AOPA recognizes top instructors, schools by region

For this year’s awards, AOPA moved to an application-based review process under which instructors and flight schools were invited to apply for regional and national recognition. Applicants could request reviews from students, instructors, designated pilot examiners, and other clients who had worked with them during the previous 12 months. A panel of industry experts then screened the applications without knowledge of the applicants’ identities.

AOPA Foundation Senior Director of Flight Training Education Chris Moser said the new process provided more detailed, firsthand information about aviation educators seeking recognition. In addition to the regional winners, one school and one instructor from each of six regions, dozens more schools and instructors were recognized for "distinguished" performance.

The awards program was created in part to highlight best practices, and help the entire industry focus on what works. “We definitely saw a theme this year from the reviewers about a great combination of customer service and community,” Moser said.

“Having a friendly and family-like atmosphere has always been a hallmark of excellent instructors and flight schools, but this year there was also a strong trend of describing some truly amazing ways that instructors and schools went above and beyond to serve their customers,” Moser said. “Whether helping them find a place to live near the school while in training, or even instructors driving out of their way to pick them up to make sure they could make it to their lesson.”

The awards are part of AOPA’s You Can Fly program, which seeks to attract more people to flying and keep them engaged. The national honorees will be revealed March 5 during Redbird Migration in Denver.

The 2025 regional best instructors are:

Central Southern - John Schaffer (Texas Flight), Spring, Texas

Eastern - Madison Nugent (Aviation Adventures), Leesburg, Virginia

Great Lakes - Peg Ballou (Ballou Skies Aviation), Bucyrus, Ohio

Pacific - Mike Smith (Mike Smith Aviation), Napa, California

Southern - Bernard Tiziano (Savannah Aviation), Savannah, Georgia

Western - Jacob Peery (Flight Stars, Leopard Aviation), Scottsdale, Arizona

The 2025 regional best flight schools are:

Central Southern - In the Pattern, Denton, Texas

Eastern - Air Ventures Flying School, Smithfield, Rhode Island

Great Lakes - Ballou Skies Aviation, Bucyrus, Ohio

Pacific - Flex Air, San Diego, California

Southern - Sun City Aviation Academy, Davie, Florida

Western - Chennault Flying Service, North Las Vegas, Nevada

The You Can Fly program and the Air Safety Institute are funded by charitable donations to the AOPA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. To be a part of the solution, visit www.aopafoundation.org/donate.