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 on Brock Rees
Director of Satellite Operations
As Epic Flight Academy continues to expand and establish new schools around the country, we want to spotlight Brock Rees, Epic’s Director of Satellite Operations. Brock began working at Epic in June 2018. He holds a BS degree in Aviation Management from Indiana State University and a Master’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a concentration in Airline Management.
Brock is also a flight instructor who earned multiple ratings at Epic (IR, CSEL, CFI, and CFII), so he understands the student’s perspective. Brock’s job keeps him moving. In a given week, you might spot him for a day or two at our Tallahassee campus before heading off to Ocala to check in. He’s been especially busy in Tucson, and believe it or not, he’s been laying the groundwork for another new location (TBA – stay tuned!) while also planning the upcoming ribbon-cutting event at our Jacksonville campus on Friday, July 12th.
In his spare time, Brock enjoys traveling, hiking, exploring national parks, fishing, and of course, flying. Thank you, Brock, for all you do for Epic and our students. We appreciate you, no matter where in the world you are. Keep up the great work!
Epic Alumni News: Career Updates
Next time you fly, peek inside the front cabin to see if you’re lucky enough to have an Epic pilot at the controls! Congratulations to these Epic grads!
First Officer Ricardo Edwards flies the ATR 72/42 with BahamasAir. Samuel Villani, a First Officer flying the E175/195 for Republic Airways, shared these kind words about Epic: “Some of the best instruction I have ever received. Looking back doing my CFI/II, it properly set me up for the rest of my flying career. Both in focus and drive. Best bang for buck in flight training.” George Cooper II is a First Officer flying the CRJ-700/900 for PSA Airlines. And First Officer Ryan Savage and Captain Baturman Kaplan fly for Pegasus Airlines in Turkey. We wish these outstanding pilots continued success and nothing but soft landings!
Did YOU train at Epic? If so, please send us a career update!
Full Circle
When Epic pilots picked up a brand new Piper Seminole at the factory last month, they caught up with Ashley Howard, one of Epic’s aircraft mechanic graduates who works at Piper! Ashley actually helped build this new aircraft we purchased. It doesn’t get much better than that! (Ashley is second from left.)
Employee Updates
We welcomed many new faces to the Epic family recently! We are pleased to introduce: Diego Aguila (Flight Instructor, EVB), Jerry Jacobs (Flight Instructor, TLH), Veronika Osgood (Flight Instructor, EVB), Breyton Jackson (Flight Instructor, EVB), Matthew Soja (Flight Instructor, EVB), CJ Fusco (Flight Instructor, EVB), Cassie Rego (Recruiter, EVB), Sydney Krakat (Dispatcher, EVB), Kendal Koblik (Flight Instructor, EVB), Luis Saavedra (A&P Mechanic, EVB), Jerry Burns (A&P Mechanic, TLH), Greta MacMillan (Dispatcher, EVB), Hannah Gardner (Flight Instructor, TLH), Meg Dingee (Flight Instructor, TLH), and Ryan Kennedy (Plane Washer, EVB). Welcome to Team Epic!
Aircraft Maintenance Technician Day
We celebrated Aviation Maintenance Technician Day with a cookout! Staff grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for our aircraft mechanic students at the New Smyrna Beach campus.
Epic Outreach and Career Seminars
Ocala staff Dana McGowen and Tyler Prenesti (above) visited Sparr Elementary School in Anthony, FL for Aviation Day. The outreach team also demonstrated a jet engine for Osceola High School students in Kissimmee. School is out for the summer, but we invite teachers to plan a field trip or school visit school with us in the fall.
Aircraft Mechanic Passes
These aircraft mechanic students passed their FAA Airframe Exams in May!
Marley Davis
Mason Meadows
Gavin Riegel
Pilot Check Rides
Muntasir Hoque passed his PPL check ride on his first attempt. Pictured with flight instructor Rick Kaneaster
These flight students passed check rides on their first attempt in May:
Private Pilot
Triston Zorin Thompson
Edward James Samson
Dominic Noenurai Dobier
Mohammad Dawood M Ballout
Sebastian DeCastro Marrero (OCF)
Asa Sheppard Wagner
Eric Scott Cinnamon
Edward Kevin Tolentino Cosio
Emma Paige Burleson
Kylie Renee Evans
Muntasir Hoque
Chayse Michael Pena
Andrew Taylor Osborne
Instrument Rating
Samuel Adam Levin (OCF)
Zachary Ryan Anderson (TLH)
Genevieve Marie Gemignani
Katie Clairene Murphy
Brett William Postula
Isabella D Kebreau
Commercial Single-Engine
Andrew Joseph Fox (TLH)
Samiul Islam
Glenn Stafford Murray
Seth Christopher Whidden
Pasquale Iazzetta
Kevin Xavier Santiago Ortiz
Zachary Charles Barnhart
Kasey Scott Wheatley
Seth Michael Puhar
Jeffrey Joseph Hall
Sara Elizabeth Hill
Harold Jeffrey Schmidt
Tristan Tate Heffernan
Commercial Multi-Engine
Kassim Mahmud Bello
Quang Trong Minh Nguyen
Dylan Paul Slatinsky
Clint Daniel Easton
Gregory Braden Smith
Luke Weston Bazel
Ibukunoluwa Iyiola Kofo-Abayomi
Hisham Rashad Zohary
Hunter Matthew Ambos Larkin
Certified Flight Instructor
Yonnic Joshua Adams
Asmar Nurieva
Aurora Madison Engel
Conan Austin Dulac
David Joel Birchfield
Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument
Jesse Lee Dixson
Zhennan Guo
Michael Ian Glick
Brianna Marie-Elise D’Souza
James Stephen Kwan
Alexander Patrick Korbas
Multi-Engine Flight Instructor
Jacob Charles Niewinski
Emily Anne Pollard
Kasey James Herring