CP Aviation - Instructor Bios

Berkeley Brandt

Berkeley Brandt, CFII, comes from a family of pilots (mother, father, uncles) and began flying in 1963. After another career as a cardiac surgeon, he has become obsessed with flying after retirement in 2004 and began teaching at CP Aviation in 2010. It turns out that there are many similarities between teaching heart surgery and flying.

His main focus has been primary flight training, but he enjoys instrument training as well. He is a member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE).

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.

Peter Carlson

CFI, Tailwheel, EMT

Peter is a Ventura County native and third-generation pilot, who has been coming to SZP since before he could walk. He learned to fly at CP, earning his private in 40 hours while in high school. He graduated with a degree in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is available almost all days to teach private, commercial, complex, and flight reviews.

When he isn’t flying in Santa Paula, he is flying out of OXR in a 172 or his father’s Baron.

Andrew Carlson

CFI

Andrew fell in love with airplanes and flying at a very young age, having been exposed to it through his father and uncles. He had been teaching fire and disaster safety for almost 20 years when he decided he’d much rather teach flying. With that goal in mind, he took his first lesson in 2015 and is now living his dream!

Andrew is a CFI and instrument-rated commercial pilot. He holds tail wheel, complex, and high performance endorsements. He is a member of the Commemorative Air Force, Angel Flight West, and Society of Aviation and Flight Educators. He enjoys flying his Mooney to visit family, friends, and airshows around the country.

Connor Philpott

CFII

Connor Philpott, CFII is a fourth generation pilot; who has been around Santa Paula airport and airplanes since he was born. He received his private pilot’s Certificate at CP Aviation and is excited to be teaching with us. Every day in the air is a good day in his eyes! He also earned a commercial multi-engine rating over at Camarillo and can be found there flying his families RV-7.

Emma McNay

CFI

Emma’s love of flying began at the age of 10. By the age of 14 she had been taking formal lessons, even soloing aircraft before she had her driver’s license. As the first and only pilot in her family, Emma spends a lot of her time taking family members, especially her father who fostered her love of aviation, flying around Southern California. She has spent countless hours working with all kinds of aircraft, including warbirds from World War II. She graduated from University of San Diego in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in History, as well as minors in Political Science and Theology. She earned her CFI with CP Aviation and is happy to pass on her knowledge to students who also seek to train at CP.

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.

Cindy

CFI

Cindy is a commercial single and multiengine pilot. As a CFI, she teaches Private and Commercial pilots. Cindy started flying at CP Aviation for her EMT training, then continue to fly and teach at CP.

She is an active member of IAC, Ninety-nines International Organization of Women Pilots, and AOPA. Cindy enjoys flying to new airports and try different airport restaurants.

Mikey Nayak

CFI

Michael (Mikey) Nayak, CFI, has been flying general aviation airplanes for over ten years and is excited about teaching people how to fly. He can be found at CP Aviation teaching every Sunday. During the week, he flies as F-16 aircrew in support of elevated-risk experimental flight test for new and legacy fighter aircraft. He is a graduate of USAF Test Pilot School, a member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), and plans to complete his CFII rating by end-2020

Alex Carey-Jones "CJ"

CFII

CJ is a CFII, Advanced Ground & Instrument Instructor, holding tail wheel, complex, and high performance endorsements. Before leaving the UK, CJ was a First Officer in the Citation Bravo 550 flying around Europe and was a qualified Aerobatic Instructor holding an EASA frozen ATPL.

Since living in Los Angeles, CJ has also become a Sworn LAPD Reserve Police Officer working patrol in Van Nuys Division and spends his free time with his Wife and Son.

CJ started flying while in college and has been addicted ever since! He was also a volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol and enjoys surfing when the weather is too rough to fly!!