First, have you figured out what HSLD stands for?
If you guessed High Speed, Low Drag, you are correct.
HSLD Aero was born from a discovery of passion for transferring knowledge to the next generation of aviator.
Origin Story
Honestly, I didn’t even want to be an instructor but knew that instructing was a good way to build time before I could depart to the airlines. So that became the plan as soon as I graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
I went down the road to New Smyrna Beach, FL and got a flight instructing job at Epic Flight Academy with the intent of building time and getting to the airlines as soon as I could.
Life of course, has a way of turning our plans inside out.
What I quickly realized was that I had a knack for instructing and actually really enjoyed it. While my fellow instructors were buckling down and knocking out their minimums, I rose through the ranks and eventually became an Assistant Chief Flight Instructor.
After 3 years and about 1400 hours of instructing, I was in the right place at the right time with the proper reputation and had the opportunity to get a PIC type rating on a Citation X. I finally left full time flight instruction and became a full time contract pilot on Citation Xs and then added a CE560XL type rating to the mix.
Looking for more stability for my young family, I pursued my first Part 135 job in Nashville. It was a great job and I learned so much from the Captain I was paired with. Eventually, the company sold the airplane I crewed so we moved back to Florida and I jumped back into the contracting scene.
It was during this time that I also got back to my instructing roots. I gained a few freelance clients and enjoyed the task of tailoring instruction to fit their individual needs.
COVID
COVID put the brakes on everything.
Contract work dried up and my instructing moved to a remote instruction where I utilized Zoom to deliver tailored ground instruction in preparation for getting my clients back into the air.
A New Hope?
At the height of the COVID craziness I was presented with the unique opportunity to help a flight school in the Middle East. My family and I are rather adventurous and were eager to see a new part of the world.
Once I arrived and began to get settled I was promoted to Chief Flight Instructor and developed close professional relationships with the regulatory aviation authority and saw great improvements in the conditions for the students and flight instructors here.
COVID craziness did not abate unfortunately and now I am free once again to find my next opportunity.
HSLDaero.com
This website will become my repository of knowledge that I hope to pass on to the next generation.
Of course, I am very much in the beginning stages of the build out.
But this is a wonderful time for you to join me so we can grow together.
To your success,
Case