CP Aviation - Instructor Bios

Mark R King

Mark King, Master Certified Flight Instructor with a Gold Seal-Aerobatic, CFI- Instrument, Advanced and Instrument ground instructor, is a southern California native who was born into an aviation family and began flying in 1974. Mark has extensive experience flying in Alaska in a turboprop Quest Kodiak, has over 1000 hours flying the Beechcraft Bonanza and is G1000 qualified.

He is a member of the Society of Aviation Flight Educators (SAFE) and the North American T6 formation group called the Condor Squadron. He teaches Private Pilots, Instrument, Commercial, Tailwheel, Emergency Maneuver Training, and Aerobatics.

Rochelle Oslick

Rochelle Oslick, Master Certificated Flight Instructor-Aerobatic, CFI, began flying in 1984, at the Edwards AFB Flying Club, while she was stationed there as a USAF Flight Test Engineer. Shortly after earning her private pilot license, Rochelle started flying tailwheel/aerobatic airplanes at Santa Paula Airport, which quickly became her favorite airport. As an aerospace engineer, several job changes, from the USAF, to Lockheed in Burbank, to Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, and finally to The Boeing Company in Seattle, led her to base her flying from other airports in southern California and in western Washington. Along the way, Rochelle earned her Instrument and Commercial ratings, and then CFI, and started flight instructing part-time, specializing in tailwheel and aerobatic airplanes, in the Seattle area. After retiring from Boeing, Rochelle moved back south, to Ventura County, and is flight instructing at CP Aviation, at her favorite airport, teaching Private Pilots, Tailwheel, Spins, Emergency Maneuver Training, and Aerobatics. She is a member of SAFE, IAC, Ninety-nines International Organization of Women Pilots, Women in Aviation International, and AOPA.

Bryan Hudson

Bryan Hudson - ATP, CFII, MEII, Tailwheel - is a lifelong aviation enthusiast.  He started flying in hang gliders as a teenager then moved up to the “heavy” Cessna 152 when he earned his private pilot certificate in 1987.  Bryan began flying professionally in 1990, primarily working in scheduled air cargo operations all across the country where he accumulated many hours of night, multiengine, turboprop, and instrument experience, and his Airline Transport Pilot certificate.  In 2004 he began working in the emerging unmanned aircraft industry as evaluation pilot, instructor, and systems engineer.  Bryan has been a CFI with single and multiengine instrument instructor ratings since 1991 and is a member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE).  Bryan is available mainly on weekends and some evenings when the days are long.

Gavin Shearer

CFI

Gavin Shearer, CFI, is a first generation pilot who began flying when he was 18 years old. Since his first flight, he became obsessed with everything aviation related and has continued to receive certificates and ratings ever since. Now a multi-engine commercial pilot and single engine instructor, Gavin is sharing and expanding his passion for aviation through teaching the next generation of pilots. When he’s not instructing, he is most easily found at other nearby airports flying anything he can fit in.

Gavin is available almost every day to instruct private, commercial, complex, and high performance students.

Kirk Dengler

CFII

Kirk Dengler, CFII, is a fourth generation pilot who has been around aviation since he was an infant. He learned to fly at CP earning his private pilot certificate. He is always working on expanding himself as a pilot and looks forward to earning his tailwheel rating. In his off time you can find him yet again, flying in search of the greatest hundred dollar hamburger. Kirk is available everyday to instruct private, instrument, commercial, complex and high performance students.

Janie Thomas

CFII

Janie Thomas grew up flying in the Southeastern United States in her father's Piper Aztec. Her passion for aviation was renewed in 2010, when she, along with her Dad, made her first skydive and earned her USPA A license. In 2015 she earned her PPL, and has since added the Instrument, Commercial, CFI, CFII, Seaplane, Tailwheel, High Performance, and Complex ratings and endorsements. Janie and her husband own a J model Mooney, and are part owners of a Pitts S2-B. She's also the Chair of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Ninety-Nines.

Cade Hermeling

CFII

Cade grew up around aviation in Santa Fe, New Mexico spending a lot of time at the airport with his father who is both a Learjet mechanic and pilot. While studying Russian and Physics at UC Berkeley, Cade decided that being a pilot was what he wanted to do in life so he got his private pilot license over the summer while home from College. After graduating college he continued his flight training at Camarillo airport and now has his Commercial single and multi-engine pilot certificate along with CFII and MEI instructor certificates, high performance, complex and tailwheel endorsements and a Learjet SIC type rating. Cade aspires to one day fly fighter jets for the US Air force or Navy. Cade is generally available to instruct any day of the week.

Andrew Dietz

CFII, MEI, Remote Pilot

Andrew is a firstgeneration pilot who began flying drones for several years and therefore knew he himself wanted to experience being up in the air. After going on his first intro flight in Camarillo, he instantly fell in love with flying. Since completing all his flight training at Camarillo Airport, he is excited to begin his new venture at CP Aviation and one day hopes to fly for the airlines. In his free time he works towards more endorsements and ratings, as well as enjoys surfing and scuba diving at the local beaches.

Luke Moran

CFI

Luke is a first generation pilot who first developed a passion for flying when he was ten years old. After flying a glider on his 16th birthday Luke has done everything he could to be in and around airplanes. Luke earned most of his ratings at CP Aviation and added a Commercial Multi-Engine rating in Camarillo. Now a Certified Flight Instructor Luke is eager to share his passion and knowledge of flight with anyone interested in learning. When not at the airport Luke can be found working on his 1993 Mazda Miata or playing his drums. Luke is available most days to teach Private and Commercial students.

Devereaux (Dev) Gammon

CFI

Devereaux or Dev, is a second generation pilot and a member of the Ventura County 99’s. She has her BS in Aeronautics from Liberty University and completed her flight training over in Camarillo before joining the CP team. She began her training after serving 6 years in the United States Air Force as a Security Forces law enforcement officer. She’s travelled to S. Korea, Germany, Afghanistan, and Qatar. She originally grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, CA where she competed in numerous Tae Kwon Do competitions earning her Black Belt. Dev has become invested in the challenges faced since starting her aviation career and is a firm believer in, “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

Dev is available most days and also assists the Aviation Medical Examiner at CMA.

Dana Files

CFI

Dana was first introduced to flying by his grandfather who owned a plane at the Watsonville, CA airport.  When Dana was young he can recall flying with his grandfather in his Piper Comanche, and then later in his Cessna 152.  It wasn't until high school that Dana became seriously interested in aviation when he took several commercial flights on United 757/747 from San Francisco to Buenos Aires via Miami. He listened to the air traffic control channel the entire way.  He was riveted by the speed and power and how quickly you can move across the globe in an airplane, and how cool the pilots and air traffic control sounded on the radio.  Dana went off to college at Sonoma State University, graduated in 2003, and accepted a job as a geologist in Camarillo for a local consulting firm (to this day, he still works for the same consulting firm on a part time basis).  At the same time, he started flight training at the Camarillo airport and quickly earned his private pilot license.  From 2003 through present, he flew for fun and adventure, slowly accumulating new certificates and ratings including his instrument rating in 2008, commercial certificate in 2019, and flight instructor certificate in 2021.

Dana is available nearly every day for flight instruction toward private and commercial certificates, flight reviews, and flight instruction in complex/high performance airplanes.

Lismabel (Lis) Gimenes

CFII

Lismabel (Lis), CFII, started in aviation as a flight attendant, after being on a few flights in the back of the plane she decided to step in a cockpit to learn how to do it herself and began flight training in Los Angeles. Lis fell in love with the unique feeling of flying and being one with the airplane so she became a Flight Instructor to share this gift with anyone who is interested. As she likes to say “Aviation is the proof that anything is possible”. When not at Santa Paula Airport, she is most likely on a new aviation adventure, lastly she became a Commercial Seaplane Rated Pilot. Lis is member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), the 99’s Women Pilots.

Coty Shipe

CFI

Coty Shipe, CFI, holds Tailwheel, High Performance, and Complex endorsements and enjoys adventures in flight instruction with his students. Whether you're fulfilling a lifelong dream of earning your Private Pilot License or furthering your career with a commercial certificate, he is ready and able to help you meet your goals. The national airspace system is America's second greatest idea, just behind national parks. Get outside and enjoy them both! When he's not flying, he enjoys visiting our national parks with his wife. Coty is a member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) and is available on weekends and weeknights.

Shane O'Keeffe

CFI

Shane is a first generation pilot and has had a passion for aviation since he was a boy. Growing up, he traveled around the world looking out the window at the world from the sky. He and his father spent many days and weekends at airshows, looking a model planes and going to the approach end of runways to watch the planes land and take off. Through his teenage years he learned to fly on the simulator at home and in college he finally decided to pursue his passion. Three years later he fell in love with Santa Paula airport and the family at CP Aviation.

Shane is available every day to instruct Private, Commercial, High Performance, Complex, and Tailwheel students.