ELEVATE AVIATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Instructor - TCI, CFI, CFII, Vision Jet Pilot
Bill was born and raised in Northern California. Some of his favorite day trips were to Moffett Field Naval Air Station, where he enjoyed watching various military aircraft performing takeoff and landings. His father was a World War II fighter pilot who flew combat missions in the Solomon Islands campaign of the South Pacific. He grew up hearing stories of flying the P-38s, P-40s, B-17s, Stearman PT-13s, T-6s, and many others. Bill wanted to be a pilot from an early age. Some of his earliest aviation memories are flying with his dad in early, straight tail Cessna 172s. He began his flying training in Sacramento, California, as part of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He served in the Air Force as an F-15 pilot and logistics officer. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1993 with a Master's degree. After a break in flying, he came back to it in 2011. He enjoys skiing, the outdoors, and of course, airplanes and flying. If you ask him why he flies Cirrus, he'll tell you it's because they are safe, fast, beautiful planes that are responsive.
Job Titles:
- Instructor - ATP, CFI - I ( SEL / MEL ), Vision Jet Pilot
I have been flight instructing for the past 20 years at Fixed Base Operators and flying clubs. In my role at Beechcraft Aircraft as VP Quality and Performance Excellence, I was able to assist the production test pilots in performing initial flight tests on Bonanzas and King Airs. I have also instructed at their Employee Flying Club in Wichita, as well as the Ann Arbor Flyers in Michigan and the Sopwith Camel Flying Club here in Salt Lake.
Throughout my aviation career, I have tried to keep growing my skills through experiences such as:
Aerobatics and upset recovery training in both the Beechcraft T-34 and Aero Vodochody L-39 jet trainer
NOAA air sampling flight from 1,000 to 24,000 feet in a Cessna 421
USAF Altitude Chamber course at WPAFB
Teaching a Pitch Hitter Course to help pilot's flying companions be able to land an aircraft in an emergency
Airline Training & Orientation Program at United's Denver training facility
Embraer 175 training at Flight Safety
Job Titles:
- Chief - ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI, TCI
From a young age, Drew always knew that he wanted to be a pilot. His obsession was so unrelenting that his parents were forced to begin his flight training at the age of 11 to buy themselves a bit of peace. Drew was a competitive swimmer his entire life and swam for the University of Utah. Afterward, he began flight instructing in 2009. Drew enjoys sharing his passion for aviation through tailwheel, back-country, and Cirrus flight training. In addition to flying Cirrus aircraft all over the lower 48 states, he is a Captain for SkyWest.
Job Titles:
- Instructor - Gold Seal CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP, TCI
Kirksey began flying as a teenager in the Florida Panhandle, where she earned her private pilot's license in 2013. After graduating from the University of Central Florida in 2015, Kirksey attended ATP flight school in Daytona Beach and began her professional CFI career in Michigan, where she earned her FAA Gold Seal. While she taught in a variety of aircraft, including Diamonds, Pipers, and Cessnas, her favorite was always the Cirrus. She was such an advocate for the brand she eventually convinced her father to purchase an SR-22T. Hired in 2018 by Skywest Airlines, Kirksey is a first officer type rated on the Bombardier CRJ series and the Embraer E-175 but still loves to share her passion for flying Cirrus. She is a volunteer for Angel Flight West, providing non-critical free transportation for adults and children with serious medical needs. When she's not airborne, you will find her hiking or skiing the hills near her home in Park City.