Instructors

Tim Fisher is the owner and founder of Aero Elite Flight Training. He is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Class of 2002) where he studied Aeronautical Science (with a minor in Computer Science and Air Traffic Management). He has been teaching for 18 years in the DC Area and has over 2500 flight hours. In his spare time he enjoys flying (obviously), IT, and gaming!

My interest in aviation stemmed from visiting Gravely Point Park near DCA as a young child. My family would go there for picnics and I would watch the planes take off and land for hours. This passion ultimately led to me attending Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach where I earned my private through my multi-commercial and CFI. After graduating and coming back home to DC, I started flight instructing at Aero Elite. It has been a blast getting to know the students and the people working at a place with such a great culture.

Charlie is a 4,000 hour pilot with over 29 years of flying experience. He is one of the assistant chief flight instructors for Aero Elite, and also serves as  a captain for a local corporate flight department. After graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a degree in Computer Science and Math, he earned his pilot’s license in the Boston area and has had the privilege of flying out of Leesburg since 1997. Charlie holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with multi- and single-engine land ratings, a single-pilot type-rating in the Cessna Citation jet, glider, and single-engine seaplane ratings.  He is a Gold Seal CFII and MEI, and also teaches tailwheel flying for Aero Elite.  In his spare time, Charlie enjoys hiking, cycling, and annoying his family members with his genealogy studies.

Nick began his aviation journey in high school near St. Louis, Missouri in 2019 before attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, where he completed a majority of his flight training and graduated in May 2024. Nick enjoys sharing his passion for aviation with new pilots and brings experience in mountain flying, aerobatics and both Part 61 and Part 141 training environments. Outside of flying, he enjoys fishing, spending time with friends, and watching hockey.

Stephen A. Hertz CFI/CFII/MEI Commercial SEL/MEL/Glider Mr Hertz is a 6,000 hour commercial pilot and instructor with instrument and multi engine privileges. He previously served as a Part 135 Captain. He provides tailwheel instruction as well as student/private/commercial/instrument/multi engine training at Aero Elite (go to aeflight.com/ instructors/). He teaches a mountain flying course for both the Aero Elite Flight School and the Civil Air Patrol. He currently serves as the Virginia Wing Director of Operations for the Civil Air Patrol. He is a Check Pilot Examiner for the Civil Air Patrol and flies various search and rescue missions for them. Mr Hertz’s primary residence is in Leesburg Virginia with a second home in Littleton CO. When in Colorado he flies primarily out of KAPA. He has an undergraduate degree in Physics and a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering. Prior to retirement he worked in the aerospace industry on large complex military, space, and intelligence programs.

Chuck Purcell is a 4,000+ hour commercial pilot and instructor with instrument and multi-engine privileges. He is a retired US Air Force Command Pilot serving for 21 years in multiple flying assignments. He flew A-37Bs in Combat and the F-5, F-4 D&E, F-15 C&D, and F-111 D&F. He has instructed for multiple local area flight schools since 2000. Currently he provides private, commercial, and instrument training at Aero Elite. He has extensive experience instructing in Cessna, Piper, and Cirrus aircraft. Chuck and his wife reside in Reston, Virginia with a summer home in Lansdowne, Canada. He earned an undergraduate degree in Mathematics, and Master’s Degrees in Mechanical Engineering, in Systems Management, and Education. After retiring from the Air Force, he became a Senior Scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Currently he is a Principal Senior Engineer with Noblis Inc., focusing on Energy Resiliency and Sustainability for the Department of Defense (DoD).

David Cecchino is a 2000 hour commercial pilot and instructor with over 1300 hours of instruction. He holds both instrument and multi-engine instructor privileges. David grew up in Virginia Beach near Naval Air Station Oceana hearing the thunderous roar of F-14s and the Blue Angels rocket across the sky was intoxicating and pivotal event that inspired his love for aviation at such a young age. The bumper sticker “I LOVE JET NOISE” was ubiquitous in his hometown in the 1980s and still the same today. David began flying in Manassas, VA while working as a systems engineer in 2003. He taught private pilot ground and instrument ground schools in 2006 and earned his CFI in 2011.  David has a degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Worldwide (2016) . David enjoys family trips with his wife and four children. His hobbies include Astrophotography and playing around with old school Unix computing.

Griffin McDowell is a CFI/CFII from Vienna, Virginia. He was a recipient of the 2026 AOPA Distinguished Flight Instructor Award. He is checked out to instruct in all of the Cessna 172s, PA-28s, Cessna 182, and Vashon Rangers. Griffin offers training for Private Pilot Certificates, Sport Pilot Certificates, Instrument Ratings, Commercial Pilot Certificates, CFII add-ons, Flight Reviews, Instrument Proficiency Checks, and High-Performance Endorsements. Griffin loves to have fun in aviation. One of his favorite memories is taking N172DR up the Hudson River Corridor at night.

James Christoph is a native of Front Royal, Virginia who has had a love of flying since he was 2 years old. His path to becoming a professional pilot started during his freshman year at Randolph – Macon Academy high school in 2012. James then went on to Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia to complete his undergraduate degree in history. But while James had a passion for history that could rival that of David McCullough or Simon Schama, he knew his real calling was in flying. After graduating in 2019, he returned home to pursue further training. He now has his certified flight instructor certificate, and is currently working on his instrument instructor and multi-engine instructor ratings. When he is not flying, he is constantly striving to learn new things he didn’t know before: aviation related topics, specific topics in history, urban planning, space/astronomy, etc. As the saying goes: “There is no wealth like knowledge.”

Jim is a 1,000 hour pilot with over 35 years of flying experience in various types of airplanes, flying up and down the East coast for fun, business, and even helping to transport rescue dogs. What started out as a hobby led to an instrument rating, a commercial certificate, complex and high performance endorsements, and a tailwheel endorsement in a 1947 J3 Cub, and most recently, a glider rating. Jim decided to become a CFI to share his passion with others who want to experience the thrill, challenge, and freedom of aviation. Jim has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from The Catholic University of America and an MBA from George Mason University. When not flying he is the Head of Design and Manufacturing for a small startup in Chantilly. He and his wife enjoy international travel, especially Italy (Jim speaks Italian) and are active in dog rescue.

Jose Pablo is a CFI and a college student pursuing a major in aerospace engineering. Originally from Cochabamba, Bolivia, Jose Pablo earned his pilot licenses in Merritt Island, Florida. If he is not flying, he is playing the piano or the guitar. He enjoys swimming as well, but his favorite hobby is sitting next to the runway and watching planes fly all day long.

Josh Shields began flying in 1997 as an undergraduate student at the University of North Dakota. After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautics, he flight instructed in Manassas, VA until he was hired as a First Officer at United Express / Atlantic Coast Airlines, where he flew the Canadair Regional Jet. Following the downturn of the mid-2000’s, Josh transitioned to a corporate aviation career track, which has allowed a nice balance of flying around the world in some of the top-tier business jets and having time to fly locally light general aviation aircraft. He currently is a full-time Gulfstream G550 captain and the Aviation Safety Officer for a Washington-Dulles based corporate flight department. His experience as an FAA Airline Transport Pilot includes seven different turbojet type-ratings, over 8,000 hours total flight time, and over 24 years of experience as a flight instructor or checkpilot. In addition to part-time instructing at Aero Elite, Josh is an active Search and Rescue/Mission Pilot, Instructor, and Checkpilot for the Civil Air Patrol and also owns an aviation career consulting business.

Lex began his aviation journey earning his wings in 1989 in the U.S. Navy. He accumulated 4,000 hours of flight time in the F-14, F/A-18, and TA-4J. After returning from Desert Storm with over 100 combat missions, he was selected for the Navy Fighter Weapons School, commonly known as Topgun. The mission of Topgun is to train expert instructors in all facets of aviation with a focus on fighter tactics so that they may return to the fleet squadrons and impart knowledge on others. In 1999, Lex was hired by United Airlines. Following the events of September 11th, he returned to active duty in 2003 with the United States Air Force stationed in Las Vegas. While in Vegas, he joined a flying club and maintained proficiency in general aviation. After retiring from the Air Force, Lex went back to United Airlines in 2017 and now flies the Boeing 777 based in Washington Dulles. He has accumulated over 8,000 total flight hours. Lex missed teaching so he obtained his CFI, CFII, and MEI certifications and eagerly anticipates continuing his learning journey from fellow aviation enthusiasts while assisting others in achieving their goals as safe and professional aviators. Lex predominantly flies out of KJYO. In his leisure time, Lex enjoys cycling, wake foiling, and traveling with his wife of 31 years.

Ram Srinivasan began his aviation journey in 1999 out of the Canadian Flight Academy. After completing commercial training he switched careers to become a physician, specializing in critical care medicine. He continued to fly, as a physician, via volunteer medical missions through Angel Flight. Along the way, he became a CFII and has helped many students with both primary and instrument training. A lifelong General Aviation enthusiast, he is also well versed in Technically Advanced planes, most notably Cirrus Aircraft.

Roger came to the D.C. area in 2001 as a result of his father’s reassignment. After earning a degree in economics from George Mason University in 2012, Roger pursued work in finance, hospitality, and finally in luxury sales. Roger worked in luxury for approximately six years, during which time he married his beautiful wife and became a father to his two amazing children. It was also in this period that Roger attended The College of William and Mary, from where he earned an MBA in 2021. Unsatisfied with the career options which resulted, Roger committed to earning his pilot certificates in order to help himself and his family to embark on a new, lifelong adventure. Roger first attended flight school at ATP in Leesburg, VA, and then finished his ratings at Blue Line Aviation in Smithfield, NC. As an instructor, Roger’s first priorities are safety and sound aeronautical decision making. Roger’s goal is to provide empathetic and effective instruction to students seeking their first certificate, or any certificate thereafter. Roger values good working relationships and emphasizes positivity as a means to encourage learning and student progress; he looks forward to meeting you!

Ted learned to fly in 1972 while at Georgia Tech where he became a flight instructor and president of their flying club. He ferried airplanes for dealers and factories and repossessed airplanes for a bank in Atlanta. He was only shot at twice, but once was his fault. After graduating Ted moved to Connecticut for job as an engineer, where he flew part-time for a small air service under Part 135 and as an instructor. He moved to Virginia in 1978 to take a position with the Federal government and instructed for a flying club at Dulles airport. He took a hiatus from flying from 1981 to 2018. After leaving the government in 1984, he founded a boutique, forensic science and engineering firm and consulted to the government on national defense issues. Now semi-retired, Ted enjoys angel and early-stage investing in technology and women’s health products when he’s not flying. He also does land conservation conversions. He tested experimental parachutes in the late 1960s, but that ended badly with a protracted residency in hospital and a medical-disability discharge from the military. Ted has a commercial pilot license (2,000 hours) for airplanes, single and multi-engine land, single and multi-engine sea, with an instrument rating and a fondness for vintage airplanes. His favorite single-engine airplane is the DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver on floats. His favorite multi-engine airplane is the ill-behaved Grumman G-44 Widgeon. He is a CFI/CFII/MEI and AGI/IGI. Ted is available for tailwheel, high-performance, and complex airplane endorsements, along with multi-engine transitions. His undergraduate degrees are in Engineering Science and Industrial Engineering. He has an M.S. in Ocean Engineering and an MBA in Corporate Finance. He also holds a Professional Engineer license (Virginia). Ted is a passionate fan of opera, chamber music, Victorian theater, ballet, The Moody Blues, and dark, odd comedy. His wife enjoys his culinary experiments but still complains he doesn’t know how to load the dishwasher.

Zac “CHAOS” Proano is a commercial pilot and instructor. A recently retired US Air Force Senior Instructor / Examiner Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) having served 21 years in a variety of Operational and Flight Test assignments. He flew over 1,450 hours in the B-52H, F-16D, T-43 (737-200), T-1 (BE40) and also flew as a Flight Test Engineer on the AC-130H/U/W, MC-130E/H/P/W, MH-53, TH/UH-1H, CV-22, and U-28 (PC-12). Zac earned a BS in Mathematics (University of North Dakota), a MS in Applied Mathematics (Air Force Institute of Technology), and holds the highest level Department of Defense Certification for Test and Evaluation. He currently provides Private and Commercial training at Aero Elite, and has experience in: Cessna, Piper, Grumman, Diamond, and Cirrus aircraft. Zac resides in NOVA with his wife and 4-kids. His focus and commitment is helping you achieve your personal flying goals, today!

Mr. Jarvis is a retired member of the US Air force Security Forces, and a graduate of the Montana State University Aviation program. He is currently the Operations Manager and a Flight Instructor and at the Winchester branch of Aero Elite. He lives near the Appalachian Trail close to Front Royal, Virginia.

James Christoph is a native of Front Royal, Virginia who has had a love of flying since he was 2 years old. His path to becoming a professional pilot started during his freshman year at Randolph – Macon Academy high school in 2012. James then went on to Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia to complete his undergraduate degree in history. But while James had a passion for history that could rival that of David McCullough or Simon Schama, he knew his real calling was in flying. After graduating in 2019, he returned home to pursue further training. He now has his certified flight instructor certificate, and is currently working on his instrument instructor and multi-engine instructor ratings. When he is not flying, he is constantly striving to learn new things he didn’t know before: aviation related topics, specific topics in history, urban planning, space/astronomy, etc. As the saying goes: “There is no wealth like knowledge.”

Josh Shields began flying in 1997 as an undergraduate student at the University of North Dakota. After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautics, he flight instructed in Manassas, VA until he was hired as a First Officer at United Express / Atlantic Coast Airlines, where he flew the Canadair Regional Jet. Following the downturn of the mid-2000’s, Josh transitioned to a corporate aviation career track, which has allowed a nice balance of flying around the world in some of the top-tier business jets and having time to fly locally light general aviation aircraft. He currently is a full-time Gulfstream G550 captain and the Aviation Safety Officer for a Washington-Dulles based corporate flight department. His experience as an FAA Airline Transport Pilot includes seven different turbojet type-ratings, over 8,000 hours total flight time, and over 24 years of experience as a flight instructor or checkpilot. In addition to part-time instructing at Aero Elite, Josh is an active Search and Rescue/Mission Pilot, Instructor, and Checkpilot for the Civil Air Patrol and also owns an aviation career consulting business.

Flew F4s and F-15Es for 22 years in the USAF accumulating 5000 hours in various theatres of operation. Over 2500 hours in GA including Part 135 and Part 91 operations as well as Parts 61 and 141 flight schools. Prior owner of DA40XLS. Experience in all Aero Elite aircraft as well as Cirrus SR22.

Joshua Lammon is a former professional hockey player turned American Airlines cadet. Born and raised in Michigan, Josh’s first passion—hockey—propelled him to perform at the professional level across the U.S. and Europe. After retiring from playing hockey and motivated by his lifelong fascination with machines—from cars and motorbikes to aircraft—Josh transitioned into aviation. He started his journey as an Aero Elite student and later moved to a Part-141, American-affiliated flight school after being accepted into the airline’s cadet program, finishing his ratings in record time. He is back in the Washington Metro Area, building flight experience and preparing for his commercial airline career. When he is not in the cockpit or studying, Josh continues to stay connected to his hockey roots by coaching, enjoys exploring local arts and culture, planning his next vacation, or capturing life’s moments through his camera lens. He and his spouse, Maggie, reside in Northern Virginia.

Srini is a Navy Pilot with 8 years of flying experience. He loves flying and looks forward to helping you achieve your goals!

Benjamin is an ATP Alumnus and lifelong Hampton Roads resident who has been flying for two years. In that time he’s flown all throughout eastern Virginia, the D.C. SFRA, the greater Jacksonville, FL area, and across the midwest United States. From that experience, he’s earned CFI, CFII, and MEI certificates. He is dedicated to leading his students to become more skillful and knowledgeable pilots with every lesson.

Hey, my name is Gabe Malate! I’ve been flying as a Naval Aviator in the MH-60R for the past 4 years. I’ve spent the better half of my life pursuing all things aviation and aerospace, both as a pilot and as an aerospace engineering student, and I am currently pursuing my MS in Aerospace Engineering at ODU. I look forward to sharing that passion with all those I fly with.

​Jacob Fortune is a lifelong Virginia Beach native, who has been flying for 4 years. He has always had a passion for flying, ever since he was a young kid. He did his Private training with Aero Elite, then completed the rest of his certificates, including CFI and CFII with ATP Flight School. Outside of flying, Jacob likes to fish, go to the gym, and hangout with friends. Other than teaching students to get their pilot certificates, he loves showing other people the beauty and enjoyment of aviation.

James is a passionate aviator and Flight Instructor for Aero Elite at the Norfolk International Airport (KORF) schoolhouse. He served in the Navy as a Supply Corps Officer for ten years, living in Bahrain, Australia, DC, and finally landing in Virginia Beach where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Aviation from Liberty University and completed his flight training while on full time active-duty status. He is active in the Hampton Roads aviation community, serving as a FAASTeam Representative, flying Pilots ‘n Paws rescue missions with a flying club out of Hampton Roads Executive Airport, and volunteering with both Civil Air Patrol and the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, VA.

Hey I’m Ryan, I’ve been flying for a little over 4 years and have done all my training and flying in the Hampton Roads area. I’m currently working on my bachelors of science in aviation while full time flight Instructing. When I’m not up in the sky you can usually find me wakeboarding, snowboarding, in the gym, at the beach with friends, or studying psychology and human behavior. I have always had a passion for flying and look forward helping all my students reach their goals! See you all up there!

Neil Weston is a CFI with seaplane and multi engine ratings. Neil is also a flight mechanic in the US Coast Guard on MH65 helicopters. He is a graduate of Indiana state University’s Professional Aviation program. He started his aviation journey by earning his private pilot license in high school before leaving for Indiana State University. He was an active Cadet in the Civil Air Patrol during his high school years. In this time he participated in search and rescue and summer programs such as Air Force UPT familiarization. As an Avionics Technician 2 nd class in the USCG Neil has continued his passion for aviation by serving as a hoist operator aboard search and rescue helicopters in New Orleans before moving to Virginia, where he continues his USCG service while teaching at Aero Elite.

Aviation has always been a part of me. Many of our family trips were to Air Shows. A few years after college at Texas A&M, I decided to follow up on my parents, both private pilots, first two lessons. After getting my private the world was mine. At least part of the time is mine as a flight instructor since 2002 (CFI, CFII, MEI).

Ivan Peterzell was raised in Takoma Park, Maryland and attended Catholic University of America. He began flying in January 2020 at Potomac Airfield, continued his training in Vero Beach, Florida at Flight Safety, and returned to Potomac Airfield as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). Ivan loves the charm at Potomac Airfield and enjoys flying in the complex airspace. Before flying, Ivan ran two different fleets of buses for educational companies. His previous roles of Director of Transportation included dispatching, routing and scheduling, bus operator, diesel technician, and the face of each company’s transportation department. His ten plus years in moving people continues with his desire to work for an airline and retire as a captain in the US.

Jim is a 1,000 hour pilot with over 35 years of flying experience in various types of airplanes, flying up and down the East coast for fun, business, and even helping to transport rescue dogs. What started out as a hobby led to an instrument rating, a commercial certificate, complex and high performance endorsements, and a tailwheel endorsement in a 1947 J3 Cub, and most recently, a glider rating. Jim decided to become a CFI to share his passion with others who want to experience the thrill, challenge, and freedom of aviation. Jim has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from The Catholic University of America and an MBA from George Mason University. When not flying he is the Head of Design and Manufacturing for a small startup in Chantilly. He and his wife enjoy international travel, especially Italy (Jim speaks Italian) and are active in dog rescue.

I earned my PPL in 2004, my Instrument and Commercial in 2014/2015, my CFI in 2021 and CFII in 2022. I have close to 2,000 hours of flight experience including high performance, complex, and tailwheel endorsements. When not working as a CPA, I enjoy cross country flying (FL, New England, southwest) and aerobatics (IAC competitor). I own an interest in a Piper Arrow and a Christen Eagle aerobatic bi-plane. Additionally, I volunteer as a search and rescue pilot for the Civil Air Patrol and am an active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Born and raised in Vermont, I currently live in Alexandria VA.

Sam has been an instructor for more than two years and holds her Flight Instructor (CFI) and Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) licenses. An avid flyer, she did all her flight training, zero to hero, at CAE Oxford Academy at Falcon Field, Mesa, AZ. She loves teaching and has taught elementary and middle school kids math, English, and science. She is also a Business Management major at GMU, an artist, and a dog lover.

Shaun Collins is a 2,500+ hour commercial airplane single, airplane multi, and helicopter pilot and an instructor with instrument privileges in single engine airplanes. He holds his CFI, CFII, AGI, and IGI privileges, while pursuing his MEI. He is an active-duty Army aviator and has served for over 15 years. He has flown numerous helicopters including the Bell Jet Ranger as well as the AH-64 D/E “Apache” and MH-47G “Chinook” in combat. Shaun has been instructing since 2019 with experience in Mooneys, Pipers, Diamonds, Cessnas, and Beech aircraft. He holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical (Aeronautical) Engineering from the United States Military Academy and Master in Business Administration from Trident University. He has been a member of Civil Air Patrol since 2014 and serves as a CAP Instructor in addition to conducting Search and Rescue missions. Shaun has experience with military funding programs, and established a military knowledge testing facility to allow servicemembers to take knowledge tests for free. He has a particular passion for training prior military rotary wing aviators to become fixed wing pilots.

For Ahmed, travelling has always been part of his life. With a father as a diplomat, curiosity with aviation eventually pushed him to get his pilot’s license. He’s a Commercially Licensed pilot with SEL and MEL ratings. Ali runs the day to day operations at our Leesburg location!