EASTERN SLOPE AVIATION ACADEMY - Key Persons
Denis holds a dual fixed wing & rotary wing rating from the military, and a dual ATP from the FAA with approximately 14,000 hours logged to date. He first soloed in early 1972 and has been flying continuously since 1978. For 21 years, Denis flew helicopters & fixed wing military aircraft in the Rhode Island National Guard. He's had a 28+ year career in corporate aviation for Textron Inc, a corporate flight operations company based in Providence, RI. At Textron, Denis was Senior Captain on a fleet of corporate jets & helicopters flying both domestically & internationally. Here are some facts about Denis:
Holds 7 type ratings: BH-205/BH-206/CE-500/CE-525/CE-650/CE-680/CE750.
Favorite helicopter: Bell 430 (military or civilian).
Favorite jet: Citation X-Plus (top speed is Mach .935 or about 600 mph).
Job Titles:
- President North Conway, NH
Ed is a retired engineer and pilot. He started pilot training after college and has almost 1000 hours in single engine Pipers, Cessnas, Citabria, Maule, Stinson, and more. Ed also has a tailwheel endorsement.
Job Titles:
- Board Member Scarborough, ME
Job Titles:
- Board Member Fryeburg, ME
Joe is the Drafting and STEM Aviation teacher at the Mount Washington Valley Career and Technical Center in North Conway, New Hampshire. He graduated in 1983 from Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River, Massachusetts where his course of study was Mechanical and Architectural Drafting. After high school, Joe joined the United States Navy Reserves and served as a Hospital Corpsman for 12 years. He received his Bachelors degree from Bridgewater State College in 1994. After a 16 year career in the construction industry, Joe moved to Maine and became the Drafting teacher at Kennett High School. He's been at Kennett for the past 10 years and recently earned his Master of Science in Education.
Job Titles:
- Secretary West Ossipee, NH
Job Titles:
- Vice - President Conway, NH
Michael started flying at the age of 14 at Dutton Flying Service in Haverhill MA. He earned his private license by washing airplanes and fueling them on weekends. He went on to obtain his Commercial SEL, Multi, and Seaplane ratings. Michael's first paying job was at age 18, flying for the late Wylie Apte (AKA Bunky) at the White Mountain Airport in North Conway, NH. The rest of his career in aviation was flying corporate aircraft for various companies around the US. Now retired, Michael enjoys promoting aviation for young kids and flying his Cessna 172 to various airports around New England.
Job Titles:
- Technical Consultant Bartlett, NH
Job Titles:
- Board Member Conway, NH
- Chairman of the New Hampshire Aviation for Education
- Director of the Mount Washington Valley Career & Technical Center
Virginia is the director of the Mount Washington Valley Career & Technical Center (MWVCTC) at Kennett High School in North Conway, NH. She has flown as a passenger all over the world, but has never actually flown a plane herself.
Virginia became interested in offering a career pathway into the aviation industry after meeting with Ed Bergeron and several other pilots which opened her eyes for the need to create a pipeline into the industry. Always desiring to offer as many options an opportunities for high school students, especially those in rural communities, she joined forces with the Academy to offer a four-year STEM Aviation and Aerospace program at the Center. The curriculum, crafted by the Airline Pilots and Owners Association (AOPA) along with a myriad of other activities and opportunities provides a robust education for students in grades 9-12. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to earn their private pilot's license or commercial drone pilot's license.
Virginia is also the chairman of the New Hampshire Aviation for Education (NH-ACE) which provides guidance to other high schools around the state who wish to begin an aviation program. The program at MWVCTC is the first officially recognized Career & Technical Education (CTE) career pathway in the country.