Epic Buzz | Vol. 2 Issue 5 | May 2019

Catch up on the latest happenings at Epic Flight Academy!

Volume 2, Issue 5                                                                    May 2019
Air Wisconsin Visits Epic

Representatives from Air Wisconsin Airlines visited Epic Flight Academy on April 18th to discuss hiring opportunities. Pilot Recruiter Enrique answered questions about joining the Air Wisconsin team.

New hire First Officers are eligible for up to $57,000 in bonuses and enjoy some of the best benefits in the regional industry. Air Wisconsin also has part-time positions for pilots still building hours that might be right for you!

Epic maintains a close relationship with Air Wisconsin Airlines and other airlines so our students can make connections during their training.

We invite you to join our Epic Flight Academy online PILOT FORUM to discuss pilot topics, ask questions, and get to know each other. The forum a great place to start your pilot career!

EPIC ALUMNI NEWS

Our heartfelt congratulations to Ronald Willis Otieno!  Ronald was an Epic student in 2014-2015 and said he had an amazing time. He is now an Embraer 190 First Officer for Kenya Airways, which is a childhood dream come true for him. He said, “I just wanted to share a couple of photos with the hope that current students will get some inspiration to keep pursuing their dreams.” Thank you for staying in touch, Ronald! Blue skies all the way!
First Officer Ronald Otieno with Kenya Airlines
Epic alumni Sean Beattie (left) and Daniel Garcia (right) crossed paths recently at Newark Liberty International Airport. Both are First Officers for Republic Airlines, and we couldn’t be prouder of them and all of their accomplishments. Safe travels, gentlemen, and come visit us when you can!
On April 28, 2019, Epic graduate Vinicius Ayres began working as a First Officer with LATAM Airlines Brazil! From May 2013 through March 2014 Vinicius completed his Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, and Commercial Multi-Engine Land here at Epic Flight Academy!  Qualified to fly an extensive list of aircraft, his most recent ratings include the Airbus A320 Family (A319/A320/A321)! We are so proud of your career achievement, and we look forward to hearing about your life as an airline pilot!
Congratulations to Epic Flight Academy graduate Andrii Molodyi who is serving as a First Officer for SkyUp Airlines. Andrii completed his flight training at Epic in 2016 and is now flying the Boeing 737 300-900. Congratulations, Andrii! We’re proud of your hard work and accomplishments! Wishing you tailwinds and soft landings!
If you’re a graduate of Epic Flight Academy, we want to hear about your professional accomplishments! Please share them with us on social media, or email Katie Dean, Social Media Manager with your career updates. We are proud of your achievements!
DON’T FORGET TO SHARE!
#EpicFlightAcademy
INTERNATIONAL PILOT PROGRAM

STUDENT & STAFF APPRECIATION

Staff and students enjoyed a lunch catered by Taco Shack during Student & Staff Appreciation Day in April. Coming up on May 16th… we will be grilling burgers and hot dogs behind the student lounge. Join us for another tasty Student & Staff Appreciation Day!

CONGRATULATIONS,
MILS & KATHY!
The Epic family is getting ready to grow! Executive Assistant Kathy Yoon and CFI Mils Thindwa are expecting their firstborn this month, so we took time to celebrate with a baby shower! Watch for baby photos in next month’s Buzz! Congratulations, Kathy and Mils!

TAKE OUR SONS & DAUGHTERS TO WORK DAY!

Titus got to check out the Epic airplanes on Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day! We are grateful for all of the hard work his mom Stephanie Babian does as one of our Admissions Recruiters!

EPIC EMPLOYEE NEWS

We are proud to welcome CFII Paige Arbutina. Paige is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina where she caught the bug for flying during a discovery flight on her 16th birthday. From there, she decided to pursue her passion for aviation and earned her PPL in a Piper Cherokee before moving to Florida to complete instrument through multi-commercial at Embry-Riddle. Paige will graduate this month with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science and a minor in Aviation Safety. She received her CFI and CFII from Epic. Welcome, Paige! We are glad you’re part of the Epic family!
We are thrilled to welcome new flight instructor David Wei to Team Epic! David has a lovely family in Taiwan who supports his dream of becoming a pilot. He lived in Taiwan for 24 years, served in the military, and worked for the Standard Chartered Management Service Team. His previous supervisor describes him as hard working, consistent, and patient when trying to achieve his goals. At the close of his military career, the Major General said that he not only finished a job but is willing to do more and think further to accomplish those goals. David was the only person to receive this honor and is very proud of his achievements. He was studying at the National Taiwan University to achieve his Master’s Degree in environmental resources but decided that aviation was his passion, so he came to the United States to achieve his goal of becoming a pilot. We are proud of all David has accomplished in such a short time and know he will be a tremendous asset to our Epic family!
Welcome to CFI Amanda Cebollero. Amanda is from Ponce, Puerto Rico but has lived all around the world as her dad was in the military. She completed her private through commercial at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico where she is currently finishing her Bachelor’s in Aircraft Systems Management (Professional Pilot) and Aviation Management. Amanda is looking forward to using her knowledge and experience to teach Epic’s students. Her hobbies are traveling and cooking. We welcome you to the Epic family, Amanda!
Welcome to Tanya Rivera, Admissions Recruiter. Originally from New York, Tanya made a short stop in Atlanta, GA before deciding to reside in Florida. She has worked in various fields in the corporate world, as well as not for profit agencies, and she simply enjoys working with and empowering people. Tanya learned to speak Spanish and English simultaneously as a child and has continued honing her language skills through her education and everyday life. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Services degree at SUNY Empire State College. Some of her favorite things to explore and learn about are yoga and holistic health and nutrition in addition to seeing the world through her four-year-old son’s eyes. She looks forward to working with the Epic team and the prospective students who wish to fulfill their dreams of becoming pilots. Feliz Volando! (Happy Flying!) We’re glad you’re here, Tanya!
Welcome to Dillon Dudley! Dillon was born and raised in Tyler, Texas. He began pursuing his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot at Central Texas College where he earned his PPL. After learning of Epic Flight Academy’s offerings, he came to New Smyrna Beach with his wife in October 2018 to continue pursuing his aviation dreams. Since arriving, he has earned his instrument rating and his commercial license. Dillon is training students on the G1000 system, and we are proud to welcome him to this position!
We send a heartfelt congratulations to Kayla Keith, Epic’s newest flight instructor, on having passed her CFI checkride on April 23rd! Kayla has also worked in our Admissions Department while completing her flight training here at Epic, and we are so proud of all of her hard work and dedication to becoming an outstanding pilot! High five, Kayla!
We are sad to say farewell to Jackie Jensen who began with Epic on June 12, 2015. Jackie started as a dispatcher and worked her way up to her current position of Flight Operations Coordinator. Jackie is heading to Alaska, and we will miss her. The Epic family hates to see anyone leave, but we send Jackie off with our best wishes and sincere gratitude for her dedication here at Epic.
Congratulations are in order for Tyren Wilson who will step into Jackie’s shoes as the new Director of Ground Operations. Tyren’s 10+ years of experience at Epic make him a natural for this new position, and we know he’ll do an excellent job as always!

Captain Judy’s Corner

Ready for Attitude Flying?

I knew myself fairly well when I started flying lessons at age 40. Or so I thought. The long solo cross-country was when I discovered what I did not know. During that flight, I had not properly timed or verified checkpoints resulting in becoming completely off course.

My drive home from this particular flight provided reflection on how to be a better pilot. I’d replayed each skill set. I flew the airplane well and used the checklist regularly but was consistently lost. What surprised me was how many times I said to myself, “That check point is only slightly off course.”

I then recalled reading something about the five hazardous attitudes and recognized in order to progress, I needed to learn more.

Pilots should become aware of these hazardous attitudes and recognize ways to prevent these mindsets from occurring during flight. 

The first step for a pilot is to recognize and identify their hazardous attitudes. A pilot should take some time after each flight to reflect not only on the practiced skills but also their attitude.  Compare your thoughts and actions to each of the five hazardous attitudes: Anti-Authority, Impulsive, Invulnerability, Macho, and Resignation. Once identifying the appropriate attitude, then memorize the antidote. As the attitude surfaces during a flight, the pilot states the antidote to counteract the attitude. A hazardous attitude can jeopardize the safety of a flight with the antidote making for a better, safer pilot.

Pilots with an anti-authority attitude do not like being told what or how to do things. They tend to believe that the rules don’t apply to them. The pilot might not use checklists or perhaps disregard the advice of their instructor. This pilot might say or think, Why should I listen to you? The solution for this attitude would be for the pilot to tell themselves, Follow the rules, they are usually right!

Impulsive pilots act before thinking making decisions with little concern for the outcome. A few examples of impulsivity might be skipping a preflight or taking off on a cross country without checking the weather. An impulsive pilot may not consider all of the options before acting and could make a situation worse by not making the best decisions to meet the need. This pilot would often express, Do it quickly! The antidote for this pilot would be, Not so fast, think first!

Invulnerability traits feel beyond harm. This could result in action without caution increasing the risk of an accident or error.  This type of pilot might overlook issues, such as deteriorating weather or only slightly off course telling themselves that It is not that bad. To neutralize this hazardous attitude, the pilot should memorize, It could happen to me!

Macho attitude pilots view themselves as the best pilot in the world imagining they can do anything. The macho pilot is very competitive and might exhibit risky behavior showing off skills. A macho type might fly too fast or too low, pushing the envelope in their quest to be the best. Their desire to be better than everyone can exceed aircraft and human boundaries with serious consequences. This hazardous attitude would believe, I can do this. The solution for this pilot, Taking chances is foolish!

Resignation causes one to give up easily when faced with a challenge. A pilot with resignation thinks there is nothing they can do to change an outcome or resolve a problem.  This pilot might give up in the middle of an emergency believing there is nothing that can be done. The pilot will accept the undesired outcome instead of searching for solutions believing, What’s the use? The antidote would be, I am not helpless, I can make a difference!

After learning more about hazardous attitudes and the antidotes, my next cross-country was on course after having practiced stating the antidote, “It could happen to me!”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that 80% of all aircraft accidents are the result of human error. Hazardous attitudes can contribute to accidents related to human error.  Identifying and neutralizing these attitudes can save a pilot from dangerous and emergency situations.  Listen to the little voice inside your head. Which hazardous attitude do you hear? How will you remain safe and become a better pilot?

Captain Judy Rice
Epic Flight Academy Ground School Instructor

Human Error: Airbus A320 destroyed, overran the runway, 4 deaths and 81 injured.
REQUEST FLIGHT SCHOOL INFO!

CHECKRIDES

Congratulations to all of our spectacular Epic Flight Academy students who passed checkrides on their first attempt in April!

Private Pilot

Tifani Lian Macias Garcia
Myung Jin Mun
Keston Anfernee Javier Baynes
Dylan Shae Brathwaite
Jereanae Renisha Susanna Thompson
Mohammed Abdullah N Almosaind
Robert Montgomery Bashem
Muhammad Adwa Hariz Bin Abd Hamid

Instrument Rating

Daniel Oliver Freeman
Gabriel Oliveros
Jeongyeon Choi
Ray Neil Johnson
Daniel Zosh Vargas

Commercial Single-Engine

Dillon Matthew Dudley
Estefany Monica Medrano Huatuco
Emmanuel River Arne Alex Juthenholtz
Samridhi Singh

Commercial Multi-Engine

Diana Mishel Montesdeoca Hernandez
Ahn Tuan Duong
Benjamin Allan Smith
Chibwe Prince Kambobe
Luis Fernando Calderon

Certified Flight Instructor

Joel Hawley Nelson, Jr.
Aliyu Zayyid Ahmed Dasuki
Connor George Guinn
Kayla Brianna Keith
David Rogelio Medina Morales
Bianka Ashley Peterson

Certified Instrument Flight Instructor

Seung-Jin Byun
Andrew Emil Lamey Toma

Multi-Engine Flight Instructor

Noah Bradshaw Bailey

START YOUR JOURNEY
Epic Flashback!
In our 20 year history, we’ve supported all sorts of education programs. Here is a “thank you” letter we received back in 2003 from students in Stetson University’s HATS (High Achieving Talented Students) Program. These were students in 6th-9th grade who had a strong interest in aviation. We love encouraging future aviators!
BECOME A PILOT!
Have you checked out our YouTube channel? This month we are featuring a video about our Daytona State College Program! Check it out to see if this is the airline pilot program for you!



Do you have questions? We have answers! Check out the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS on our website!


Our mission: To provide an unparalleled pathway to achieving professional pilot dreams through innovative flight education and technologically-advanced aviation resources.
Proud Member of the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce since 2017.

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