Ben loves working with his clients and is very driven to see them reach their aviation dreams, whether it be for business or the sheer joy of flying. When Ben isn’t flying, he likes to spend his time reading classic literature, hiking, and practicing his Jiu Jitsu skills.

Before moving to Acworth GA, Matt spent the early years of his childhood growing up in northern Virginia. Having been raised in an aviation household, he caught the flying bug early on from his father who is a Southwest Airlines Captain, and from his grandmother who was a Delta Airlines Flight Attendant. After taking a discovery flight at 12 years old, Matt was hooked and decided to pursue a career in aviation. During his senior year of high school, he obtained his private pilot certificate before heading to Liberty University. During his time at Liberty, he completed the rest of his flight training all the way up to commercial multi-engine. He graduated in December of 2022 with a B.S in Aeronautics with a Commercial – Corporate cognate. Shortly after graduating, he finished the last part of his training with Aero Atlanta Flight Center becoming a flight instructor.

Not only did Matt gain a love for flying from his father, but he also gained a passion for teaching people from his mother, who was a teacher. He is thrilled to combine his two interests into one role as a flight instructor with AAFC. When Matt is not flying, he enjoys spending time at the gym or playing golf. As a fan of the Atlanta Braves, he also enjoys attending games when he gets the opportunity.

At 19, Daniel enlisted in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman to serve his country. After leaving the service, Daniel enrolled at Embry-Riddle University, graduating with a degree in
Aeronautical Sciences. Following graduation, Daniel began his professional career with Lockheed Martin as a software engineer working on the world’s most advanced fighter, the F-22 Raptor.

During this time, Daniel kept his flying interest alive through flight instructing part-time with Aero Atlanta at McCollum Airport. Everything slowly began to come together, where opportunity met with an aviation-minded Daniel. Taking a massive leap of faith, Daniel purchased Aero Atlanta in 2000 and made the flight training business his full-time job. Aero Atlanta Flight Center was the culmination of his dream. Starting with three aircraft, Aero Atlanta became the first Certified Cirrus Training Center in the nation.

In 2013 Daniel opened an AAFC location at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport and purchased a pilot supply company to provide essential supplies to aircraft owners and operators. In 2017, AAFC welcomed a Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet to their fleet, and Daniel was one of the first pilots other than Cirrus employees to be type rated in the SF50, which won the prestigious Collier Trophy for 2018.

In addition to being president and owner of Aero Atlanta, Daniel is an aircraft broker for Lone Mountain Aircraft, specializing in the purchase and resale of Cirrus aircraft.

Daniel and his wife Carol have a son Britton, who is developing his own fascination with
aviation.

Harrison has a passion for helping young aviators learn to fly and creating an outlet for them to become pilots. He loves teaching people in any capacity, creating processes to help others succeed, and he looks forward to flight instructing at AAFC in the years to come. When he’s not flying, working, or at school, Harrison loves practicing guitar, working out, and playing basketball with his friends.

Beyond aviation, he enjoys spending time with his family.  He has been married to his wife Catherine for four years, and together they have their hands full raising their young daughter Heidi. When Ben’s not flying, he spends his time outdoors – hunting, fishing, and enjoying football games.

With a background in aviation maintenance, a mission to serve, and a love for family and adventure, he embodies the spirit of Aero Atlanta Flight Center. Whether you’re pursuing a career or exploring the skies, he is here to guide you.

Dylan grew up in Flowery Branch, GA. For Dylan, aviation always seemed like a dream that was out of reach or unrealistic. In 2021, he finally decided to take the leap and started his flight training journey. While he waited longer than he would have liked to begin, he realized his dream was not going away any time soon, so better late than never, right? Flying provides freedom unlike any other and is truly a dream come true. Dylan has a passion for bringing that same realization of dreams through flight for new aviators and clients.
When Dylan isn’t at Aero Atlanta providing consultations, answering the phone, and sending mountains of emails, he is a drummer at his church, loves hanging out with his friends, and enjoys practicing his swing at the driving range.

John has had many people along his aviation career help him succeed, and loves to work with others on their goals in order to reach success! John comes from a family of 10 siblings, so his favorite things include people. When he is not flying, John enjoys college football, golfing, spending time with his wife, and basically anything outdoors.

When not at work or school, she can be found at the gym working on her fitness goals, enjoying rooftop restaurants, or simply lounging around the house. She values family and friends deeply and will always find time to hang out with them. Traveling has been a big part of her life. One of her favorite places that she has visited is Sweden and she is always looking for the next place to explore.

Being hired by Aero Atlanta Flight Center during the early days of the Pandemic was one of the few highlights of 2020 for Gabrielle. This past spring, she was promoted to Manager of Flight Training and she is eager to grow as an instructor and aviation professional, all while helping individuals reach their aviation goals and dreams. In September, she earned her CSIP (Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot) in order to further her expertise on Cirrus Aircraft and training. When not flying airplanes, Gabrielle enjoys exploring Georgia with her best pal and furry friend, Missie.

Outside of instructing, you can find Emily adventuring around Atlanta with friends, staring at clouds, organizing her Google Calendar, or sitting in front of the shark tank at the aquarium.

When Austin is not flying, he likes the outdoors, reading, playing basketball, exercising, and spending time with his dog.

James loves to share his passion for airplanes and aviation with others and believes that AAFC is a great place to do just that! When he is not flying, he loves to spend time with his wife and one year old daughter playing outside, swimming in the pool, going on walks, and going to the beach.

Alex has a love for learning and sharing his many passions with others. When he isn’t flying, he‘s probably either hiking with his wife and dog, building guitars, woodworking, or back on stage.

His passion for science and aircraft is what got him into aviation, and seeing his clients achieve their dreams through flight keeps his love for instructing strong. When he is not flying, he loves to workout, play basketball, and spend time with friends and family.

He enjoys playing music regularly, discovering new areas to hike, as well as exploring both music and film culture.

Before the wings of a Cessna stole her heart, Naomi wanted a degree in Art. As a result, she has quite a few varied passions. She loves to play the violin, paint, draw, take photos, ski, play soccer, cook, and watch classic tv comedies. More importantly, Naomi has a passion for serving the people around her in any way she can. She cannot wait to see everyone’s smiling faces as they come to know the very love of aviation she has come to know herself.

Despite a busy flying schedule, Jason still works with Aero Atlanta managing customer and aircraft accounts as well as operations at our pilot shop, Pilot Stuff. The aviation community of AAFC continues to inspire him to share his love for flying and help others realize their dreams through flight. A native of Atlanta, Jason enjoys mountain biking, reading books about spies or volcanoes, and traveling to Slovenia with his wife Špela and daughter, Ina.

When Jean is not flying, she cares for her infant son, Thomas, and loves spending time with her family. She also enjoys gaming and nature, especially hiking trails. Her favorite airplane is a Conwing L-16. Jean is so happy to have found a career that joins her passion for aviation and education, especially at AAFC. It is not only like a second home to her (she even met her husband there!), but she also knows from personal experience that it is truly the best flight school.

Mitchell grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. His love for aviation began on his first airline flight at the age of 8 years old. At 16, Mitchell met his mentor, a Delta Captain, and he helped shaped his burning desire to pursue aviation professionally. Mitchell attended Bowling Green State University with a degree in Flight Technology and completed all his flight training at Bowling Green Flight Center. During his training, he worked for Flight Services/Dispatch to gain a better understanding of airport operations. In 2019, Mitchell started working as a CFI and Check Airman at the University, eventually earning his CFII and MEI. Mitchell has a deep passion for helping people achieve their goals. Success is measured by the positive impact you make on others. His goal is to help mentor young aviators on their journey just like his mentor did for him.

 During his downtime, Mitchell loves to spend time with his fiancée, Maddie, and his 2-year-old golden retriever Lyla. He enjoys working out, visiting family, reading, skiing, playing sports, and going on hikes with his dog to hopefully help her burn off some of that energy! Mitchell moved to Atlanta in 2022. and, being new to Atlanta, Mitchell also loves any recommendations of fun things to do around the city.

He is recently married and enjoys playing competitive tennis, teaching his wife how to play golf, tasting new wines, and exploring restaurants in the Atlanta area.

Chad is married with two children and has a Business Management degree from Kennesaw State University. Outside of his flying, he has toured as a musician, spends time trying to manage his handicap on the golf course, and enjoys getting to know the people around him.

Since retiring from the Air Force (Lt. Colonel) with 23 years of service and from Delta (Captain) with 32 years of service, Rodney continues to enjoy instructing in the general aviation arena. He says there’s just nothing better than flying a general aviation aircraft around the southeastern United States. Rodney’s total flying time (Air Force, Airline, and General Aviation) is 28,500 hours.

James loves people! He believes teaching others to fly is his way to give back to the aviation community and has a strong desire to help people meet their goals and reach their dreams in aviation. He is always eager to learn new things and believes every person has something worth learning from. Whenever he is not in an aviation environment, he enjoys playing his guitar, going hiking, and playing sports.

Zac was born in Phoenix, Arizona and raised in Newnan, Georgia. After attending Kennesaw State University, Zac moved to Bozeman, Montana to enjoy God’s country for a couple years. After that, Zac ended back in Kennesaw, where he completed his flight training through ATP flight school and achieved every rating possible for single-engine and multi-engine land airplanes to include CFI, CFII and MEI.

Zac’s great grandfather was one of the original pilots hired to Delta in the 1930’s. His grandfather and great uncle followed in his footsteps, both retiring from Delta in the 90’s. His father is currently a 767-300 captain at Delta and you may be able to guess where his aspirations lie for his future. In his free time, Zac enjoys playing soccer and disc golf with his identical twin brother as well as throwing the ball for hours on end for his yellow lab, River.

When not instructing, Matt enjoys building and flying radio-controlled airplanes. Some of his other hobbies include hiking and camping, going for a drive on a nice afternoon, and travelling to any town with a noteworthy coffee shop. Matt also has a seaplane rating, and daydreams about owning a floatplane one day!

Shehan enjoys traveling, rollerblading, skiing, swimming, and as many do at Aero Atlanta, he loves a good cup of coffee – which is why he spends plenty of his time at local coffee shops, one of his favorites being Swift and Finch.

Mike is also an avid reader and outdoorsman. He has camped, climbed, rafted, and backpacked through 130 National Parks and Monuments across the country with plans to see them all.

Bayley is thrilled to be a part of the AAFC team and be able to form meaningful connections with aspiring pilots while helping them reach their goals. When he is not flying, Bayley spends time fishing, perfecting his golf game, and attending Falcons and Braves games. He loves being on the water and enjoys weekends on the lake or going on vacation to scuba dive in the Caribbean.

Nora Winkler was raised in Rockmart, Georgia. From an early age, she showed great interest in aviation. When traveling with family, the airport was always her favorite and most anticipated aspect of the trip. She has always loved things that can fly, whether it be birds, dragonflies, or creations out of her favorite Sci-Fi novels and movies. The opportunity to learn how to fly herself was one that could not be passed up. Nora earned her Private Pilot certificate while attending Kennesaw State University and her Instrument Rating while attending the University of Georgia, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art. After returning home from college, Nora earned her Commercial Pilot certificate and CFI with Aero Atlanta Flight Center. Nora believes that AAFC is an exceptional place to experience flight training and is thrilled that she has the opportunity to share the excitement of flight with others. 

When not flying, Nora can be found visiting Kennesaw Mountain, trying new restaurants with friends, or in her art studio. She enjoys reading, hanging out with her pets, playing games, and creating art.  Nora especially loves to paint landscapes inspired by her walks in nature and views from the sky. 

Dan grew up in his small hometown of Oxford, NY where he enjoyed outdoor activities such as exploring along the Finger Lakes Trail system, hunting and fishing, and riding anything from snowmobiles to ATVs and dirt bikes. He discovered his passion for turning wrenches at a young age by learning to repair his own ATVs, assisting his friend with repairs and upgrades to their youth league race cars, and helping to repair and maintain an ultralight airplane belonging to a neighbor.
After turning 18, he moved to the Atlanta area and eventually found his place at Epps Aviation in the Cirrus shop. During his time at Epps, Dan had the opportunity to learn as an apprentice with highly experienced mechanics while earning his A&P certification, and eventually worked his way up to Crew Chief and shop lead. After Epps Aviation sold in 2023, he worked in the Pilatus department before deciding to join the AAFC family and help establish and grow our new maintenance shop.
Now settled outside of the city with his wife and son, Dan still enjoys some of his old hobbies, as well as spending time with family and friends.

Wesley was born and raised in Northwest Arkansas. After graduating high school in 2009, he left to enlist in the United States Marine Corps as an F/A-18 airframes mechanic. Up until that point, Wes had almost no exposure to aviation (his first flight was going to boot camp!), but he quickly became enthralled with the community and technology while working on F-18s. After five years in the Marines, Wes ended active service to pursue his education. He acquired his Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech. For the next two years, Wes worked at Delta TechOps as an engineer in the engine shop. From his early days in the Marines through Georgia Tech and Delta, his passion was always to become a pilot so he took an opportunity to fly professionally and is now a CFI/CFII/MEI.
Outside of aviation, Wes loves spending time with his wife and two children, Charlotte and Austin. He also enjoys reading, golfing, and spending time outdoors.

Patrick was born and raised in Columbus, Georgia. He was inspired to pursue aviation from a young age by his mother, who is a Delta flight attendant. Patrick achieved his private pilot certificate in high school, then attended Auburn University where he studied aviation management.
After coming to Atlanta in 2022, he completed commercial and CFI training. Patrick is excited to be a part of Aero Atlanta’s team! He spends his free time exploring Atlanta’s food scene in the summer and finding mellow ski runs in the winter.

Austin was born in Kennesaw, Georgia. He originally was pursuing a career in sales, but realized it was not what he wanted to do long term. After discussing it with some friends, he decided to quit his job and pursue aviation full time. After an intensive year of training, he chose to complete his training at Aero Atlanta to help him earn his CFI and CFII. He enjoyed it so much, he could not see himself working anywhere else.

When Austin is not teaching people how to fly airplanes, he loves going camping and playing golf.

Sam grew up in Cumming, Georgia. He had always wanted to be a pilot, ever since he was a kid. He spent 23 years in the Army as an Infantryman, Huey Mechanic, Flight Operations, Signal/Cybersecurity Officer, and retired as a Major. He spent two years working in the Pentagon in the Army Operations Center. Sam holds a Master degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Information Technology Management.
Outside of Aviation, Sam spends his time with his family and enjoying the lake and time on the boat. He has been married to his wife Jennifer for 35 years and has 3 grown kids. Sam has a passion to share what he has learned about aviation with others.

Chasen Young discovered his passion for aviation at a young age, sparked by a memorable visit to the Delta Airlines simulators with a family friend who was a Delta pilot. Although aviation remained a significant interest, Chasen also found a deep passion for music through his involvement in drum corps. With a diverse background in music education, he has been both a performer and a staff member with the DCI Blue Devils, where he continues to apply his extensive logistical and leadership skills.
Chasen currently resides in Midtown Atlanta with his wonderfully supportive girlfriend, Saman. Together, they enjoy tending to their plants and exploring the city on walks.