Flight Instructors

Nelse Hansen
Chief Flight Instructor

Dave Meilander

Dhaval Davé

Ratings:
CFI, CFII, MEI
Joined YJFC:
June 1991
GT Affiliation:
BSEE 1987, MSEE 1991, faculty 1988-1997
I graduated from GT with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Although I occupy my time as an entrepreneur in the wireless telecom industry, I can usually find time to do what I love – flying and instructing – not only on weekends but also during the week. I hope to see/meet you at YJFC meetings and functions!

Jackson Slappy

Tina Heil

Ratings:
CFI, CFII
Joined YJFC:
April 1994
GT Affiliation:
BSME 1996
Tina earned her private, instrument, commercial, CFI and CFII in the YJFC while a ME major at Tech between 1993 and 1996. She has trained several private pilots, instrument students, and two new flight instructors who have been YJFC instructors. She says, “I do not aspire to have a career in aviation, but I intend to keep teaching part time because it’s a lot of fun and it keeps my skills current.”

Bob Strevens

Ratings:
CFI, CFII, MEI
Joined YJFC:
November 2001
Flying is my hobby and past time passion. Since my first general aviation flight in 1986, I’ve accumulated a little more than 2,000 hours. I currently hold a Commercial license with Multi-Engine-Instrument rating. I am a certified flight instructor for single engine airplane and instrument airplane. I work for a major computer company and therefore fly part time on weekends and evenings. I enjoy working with at most 2-3 students at a time who are interested in obtaining instrument, commercial or other advanced ratings. Although I have hundreds of hours in Cessnas, I recently purchased a Piper Seneca III and plan to use it for vacation travel throughout the United States. My all time favorite flying destination is the Bahamas with Abaco, Eleuthera and Cat Islands topping my list of awesome vacation spots!

Joe Zyzniewski

Ratings:
CFI, CFII, MEI
Joined YJFC:
March 2002
I require you to work hard, but I also require you to have fun! Remember, flying is FUN!

Doug Farrell

Ratings:
CFI, CFII, MEI
Joined YJFC:
May 2002
I have been flying since 1998 and earned my Private Pilot certificate in early 2000. I was working full-time as a Physical Therapist and found I had a much better “office window” in the cockpit of an airplane. I decided that if I enjoyed flying so much to spend my hard earned money on it as a hobby, I would truly enjoy it as a vocation and completed my Multi-engine, Instrument, Commercial and all Certified Flight Instructor (CFI, CFII, MEI) certificates in early 2002. I also work part-time, weekday mornings as a research Physical Therapist with Spinal Cord Injured patients at the Shepherd Center in Midtown Atlanta.

James Weisberg

Ratings:
CFI, CFII, MEI
Joined YJFC:
June 2004
James Weisberg is a CFI-AI, MEI (Instrument airplane single and multi-engine) with six years and over 600 hours of instruction given. As a full-time faculty member of the Emory University School of Medicine, he understands and appreciates the balancing act of school and flying. James combines his expertise in human behavior with a focus on ADM (Aeronautical Decision Making) and pilot judgment. James’ most rewarding aviation-related experience was volunteering as a Red Cross disaster medical worker immediately following 911, where he combined his expertise in mental health with his knowledge of aviation to work day and night with the flight crews of United Airlines immediately following the 911 attacks (James lived in New York at the time). He was again honored to volunteer as an Angel Flight pilot with fellow YJFC club member Chad VonHoven to fly relief missions to Mississippi and Houston the day Hurricane Rita approached the Texas Coast. James especially enjoys teaching for the instrument and multi-engine ratings and conducting flight reviews. James flies with YJFC evenings and weekends and whenever his very understanding wife and children allow him.

Scott Smith

Ratings:
CFI, CFII, MEI
Joined YJFC:
September 2004
Scott is a Commercial rated Single & Multiengine Airplane Pilot as well as a Certified Flight Instructor in Single Engine, Instrument Instructor, and Multiengine Aircraft. He has acquired more than 1500 hours of flight time as well as over 1000 hours of dual instruction. His experience in aviation is widely diversified having worked in the airline, general aviation, aviation consulting, and charter segments of the aviation industry, and holds several FAA Aviation Safety Awards. His piloting skills include numerous single and multiengine airframes including Beechcraft, Cessna, Cirrus, Diamond, and Piper. When asked, “Have you ever flown a XYZ aircraft”, he humorously responds “Not yet.” He enjoys teaching GT students, several of whom have pursued military aviation careers in the Navy and USAF. His ultimate “YJFC dream student” would be one who trains with YJFC and pursues an aviation career with the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds and gives him a ride someday! (hint, hint) When he’s not at one of the local Atlanta airports, you can find him at his day job in the information technology industry.

Jim Stevens

Ratings:
CFI, CFII
Joined YJFC:
May 2007
GT Affiliation:
BSIM 1975, faculty (Commander, AFROTC)
I am a 1975 GT graduate in Industrial Management. Came to Tech in 1972 on a football scholarship as a quarterback. I was a starting quarterback for the Jackets and I also played baseball at GT. I was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC detachment at GT in 1975. Got my wings in 1976 and flew F-111 for over 10 years accumulating about 1500 hours. My last assignment in the Air Force was at GT as the Air Force ROTC detachment commander. I retired in 2003 with 27.5 years in the Air Force. I got my private pilots license right out of high school in 1970 and I am the proud owner of a 1968 Mooney M20F Executive that I have owned since 1993. I have over 4000 hours, with about 1000 hours in the Mooney, and over 1500 hours flying a Pilatus PC-12 for Alpha Flying. I love to fly and teach and being a part of GT and the club. It is a perfect fit for me and gives me the opportunity to give back a little to the GT community. Let’s go fly!

Travis Byers

Kevin Maceri

Jeremy Taylor