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 started training at all of our campuses last month. New Smyrna Beach welcomed 30 new flight students and a full class of aircraft mechanics, and we also welcomed 14 students to the aircraft mechanic school at CVG Airport! With 8 locations, we are working hard to help you launch your aviation career!

Student & Staff Appreciation in Tucson

We work hard, and we play hard. Students and staff at our Tucson campus took some time to unwind and bowl a few frames recently. 

Epic Provides Hurricane Relief

Thank you to everyone who donated items for Hurricane Helene victims in North Carolina! Epic pilots flew supplies to NC to help with efforts there. 

Epic Alumni News: Career Updates

Join us in saluting these Epic graduates on their latest achievements!

• Dillon Barker is a First Officer flying the E145 for CommuteAir. Dillon shared these thoughts about his time at Epic: “Epic was the one and only training stop I needed to prepare myself for the airlines. Not only did I do my training there, but I instructed as well. The aircraft are top notch with great avionics, the management is kind and easy to work with, and the airport is beautiful.” 
• Corey Buffonge is now a Captain flying the BN2 Islander for Anguilla Air Services. He shared, “Epic couldn’t have been a better place for me to step foot into the world of aviation and excel in doing so. From day 1, I was given everything I needed to succeed and I made it my mission to not take it for granted. Nothing in life comes easy, training especially taught me this, however, it also taught me that with hard work and determination dreams really are achievable. Epic is with you every step of the way and you couldn’t have chosen a more perfect school to pursue this career.”
• Sean Hughes, a First Officer at Breeze Airways, recently visited Burns Sci-Tech Charter School at the invitation of Jeff Knipe, an Epic flight instructor and the aviation teacher at Burns. Sean shared his aviation journey with students, and we appreciate him taking time to make this happen.
• Hai Anh Vo, a First Officer at Vietnam Airlines flying the A320 family, shared these kind words about his time at Epic: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Epic Flight Academy for providing me excellent training courses. The knowledge and skills I gained here have prepared me well for my future endeavors. I am incredibly grateful for the support and guidance I received throughout the training process.”

It’s always exciting to hear from our graduate and see where they are flying! Are you an Epic graduate? We would love to hear from you. Please send us a career update! 

Outreach and Field Trips

In October, we attended career fairs and hosted field trips at several of our campuses. We appreciate our collaboration with the Workforce Development Program at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and other organizations, such as TESA Academy. It’s always a thrill to introduce young people to the world of aviation, and we were happy to work with these schools:

• Dr. Phillips High School (FL)
• Grant County High School (KY)
• Econ River High School (FL)
• JTED High School (AZ)
• Beechwood High School (KY)
• Volusia County Schools Work Force and College Expo (FL)
• Conner High School (KY)
• Godby High School (FL)
• Atlantic High School TESA (FL)
• Frank H. Peterson Academies (FL)
• Lively Technical Center (FL)
• Pima JTED Innovative Learning Center (AZ)

Employee Updates

Welcome to our newest team members!

• Aurora Engel, Flight Instructor (EVB)
• Gabe Gonzalez, Flight Instructor (EVB)
• Jeremy Daubner, Flight Instructor (EVB)
• Alyssa Black, Student Ambassador (EVB)
• Christian Martin, Flight Instructor (EVB)
• Noor Gebba, Dispatcher (EVB)
• Miranda Hinojosa, Student Asst. (TUS)
• Selena Davis, Shop Instructor (EVB)
• Jarod Bachman, Flight Instructor (EVB)
• Michael Bashta, Flight Instructor (EVB)
• Karina Ortiz-Muñoz, Flight Instructor (EVB)
• Kayla Aveille, Recruiter (EVB)

Purdue Global Visit

Andrew Rachmell from Purdue Global visited with flight students at our Jacksonville campus to share information about our partnership that allows students to transfer flight training as college credit. This unique opportunity allows many pilots to complete a bachelor’s degree in half the normal time.

Aircraft Mechanic Passes

These aircraft mechanic students passed the following FAA practical exams in October:

Airframe   

Michael Lovett
Daniel Zipkin 

Powerplant

Scott Beard
Mason Meadows
Luis Morato Dickson
Steven Stewart
Eric Vancour
Marley Davis

Pilot Checkrides

Isabella (Bella) Kebreau (R) passed her CSEL checkride on her first attempt last month. She is pictured with her flight instructor, Su Cildir.

These flight students passed check rides on their first attempt in October!

Private Pilot   

Thai Quang Vo
Samuel Isaac Gonzalez Tellez
Andrews Alexis Ramirez Corchado
Julie Ann Montgomery

Instrument Rating   

Racheal Suzanne Pletcher (TLH)
Skyler Lee Abston
Kristina Louise Cromer
Luke Kristian Ng-A-Mann
Matthew Dante Marconi
Theron Tyde Cooper
Msagati Katindi William Mndolwa
Cali Lu Ying Kief
Nathan Phillip Humbert
Ryan David Hansen
Collin Andrew Tolson
Asa Sheppard Wagner
Dylan Matthew Lockwood
Kofi Opoku Agyei
Devin Alston Jones
Sean Cooper Hawkins
Chayse Michael Pena
Kerrilyn Jane Lehman
Sebastian Decastro Marrero (OCF)
Evan Dane Brun Guadagno

Commercial Single-Engine   

Daniel Angelo Anderson
Roy Isaiah Chavez
Cimone Kakkar
Genevieve Marie Gemignani
Isaiah Emanuel John Layne
Aidan Patrick Griffin
Ulric Keshawn Jarvis Jr
Reid Thomas Pohlman
Isabella Didite Kebreau 
Preet Piyushkumar Patel

Commercial Multi-Engine

Roderick Josip Pluscec
Tyler James Obernier
James Octavius DeMarco
Benjamin Scott Wieber
Brett William Postula
Cody Edward Raulerson

Certified Flight Instructor

Pasquale Iazzetta
Justin Paul Krentz
Rafael Antonio Rodriguez Jr (TLH)
Mallory Michelle Newell
James Daniel Higdon II
Soomin Choi
Brendan Jack Kenny
Ian Matthew Puustinen
Kyle Robert Mooney
Kelly Chin Kung Chew
Jangku Kim

Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument

Nayanne Pinto Aponte
Sariann Ortiz Bezares
Jeremy Alan Daubner
Brian Scott Grainger
Rafael Antonio Rodriguez Jr (TLH)
Tristan Tate Heffernan
Shane Andrew Gabriel
Aron Nicholas Zbick
Cody Seth Breite
Corey Edward Szewczyk
Michael Joseph Phelps
Robert Russell Carroll
Jacob Anthony Resendes
Benjamin Robert Winkler 
Igor Dos Santos Sa

Thank you for reading the Epic Buzz Newsletter! We invite you to read back issues of the Buzz to see what you missed! See you next month!