Instructors

Aviation - we love everything about it. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the people. Not only do we love to fly, we love sharing aviation with other passionate aviators.  We love spending time with pilots, improving and refining their skills and learning from them.

Our passion is airmanship, teaching and mentoring. You don't have to be a pro-pilot, but you should strive to fly like a professional. Let us help you get there.

Our instructors are based all over the US and europe serve clients world-wide.

Original founder of AMA Online, a dial up Internet Service Provider, David partnered with an investment company in 2000 and built one of the largest fixed wireless commercial Internet networks in the U.S.

While building his business, David started and managed a successful flying club with over 160 members, 12 airplanes, 15 flight instructors and four A&P mechanics.

David now serves clients as a contract pilot in aircraft ranging from a Piper Cheyenne to King Air 200s to Malibu JetProp to TBM 850.

As if that were not enough, David has over 1,000 hours in jump planes.

David is based in Amarillo, Texas.

Abby's aviation journey is rooted in a rich heritage as a fourth-generation pilot, an inheritance that has fueled her passion and commitment to the skies. Her academic and professional groundwork was laid at the University of Oklahoma, where she excelled both as a student and an instructor. Abby's dedication to aviation education saw her teaching new and advanced pilots, alongside conducting various ground school sessions, nurturing the next wave of aviation talent with expertise and enthusiasm.

After she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management, Abby expanded her instructional repertoire to include teaching pilots on the Cirrus aircraft out of the busiest general aviation airport in Texas. Teaching in Cirrus aircraft, which are renowned for their sophistication and technological advancements, has allowed her to impart this knowledge across different aircraft types and has made her an invaluable asset to the aviation community. 

Currently, flying the Beechjet and now focused on TBM instruction, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to her role. Abby holds the double type rating of both the Nextant 400XTi/Beechjet 400 and the MU-300, highlighting her extensive expertise and adaptability in aviation.

Operating safely under extraordinary time and mission pressure is Jason’s full time job as a medevac pilot.  He is PIC type-rated in the Citation Bravo and SIC typed in the Citation CJ.

With a CFI and CFII, Jason has spent nearly 500 hours instructing with over 10% of those hours in single engine turboprops.  He has deep expertise in the theory and operation of turbine aircraft engines.

Located in Birmingham, AL, Jason serves Goldberg Aviation clients in the south east USA.

Jason enjoys teaching flying, watching aviation history documentaries, and studying accident case studies.  When not flying, teaching flying, or studying flying, he watches Alabama football, travels, and spends time with his family.

“Summa Cum Laude” is Latin for “with highest distinction” and that is how the faculty at Embry-Riddle graded Gage’s academic performance and practical proficiency at that well-regarded university.  Gage brings that same level of enthusiasm and commitment to his aviation career.  Despite having fewer than 1,200 hours, Gage has a myriad of certificates and endorsements including being SIC type rated in a Falcon 10 and Falcon 50.  Like many pilots of his generation, he is proficient in all Garmin avionics. 

Gage specializes in Commercial Training and was instrumental in establishing Goldberg Aviation’s training program at the commercial pilot and ATP levels.  

Prior to Goldberg Aviation, Gage flew pipelines, was in the Skywest Airlines training program and served as the SIC at Flight Safety’s type rating courses.

Outside of aviation, a vocation he has had since age 15, Gage surfs, fishes and rides motorcycles.

Gage is based in San Antonio, TX, but travels worldwide.

Jerry splits his time between instruction and Part 135 missions in a Lear 60. His flying experience and, in particular, experience with Pratt and Whitney engines is singular. He has 25 years experience with P&W engines while being type rated in 10 jet types.

Jerry has over 13,000 flight hours with over 2,100 hours in turboprops.  He has instructed over 3,500 pilots in all types of aircraft and over 200 pilots in turboprops.  He instructs in dozens of turbine aircraft types and holds CFI, CFII and MEI certificates.

He is based in Camarillo, CA and travels worldwide.

In time when he isn’t flying, Jerry enjoys hiking, gardening and real estate investing.

Mike has 1200+ hours of TBM experience and had the opportunity to learn from John Elford. He is a full time Goldberg instructor located in Denver, and operates an aircraft management company on the side. He mentors and train pilots across the country and instills the basics of power, pitch, trim in all phases of flight.   In the cockpit, Mike focuses on a  commitment to safety, precision, and effective instruction. His students praise his patient demeanor and clear communication, which instills confidence even in the most challenging situations.

Mike grew up in Dallas, the son of an American Airlines Captain. After graduating from Rutgers University, Mike enjoyed a successful career managing agronomy for some of the top country club golf courses in the country.  He later put these skills and connections to work, joining the sales team of a high tech startup company with breakthrough carbon negative technology.  

Chad’s full-time job is flying Challenger 300 and Citation X jets and brings his over 6,700 hours flying experience to instructing.  Chad has over 3,000 hours of instruction given in high performance Cessnas, MClass Pipers and TBMs.  He conducts owner and professional transition training in both aircraft and avionics.  He has expertise with the Garmin 1000, NXI, Garmin 3000 and Garmin 5000.

Chad has been endorsed by Bombardier for flights into Aspen, CO  – an airport that requires skilled airmanship and expert situational awareness — as well as years of experience in the mountains (Eagle County, CO). 

Chad is based in Dallas, TX, but can travel worldwide.

Outside aviation, Chad is a fan of running, lifting weights and snow skiing.

Marty grew up flying with his dad in Piper Cubs and Cessna 150s.

He has been a flight instructor continuously since 1980 accruing over 8,000 hours instructing.

The total number of flight hours logged is over 13,000 in 100 different types of aircraft including seaplanes and gliders.

Marty has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Tennessee Tech University and a masters in engineering from the University of Tennessee.  He worked as a Mechanical Engineer at TVA retiring in 2013.  After retirement he has been flying full time as a professional pilot for Crystal Air in Chattanooga, TN.   He flies TBM and PC-12 aircraft in addition to other aircraft. 

Marty resides Sweetwater, TN at Cub Haven with his wife where he enjoys flying his J3 Cub off of his private airstrip and raising beef cattle.     

Rebecca Gibson has been working in aviation for the last 20 years, accruing over 9,000 hours total, over 5,000 of which was giving instruction in a wide variety of aircraft. She has a Masters of Aviation Education and a passion for seeing her students succeed.

In the past, she has managed an airport and flight school, and flown small aircraft for a part 135 operator. She has over 900 hours in King Airs and over 500 in single engine turboprops as a corporate and contract pilot.

She is based in Chattanooga, TN, but enjoys traveling.

Jonathan is a lifelong aviation enthusiast. Anything with a propeller (or rotor blade) is fair game in his book! After attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and completing a degree in Aeronautical Science, Jon jumped right into the aviation industry. Being a flight instructor since 2005 has given him the opportunity to fly many different aircraft. He currently flies for a large commercial airline out of Chicago. In addition to flying large commercial jets, he also flies piston airplanes, helicopters, seaplanes, and drones. He most recently completed building and test flying a Lancair Legacy. He’s been involved in the TBM community since 2019. Having coached pilots in citation jets and single engine turboprops he brings with him the perfect combo of experience to serve the TBM  community. His passion for aviation runs in the family too. His wife, Jennifer, is an air traffic controller based in Chicago. There isn't a day for Jon that doesn't involve flying of some sort. Needless to say if he is not sleeping, you can count on him being up in the sky!

Patrick was inspired by an airline pilot relative in the US to pursue an aviation career. At 21 years old, he started in the airline business on Dash 8 turboprops. After 1500 hours of flying all over Europe, including alpine gems like Innsbruck, he moved to flying the Boeing 777 on worldwide cargo routes and, until 2020, 787 passenger long haul flying, while instructing owner pilots for their IFR rating on his off days. Currently, apart from flying the CJ525 for a commercial operator, he flies, instructs and mentors in the TBM all over Europe. Additionally, he is the marketing director and aviation expert at FlySto.net, a flight data software that helps pilots analyze their flights and improve performance and safety.

Patrick has over 6500 hours total flight time and spent 200~ hours flying the TBM so far.

Coming from the airlines and instructing in a range of GA aircraft, he is expert in all varieties of Garmin avionics suites. Despite his expertise in all varieties of hardware, Patrick gets great rewards from the effective transfer of knowledge to other aviators.

Patrick resides with his wife and four children in Graz, Austria and serves Goldberg Aviation’s European and Asian customers.

Mike is an Air Force Academy graduate and retired Air Force Colonel where he instructed in high performance and supersonic jet aircraft. 

He was an F-16 Fighter Squadron Commander, Group Commander and demonstration pilot and flew over 50 airshows across North America. 

He has been flying for over 45 years and instructing since 1982.  He also served as an Air Force Flight Examiner.

Mike has been flying a TBM 940 for a client and performs post maintenance and delivery flights for a TBM distributor. Mike has hundreds of hours in all models of the TBM series of aircraft.

Mike has over 5,500 hours in jet, turboprop, and piston aircraft.

Mike is based in Denver, CO, and owns and flies a Cessna 340, Harmon Rocket 2, and 1946 J-3 Cub.  He enjoys instructing aerobatics, mountain flying, upset training and formation flying.

Mark currently flies a Gulfstream and has years of experience flying internationally. 

He previously was an instructor for several of the training organizations that specialize in turboprop training. 

Mark also spent several years flying charter in King Airs.

Mark is based in Northen California.

Gerry adds considerably to the depth and breadth of the Goldberg Aviation instructor team.  He has many more qualifications than we could list in a short description, but among the most relevant are that he is a United Airlines Line Check Airman (since 2019) and Captain (since 2015) in the 767 and 757.  He has significant experience in aircraft ranging from Airbus 320 to Falcon 20 to Cessna 208 to Beech 18.  Prior to his career in civilian aircraft, Gerry held many positions of responsibility flying F-18s and F-5s for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The teaching bug bit hard when Gerry’s son, while flying in the front of his 1946 Champ, turned around and asked, “Dad, could you teach me to fly this airplane?”  No father could resist that invitation and he earned his CFI and AGI and taught his son to fly.  Since then, Gerry has over 1,000 hours of instruction with over 150 hours in turboprops.  All told, Gerry has over 21,000 hours in jet, turboprop and piston aircraft.

Gerry is based in Sarasota, FL, and owns and flies a 1946 Taylorcraft and an RV-6.  He enjoys boating, traveling, and meeting new friends.

Taylor Newman has been flying for over 30 years and has been an active instructor for most of that time.  Taylor has been a charter pilot, flight instructor and check airman for the majority of those years.  He has amassed more than 10,000 flight hours with about half of that time instructing.  His instruction time ranges from single piston aircraft to single engine turbine aircraft including Cessna Caravan, Pilatus PC-12 and TBMs.

Taylor has worked in general aviation all his life and understands the mission of owner pilots and professional pilots.

Taylor has a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Business Administration and has been constantly active in the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) and currently serves as the nonprofit’s Executive Director.

Taylor lives in Chattanooga, TN and when he isn’t in an airplane he enjoys other camping, backpacking, fishing.  Taylor loves spending time with his family.

“I love it when the light comes on with a student and I have done my job transferring knowledge from the right seat to the student in the left.”

Flying since 2008 and starting his professional aviation career in 2014, Trevor has done it on his own. After a career as an electrician then airfield maintenance technician, he started flying full time and climbed the career ladder to his previous role as the captain of a Dash 8 Q400 with Horizon Air and the Alaska Air Group. Trevor has more than 4,600 hours total, over 1,800 turbine, 400 turboprop hours and has given more than 1,700 hours of instruction with over 200 in turboprops.

Trevor volunteers with his local Civil Air Patrol chapter as an instructor, Mission Pilot and Check Pilot. He enjoys flying his Cessna 152 and spending time at the lake with his family in his free time as well as being an avid flight simulator enthusiast.

As a Montana native, most of his flying has been in the mountains and the Pacific Northwest.

Trevor currently resides in Spokane, Washington with his wife and three children.

Flying since 1998 in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, Nicholas is a Dual Citizen of USA and Canada. After Nicholas moved to the US in 2001 he bought a 1986 Piper Malibu and earned his Commercial and CFI and CFI-I in his Malibu.  This experience led him to being a very active instructor in all variants of the PA46 airframe, both piston and turbine.

Nicholas also serves clients as a contract pilot in all variants of PA46 Piston and Turbine as well as TBMs.

As if that were not enough, Nicholas has over 100 hours in a PAC 750 turbine jump plane.

Nicholas lives in Lake Geneva, WI and is based out of KENW, Kenosha, WI.

William has been flying full time for over 40 years worldwide and has been an Instructor and Senior Captain in a wide variety of Jet and Turboprop Aircraft including King Airs, Hawkers, Lear Jets, Gulfstream II, III, IV, 450/550s and Challenger 300/350s.  In addition to over 15,000 hours he has over 1,700 hours instructing recurrent and initial pilots in a wide variety of aircraft. He was also a founding member of the Tag Aviation Flight Standards Group involved with setting Part 91 Safety standards in over 25 different Turbine and Jet aircraft.

His instruction time ranges from single engine and multi-engine piston and turboprop aircraft to the most advanced corporate jets.

In addition he has been director of aviation for Fortune 100 and worldwide companies.  He is a graduate of Kent State University with a degree in Education.

William resides in Milford, CT and primarily flies out of the Westchester County Airport. He is also an aircraft owner and when not flying he loves exercising, classical music and spending time with his wife and children.

Steve Thompson is a retired Louisiana State Trooper turned University professor. He teaches criminal justice at McNeese State University and Calcasieu Area Regional Police Training Academy. He is the aviation unit chief pilot and lead instructor for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Steve owns a small flight school with 5 planes near the gulf coast. He has been an instructor of many areas such as aviation, skydiving, police academy, SWAT, Explosive and mechanical breaching, and in the military. He believes teaching anything can be accomplished with the right mentality and attitude. Always stay positive. Teach what to do so that the wrong action is not even part of the thought process. A student should walk away from each lesson with a sense of accomplishment and confidence.

Steve spends his free time traveling and helping those who cannot help themselves. His life motto is: Meeting one’s potential by utilizing the gifts bestowed upon us in the helping of our fellow man is the difference between fulfillment and a wasted life.

With a full time job as a line pilot, Will’s primary job is flying clients around in two different outfitted TBM 700s throughout the US and Bahamas. When not in the left seat of the TBM, he is instructing students in various aircraft, including the TBM.

As a seasoned flight instructor, Will has been instructing since 2006, and utilizes his former IT background to “diagnose” and quickly help students to learn the tasks at hand.

Outside of aviation Will enjoys spending time with his family and dogs, travel to National Parks, music and history.

Ean’s aviation career started well before he could reach the pedals flying with his dad. He quickly grew a love for flying and knew he wanted to get his pilot's license as soon as he could. Ean flew solo when he turned 16 and got his license at 17.

He now has over 2400 hours in a wide range of airplanes from Cubs to a Phenom 300.

Ean received a bachelor’s degree in aviation at Minnesota State Mankato.

He currently flies Conquest 2, TBM 940, Amphib Kodiak, Amphib Caravan, along with all Cessna Seaplanes.

Ean has 800+  hours in the Kodiak on wheels and floats. He has had the pleasure of flying the Kodiak all over North America, from the Bahamas to the Arctic Circle.

Ean lives in Park Rapids Minnesota, and enjoys hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling in his free time.

Tony has been flying for 38 years. His career started out flying corporately and then proceeded to Comair Airlines where he flew the CL-65 for approximately 10 years. He has served as a senior captain and safety officer for a part 91 operator on a Cessna Citation XLS+ for the past 11 years. His other jobs include Chief Pilot for a 135 operator who operates several TBM-850s and PC-12s as well as being a FAA Designated Pilot Examiner.

He has over 12,000 hours with most of that in turbine aircraft. He enjoys those corporate flights that take him into Aspen, Colorado along with other training flights that have him flying in Alaska.

When he is not flying, he enjoys listening to his daughters play Oboe and Bassoon and just spending time with the family.

Martina has been flying full time for over 20 years and has been a full time turbine instructor since 2012.  She has over 1,500 hours instructing recurrent and initial pilots in numerous models of TBM and other  aircraft.    So far, she has trained an estimated 1,000 pilots in her career.

With over 8,000 flight hours, Martina, a native of Austria, has accomplished a series of firsts.  With encouragement from her father, became the youngest female glider and private pilot in Austrian history.  After moving to California and working on all of her ratings, she flew and instructed in airships and eventually became the first woman ever hired at Goodyear to pilot their airships.  At the same time, Martina earned SIC in jet aircraft.

Martina also provides time and cost efficient, one-on-one, video ground school that saves our busy and remote clients time and money in both initial and recurrent training.

Martina resides with her family near Camarillo, CA, but travels to clients all over North America for on-site initial and transition training.

When not flying, Martina is a busy mom.