Back in 2015, I started working in aviation as an A&P mechanic after finishing mechanic school. Got my private pilot license in 2016. Worked my way through Duncan Aviation, Oracle Aviation, then Winterset Aviation, and eventually bought that business.
I loved aviation. But there was something I kept seeing that made me sick...
80% of people who start flight training never get their license.
Not because they couldn't do it. But because the system was designed to fail them.
And Des Moines was the opportunity hiding in plain sight: there was literally no commercial flight school in the area.
The local flying club didn't even answer the phone. The few instructors around were part-time, treated it like a side hustle, and had terrible availability.
Your options if you wanted to become a professional pilot?
- Train with part-time instructors who barely returned calls, constantly canceled, and disappeared the moment they got an airline job
- Go to one of those massive out-of-state "pilot mills" with horror stories all over the internet, known for rushing students through, leaving them unprepared, and treating them like cattle
- Or spend 4+ years and hundreds of thousands of dollars on a college aviation program
Every option sucked. And 8 out of 10 people were giving up before ever finishing.
That's when I decided to test something different.
In 2019, I launched US Flight Co with one aircraft and a rundown shared office. The floor was filthy, cords running everywhere, and there was this little Christmas tree on a shelf that stayed up all year (I still laugh about that).
I wasn't sure if it would work. But within 2-3 months, we had full classes of 8 students and leads pouring in.
People were desperate for this. They wanted a career change, but didn't want to waste 4 years in college or get chewed up by a pilot mill.
The biggest challenge? Financing. Most people couldn't pay $95K cash. We partnered with lenders, but they kept failing. So I did something crazy: I started our own financing company, US Flight Finance, so we could fund students ourselves.
Why? Because I actually believe in them.
Today, we've trained hundreds of students. We've got guys like Sam Leslie flying for Republic Airways, Johnny Martin flying professionally in Ohio, and Seth Thomas flying Caravans in Alaska. We operate out of Signature Aviation's stunning $12M+ new facility with our own dedicated space, a fleet of modern aircraft, and full-time instructors who are invested in your success.
And our students? Over 90% complete their training, when 80% of student pilots nationwide quit before ever finishing.
I built the school I wish existed back when I was starting out. No games. No side hustles. No pilot mills.
Just a real shot at your dream career.