

Airplane Instructor

Airplane Fleet

Our Airplane Fleet

At Leading Edge Flight Academy,  we operate a fleet of Cessna 172 Skyhawks, Beechcraft Bonanzas, and a Beechcraft Baron. We select our aircraft for safety, reliability, and flight learning progression. 

Our aircraft are fully standardized, allowing for student familiarization across the fleet and very high aircraft availability, with only one to three percent of flights lost due to maintenance. These planes are the perfect practice craft, whether it’s your first day in the cockpit or you’re a career pilot.

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Cessna 172 Skyhawk

Cessna 172 Skyhawk

First flown in 1955, more 172s have been built than any other aircraft. We consider the 172 the ultimate flight training airplane for our student pilots. Our fleets of C172M and C172N models have upgraded engines and standardized avionics to provide our students with greater consistency. 

Beechcraft Bonanza F33A

Beechcraft Bonanza F33A

Students will fly the low-wing Bonanza F33A during the commercial single engine land rating. Our students can look forward to experiencing and gaining high performance and complex endorsement while learning to fly aircraft with retractable landing gear like our Bonanzas. Recently the FAA changed the rules so the required complex aircraft training hours can be conducted in technically advanced aircraft which don’t necessarily have retractable landing gear or variable pitch propeller. We decided to keep this training in our program, so your first exposure to these systems isn’t during the flight interview at your next job.

Beechcraft Baron B55

Beechcraft Baron B55

Our multi-engine aircraft are for students pursuing commercial multi-engine and multi-engine instructor (MEI) ratings. Students not only learn to fly multi, but also with a critical engine, just like most will experience in their next aviation job. Many other schools complete multi-engine training in aircraft with lower powered counter rotating engines and simulate exposure to critical engine training. At LEFA, we feel this skill is essential to prepare students for their ultimate job as a professional aviator.

Frasca Cessna 172 Simulator

We also have a Frasca Cessna 172 Simulator for practicing maneuvers and procedures. This simulator is standardized to match the instrument cockpits of our actual aircraft. LEFA students use the simulator to expand on maneuver techniques, emergency procedures, and learn to fly in adverse weather and visual conditions to any of 100,000 airports—all in a controlled learning environment, without the risk and stress of actual flight. Using the simulator, students can gain up to 40% of the instrument flight experience required for an FAA instrument rating at a fraction of the cost. Combined with our FAA part 141 approved flight training program, the simulator offers a less expensive option to build experience.

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Why Learn To Fly With Leading Edge?

At Leading Edge Flight Academy, we’re proud of our team’s ability to pass down aviation wisdom from one generation to the next. Learn more about what that means for students like you. 

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Leading Edge has been a great stepping stone for me to transition from military aviation into the commercial world. I did a lot of long IFR flights, in a large multi-engine aircraft, utilizing crew resource management and operating under military rules. Leading Edge allowed me to experience VFR flying out of a busy uncontrolled field, in a tiny/simple plane, utilize single pilot resource management, and get spooled up on the FARs as they apply to general/commercial aviation. Without the opportunity to experience this first hand as I did, and then pass that knowledge on to my students, I’d still be trying to wrap my head around the differences between military/commercial aviation. 

Brad

Brad
Starting flight training which was a completely new endeavor, in a completely new state can be quite the challenge. Leading Edge Flight Academy, however made that transition a breeze. At Leading Edge Flight Academy everyone is treated like family and they thoroughly ensure every student such as myself was prepared for our futures in Aviation, from every preflight to check ride, no matter where it took us. From being Deputy operating as a Sheriffs Department Tactical Flight Officer, to being dual qualified on the Beechcraft 99 and the 120 LEFA paved the way. As Jack would always say “Only you can decide your aviation future but we will ensure you get there.”

Katani Best, First Officer FreightRunners Express

Katani Best, First Officer FreightRunners Express
I started my aviation journey with Leading Edge. I received exceptional training that set me up for success as a 135 cargo pilot as well as the 121 flying I’m doing now. The best part of training and working at Leading Edge, was working alongside some of the most kind, knowledgable and skilled aviators in the industry. I was provided with not only the skills to succeed but a network of people who have moved into all facets of the industry. That in itself is invaluable.

Mitch Bumby

Mitch Bumby
Leading Edge was where I started my aviation career. They gave me to tools necessary to instruct, fly in rural Alaska, and finally become an Airline pilot. Training was always fun and exciting, but at the same time challenging. As a veteran, it is unbelievable that in two years, I got a degree as well as all my fixed wing ratings at no out-of-pocket expense. I always think to myself, “Why doesn’t everyone do this?

Clint Sheppard

Clint Sheppard
Becoming an airline pilot has always been my ultimate goal, and Leading Edge provided the best opportunity to build my flight experience up to the minimums required by the airlines. I grew up watching airplanes fly into the Bend airport, and flying over my hometown on a daily basis is one of the highlights of my career so far. As a SkyWest pilot, I now find myself flying into many of the same airports I first visited during my time at Leading Edge!

Garrett Ross

Garrett Ross
COCC and Leading Edge helped get me to where I am today. The instructors, working with management, always wanted the best. It’s the group of people you work with that makes a company great, and at Leading Edge the camaraderie within the organization was awesome. That is what I saw as a student and an instructor. I really liked my time there and enjoyed the fact that everyone was tracking the same goal. I would recommend anyone to go fly there because there is a distinct difference in the knowledge and ambition coming out of this school that I haven’t seen from other pilots from different schools.

Andrew Camara

Andrew Camara
It’s become part of who I am and I will never lose the desire and love I have for it.” Alice loves the freedom and adventure it brings! She wants to make flying into her career and inspire more women around the world! She highly encourages any women’s curiosity in aviation to give it a try!  She says, “Being a female pilot is empowering and rewarding!

Alice Reed

Alice Reed
When I started flying, the college and the flight provider laid out a plan for me—where I was gonna start and where I wanted to end up… 3.5 years later, I’m going to the airlines, which is exactly where I wanted to be when I started.

Jake Edgerly

Jake Edgerly
Instructing at LEFA for 2.5 years not only got me the flight hours and experience necessary to make the next step in my career, but made the transition to flying bigger/faster aircraft easier. LEFA’s safety oriented, fast paced and professional program helped me sharpen valuable skills that have been necessary to meet the high safety and punctuality standards in the corporate pilot industry.

Cullen Foss

Cullen Foss
Leading Edge provided me with the exceptional training that prepared me for an awesome career as a professional aviator. The kicker is that you get to train in the dynamic and gorgeous area that is central Oregon! I couldn’t be happier with my decision to fly at Leading Edge and choose aviation as my career!

Adam Mitchell

Adam Mitchell
After instructing I got the opportunity to work in Alaska, delivering parts and supplies to a remote gold mine. It helped pave the way to land my current job at a 135 operation. I fly C207s into the local villages delivering cargo and passengers in the Yukon Delta where driving is not always an option. It’s always good to maintain relationships in the aviation community because you never know who’s going to help you get to the next step in your career– or who you may help!

Dayne Schafer

Dayne Schafer
As a First Officer, I assist Captains in the operation of our CRJ fleet; we get to fly the 200, 700, and 900 variants to all parts of the country! As a Procedures Instructor, I teach new hires how to apply what they learn from Ground School to successfully accomplish a regular gate to gate flight. The foremost impact of my time at Leading Edge was getting to train and work alongside some of the sharpest and kindest individuals one could…I learned a staggering amount both personally and professionally. They are all inspiring and motivating to keep oneself improving and growing, which is arguably the most important habit any pilot can develop.

Steven Crowe

Steven Crowe
I moved to Bend, OR after I retired from the Navy to pursue my passion of becoming a professional pilot.  Even though I was a relatively junior instructor with just a handful of CFI experience, I was hired by Leading Edge Flight Academy. Over the past two years I’ve  had the opportunity to grow and hone my skills as a pilot and ultimately assume the title and responsibilities of Lead CFI and Check Instructor. Flying in Central Oregon presents unique challenges and opportunities for young students and their instructors. Pilots are presented with real-world flying scenarios that can teach them valuable lessons about flying safely while executing sound decision making skills.  I had the pleasure of having Nick as one of my first students when I started teaching at Leading Edge. It has been very rewarding to see him (and others) earn their pilot wings and become instructors as well! As I move on to a career in the airlines I reflect on my time at Leading Edge and am thankful for the amazing people I have had the opportunity to work with.

Andrew Reischauer

Andrew Reischauer