Epic Buzz Newsletter

Epic Expectations in 2025 A note from Epic’s founder and CEO, Danny Perna: Happy New Year! Thank you to all students, staff, and instructors who for the past 25 years have contributed to Epic’s success. From my very first flight student Sam (above left) in 1999, to the hundreds of students currently attending, I appreciate each and every one of you. We began with a used Cessna 152 (pictured with Sam and me), and we now purchase all training aircraft brand new from the factory. Our fleet continues to grow as does our staff with more than 200 employees. In 2025, we will open new locations, add to our fleet, and continue to welcome students from around the world for pilot … Read more

Congratulations to Our 2024 Scholarship Recipients! Winners (L-R): Joseph Lavdas ($5,000 Pilot – OCF); Qayla Bailey ($20,000 Captain Judy Rice Pilot – EVB); Russell Shipley ($20,000 Aircraft Mechanic – EVB); and Wes Glaser ($5,000 Pilot -TLH). [Not pictured: Brayden Tucker ($20,000 Aircraft Mechanic – CVG); Anvita Kulkarni ($5,000 Pilot – EVB); Jack Carda ($5,000 Pilot – TUS); and Casson Dennison ($5,000 Pilot – HEG)]  On Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, we presented our 9th Annual Aviation Scholarships! Judges reviewed more than 50 applications from 14 states and awarded $85,000 in scholarships this year. We are excited to welcome these outstanding students to the Epic family! Welcome to Our New Students in November! Welcome to our newest students! Pictured here are incoming flight … Read more

Epic Receives 2024 Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame Award Brad Schwandt (L) presents Danny Perna (R) with the 2024 Aviation Achievement Award at the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame gala on Saturday Oct. 19, 2024 in Lexington, KY. (Photo by Mark Mahan Multimedia) On Saturday, October 19, 2024, the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame awarded the 2024 Aviation Achievement Award to Epic Flight Academy for the opening of Epic’s new aircraft mechanic school at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport located in Erlanger, KY. The Aviation Museum of Kentucky hosted the gala event. Kentucky Department of Aviation Deputy Commissioner Brad Schwandt presented the award to Epic founder and CEO Danny Perna. We are incredibly grateful for this recognition. Read more and watch the video! New Students in October Welcome to all of the new students who … Read more

Volume 7, Issue 10 | October 2024 Orlando Sentinel Names Epic a Top Workplace for 2024 For the third year in a row, Epic Flight Academy has been named a Top Workplace by the Orlando Sentinel. Staff attended the awards event in Orlando on Sept. 27th. This award is based on feedback provided by Epic employees to the Orlando Sentinel, so we are grateful to our staff and celebrate this achievement in their honor.   New Flight Students in September Celebrating our newest flight students who arrived in September! Regardless of which campus you decide to train at, we look forward to welcoming you to the Epic family! Student & Staff Appreciation at CVG Every now and then we need to have a little fun! We … Read more

Volume 7, Issue 9 | September 2024 New Class Begins at CVG Part 147 School Our second class of aircraft mechanic students at our Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport campus started last month. The school is humming under the leadership of its new director, Terry Dunaway, whose years of experience bring tremendous value to Epic’s team.  New classes will begin at both of our AMT schools on October 14, 2024. We invite you to prequalify if you’d like to earn your FAA-approved aircraft mechanic certificate. If you have questions, stop by one of our upcoming Open House events for a tour. New Flight Students in August Smiling faces! Welcome to these New Smyrna Beach flight students who arrived last month. We also welcomed students to our … Read more

Volume 7, Issue 8 | August 2024 Ribbon Cutting in Jacksonville, FL We have a new location! Thanks to the JAX Chamber of Commerce members for hosting the ribbon cutting at our grand opening last month. Our 5th flight training school is located at the Herlong Recreational Airport in Jacksonville, Florida, and we are already training pilots there! New Flight Students in July We’re here and ready to fly! Welcome to our newest flight students. With orientation completed, they are ready to soar! We invite you to stop by any of our campuses and take a Discovery Flight and tour to see if you’re thinking about pilot training.  Happenings at our CVG Aircraft Mechanic School Aircraft mechanic students at our Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) … Read more

Volume 7, Issue 7 | July 2024 A&P Graduation in New Smyrna Beach Friends and families joined our aircraft mechanic students on June 6th for a graduation ceremony. Students completed their 19-month FAA-approved training and are now Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) Aircraft Mechanics. We celebrate these students and wish them all the best in their new careers. New Students in June Welcome to our newest class of flight students (above). They have completed orientation and are now busy earning their wings. We invite you to come by any of our campuses and take a Discovery Flight and tour to see if you’d like to become an Epic pilot. A new class of Aircraft Mechanic students (below) completed orientation in June and are now working on their … Read more

Volume 7, Issue 6 | June 2024 Open House at CVG Airport Campus Our first class of aircraft mechanic students started last month at our CVG Airport location and are well on their way to FAA certification. To learn more about our new school, we invite you to our Open House on Saturday, June 8th from 10 am to 2 pm. Take a tour, meet students and staff, learn about FEAM Aero’s $20,000 sponsorship, and more! New Flight Students in May The month of May brought new flight students to our New Smyrna Beach campus (pictured) as we also welcomed new pilots to our Ocala, Tallahassee, Tucson, and Jacksonville flight schools. Stop by any of our campuses and take a Discovery Flight and tour!  Spotlight … Read more

Volume 7, Issue 5 | May 2024 Epic Opens Aircraft Mechanic School at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport In April 2023, we broke ground on our new FAA Part 147 Aircraft Mechanic School at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. On Monday, April 22, 2024, we welcomed students, staff, local residents, press, colleagues from FEAM Aero and CVG Airport, and dignitaries from the state of Kentucky for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Josh Rawlins, COO and Director of Aircraft Mechanic Programs cut the ribbon and made it official. Check out our photo album and read the press coverage of the event. Our first class of students is pictured below. They are on their way to becoming FAA-certified aircraft mechanics over the next year and a half. If you’re considering a … Read more

Volume 7, Issue 4 | April 2024 Ribbon-Cutting Scheduled at CVG After a year of construction and setting up classrooms and training areas, our new FAA Part 147 Aircraft Mechanic School at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is ready to launch! The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Monday, April 22, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. Invited guests will get to tour the facility and meet students. We are excited and grateful to staff who worked day and night to prepare this brand new training facility. Our first class begins on April 15th. If you’re considering a career as an aircraft mechanic, you can check your eligibility in minutes and train at the CVG Airport location or in New Smyrna Beach, FL. New … Read more