Mach 5 Aviation - Instructor Team

Instructor Team

Maintenance Team

Aircraft & Rates

Primary Flight Training

Advanced Flight Training

Dennis Pearson, Major USAF (semi-retired)

Owner, Mach 5 Aviation.

ATP/CFI/CFII/MEI (FAA Gold Seal Instructor), Cirrus Certified Instructor Pilot, NAFI and AOPA member.

Jet Aircraft: F-15C, F-4F, T-37, T-38A, AT-38B, T-38C, B-737

Dennis has accumulated experience in over 30 makes and models of single and multi-engine General Aviation (GA) aircraft, including hundreds of hours in Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) – aka “Glass Panel”. He started Flying in 1985, earning his Private, Instrument and Multi-engine ratings before joining the United States Air Force. In the USAF, he earned many awards such as Distinguished Graduate, Top Stick, and Commander's Trophy. He has flown combat operations around the world accumulating almost 3,000 fighter pilot hours, over 4,000 total pilot in command hours, 1,000 Instructor pilot hours, 200 Combat hours and much, much more! His mission: Giving Back! He wants to help make the dream of flight come true for as many people as he can! He was recently called back into the Air Force and is stationed in Texas for a short time and we anxiously await his return.

Tim Decker, Lt Col, USAF (RET):

ATP/CFI/CFII/MEI, Cirrus Certified Instructor Pilot, Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program Instructor, Level 1-Unrestricted Solo Aerobatics Statement of Acrobatic Competency License.

Tim is a professional pilot who has logged over 7000 hours in both military and civilian aircraft. He gained most of his flying experience in the U-2, F-117, T-38, RV-4, Pitts S-2B, Bonanza A-36, Piper Seneca V, and Cirrus SR-22. Tim has instructed in all phases of flying including aerobatic and formation since 1990. 2011 marked Tim Decker's seventh season of performing air shows in his Pitts Special, but included a one-season break to serve in the Persian Gulf. Tim spent 12 months as a U-2 squadron commander where he and his squadron flew daily combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006 - 2007. Tim retired from the United States Air Force in 2009 after an incredible 20-year career flying some of the best jets in the world! Tim is currently the Chief Pilot for a private company that provides flight instruction to USAF physicians who are in training for the Flight Surgeon career field.

Jim Hinson

Flight Instructor ATP/ASEL/ASES/AMES/CFI/CFII/MEI/AGI/IGI

Jim holds an airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and is typed in Beech 1900 Commuter aircraft and has over 10,000 hours as a Pilot in Command. He is also a CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, and IGI. He also holds an A&P certificate. He teaches in single and multi-engine land and sea aircraft as well as Light Sport aircraft. JI recently retired from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as operations Inspector/Manager where he was responsible for certificating pilots for all pilot certificates and ratings as well as inspection of numerous FAR Part 135 Chapter operations and FAR Part 141 Flight Schools. Prior to his career with the FAA, Jim managed the McClellan Aero Club and was instrumental in getting FAR Part 141 certification and Veterans Administration certification for their Flight School. He also served as chief Flight Instructor for the McClellan Aero Club as well as Patterson Aviation at Executive Airport prior to his position at McClellan.

Larry Uzelac:

Chief of Flight Simulator operations for Mach 5 Aviation.

Certified Flight Instructor/CFII, Tail-wheel instructor,.

Larry started flying gliders at 14 years old and has been a Private Pilot since 1978. He decided to share his love for aviation with others and became an instructor in 1995. He holds many ratings including ATP, MEL, CFII, and Glider. He enjoys instructing in tailwheel and instrument proficiency, as well as primary students. If you're lucky, he'll take you down to Baja Sur Mexico in his Mooney for one of his famous fishing expeditions!

Patrice Gaumer:

Certified Flight Instructor/CFI-I/MEI

Patrice is from France and first arrived in California in 1995. In 1996, he fulfilled his childhood dream and became a pilot. He received his commercial and Instructor ratings in 1999. He became homesick and returned to France shortly after where he worked for six years out of the Lyon Airport in the Alps area doing a lot of mountain flying and scenic tours. He could not resist California Weather and came back in 2006. Patrice has been instructing with Mach 5 Aviation since we opened 3 years ago and is a tremendous asset to our team.

John Kluenker:

Certified Flight Instructor CFI/CFII

John is a certified airplane ‘Nerd’. He started flying when he was just 14 years old and soloed on his 16th birthday. He has a degree in commercial aviation from the University of North Dakota, as well as King Air 300/350, Beechjet and Citation X type ratings. He has accumulated over 5000 hours of total flight time, with 3000 hours in turboprops and jets. John was awarded “National Top Pilot” after leading the University of North Dakota’s Flying Team to First Place at the 2001 NIFA National Championships. John has loved airplanes his entire life, and enjoys flying and competing in aerobatics in his Pitts S-1S. He has a way of making students feel comfortable with his easy-going nature, and enjoys the challenge of making difficult concepts easy to understand. He is now a corporate pilot flying a Citation X for a local company and continues flight instruction at Mach 5 in order to share his love of aviation with others.

Beau Perry:

Certified Flight Instructor.

Beau ensures the highest level of consistent pilot instructional is maintained throughout the company. This is a tough, and often unrewarding job – but Beau is dedicated to ensuring Mach 5 Aviation provides top-of-the-line flight instruction at all times! Beau has over 3000 hours of flight time in many different aircraft and has proven his metal as a Chief Pilot in other formal flight schools. He has developed and participated in a local aviation scholarship program for high school students through the Auburn Aviation Association. A significant part of his aviation interest has been in sharing the dream of flight with others. Beau has had the pleasure of mentoring a student that is now in his third year at the United States Air Force Academy and would love to do the same for others who are on a similar path!

Jennifer Meiners:

Certified Flight Instructor, Ground School Instructor, member of 99’s Women in Aviation.

Jennifer is a very special addition to the Mach 5 Aviation Family. She trained for her Certified Flight Instructor certificate through us! She was introduced to the wonders of flight at a young age by her father and grandfather who are both general aviation pilots. She began flying at age 16 and joined our team in March of 2010. When she is not instructing for us, she is a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines and a dedicated mom to her son and daughter. She absolutely loves flying and would love to share the joy of flight with you!

Stewart Wells:

Certified Flight Instructor CFI/CFII/MEI Tail-wheel Instructor

Military Aircraft: F-16C, T-38C, T-38A, T-6A, T-37B

Stewart earned his private pilot’s license at Auburn Airport in 1996 and has since served as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He has flown over 100 combat missions in the F-16, and has accumulated over 3000hrs, of which many were spent teaching new pilots to fly at USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). He was a distinguished graduate from T-37 Pilot Instructor School and has a BS in Computer Science and an MS in International Relations. Stewart was also a previous Fighter Wing Chief of Safety and is excited to join Mach 5’s team of safety oriented flying professionals.

Sarah Broers:

Certified Flight Instructor CFI/CFII

Sarah began her flight training in 2010 after six years as a corporate flight attendant. She achieved her CFI-II ticket 375 days after her first flight lesson and has been instructing ever since. Sarah comes from three generations of aviators, and is the first instrument rated female pilot in her family, but not the first CFI! In the 1970s and ‘80s, her grandmother was a flight instructor in Hawaii and was a member of the 99s. Sarah met her husband Matt at Addison airport in her native state of Texas while flight attending, and 18 months later, moved to California to marry him. Matt also works in the industry as an aircraft mechanic. Though she is a Texan at heart, Sarah is enjoying flying in the mountain air and blue skies of northern California.

Lisa Doty:

Certified Flight Instructor CFI/CFII/MEI; Member of NAFI, AOPA, 99s, Yolo County Sheriff's Aero Squadron

Lisa graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott in 2000 with a BS in Computer Science (along with CFI Stewart Wells). In 2002, she began flight training at the Hanscom Air Force Base Aero Club outside of Boston, MA. She earned her instructor certificates at Sacramento Executive Airport in 2005. Lisa has over 2,000 instructor hours that she accumulated flying all over the Central Valley, foothills, Tahoe region, and the Bay Area. She truly enjoys sharing her passion for aviation with others and is always up for some "hangar talk.”

Molly Lewis:

Certified Flight Instructor CFI/ CFII Member of AOPA, EAA, and 99s

Molly took her first flight through the Young Eagles program at the Nevada County airport when she was 12 years old. It was then that she received a firsthand look at what flying is all about as the pilot handed her the controls and let her fly the plane! Although this was her first exposure to aviation, she knew she had a promising exciting future of flying ahead of her. Molly began working on her Private Pilot’s License in 2006 and has been actively flying ever since. Now that she is a Certified Flight Instructor, Molly loves being able to share her love of flying with anyone she encounters. Molly lives in Grass Valley with her husband Robert. She spends as much time as she can at the Auburn Airport; whether it’s working, expanding her aviation knowledge, or just spending time talking with people.

Greg Snodgrass:

Flight Instructor CFI/CFII/AGI

“The exhilaration of flying is too keen, the pleasure too great, for it to be neglected as a sport." - Orville Wright.

Greg was born and raised in Roseville Ca. He learned to fly at Lincoln Airport in his senior year of high school. A couple courses later, he graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, ERAU Prescott with a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautical Science. He is one of the newest members to the Mach 5 Team and holds ratings as a CFII, MEI. When flying with Greg expect fun, and a mild mannered personality matched with a never stop learning attitude.

Instructor Team