The Sky’s the Limit at American Winds
Meet the American Winds team and learn how our mission and values inspire professionalism, pride and achievement in all Future Captains enrolled in our flight school and College of Aeronautics.
Our Mission and Values
American Winds College of Aeronautics is dedicated to operating and maintaining one of the finest aviation facilities in the Midwest. Our team is focused on providing the best flight instruction and academic education possible to our students with a structured program based on FAA-approved curricula for Part 61 and Part 141 competencies and certification standards. Our accreditations through ACCET and OSBCCS provide our graduates an Associate Degree in Applied Science of Aeronautics upon completion of program requirements.
Our values focus on:
- Safety
- Hard Work
- Personal Pride
- Professionalism
- Respect for Self and Others
- Sharing the Privilege of Defying Gravity
The American Winds Team
Denise Hobart
President, Chief Flight Instructor
Megan Schneider
Student Services
Kelly Kotch
Vice President
Erick Iglesias
FAA Aircraft Mechanic
Mike Farmer
Director of Maintenance, Director of Operations
David Baldwin
Academic Support
Flight Instructors at American Winds
Aidan Goddard
CFI
Bob Breckur
CFI
Ben Mears
CFI
Brandon Poage
CFI, CFII
Dionis Deleone
CFI, CFII, MEI
Elliott Johnson
CFI
George Harkenrider
CFI, CFII
Joseph Bounds
CFI
Josh Moore
CFI
Madison Saccoman
CFI, CFII
Pam Braeutigam
CFI
Patrik Walter
CFI, CFII, MEI
Steve Hendrix
CFI, CFII, MEI
Tommy Grinder
CFI, CFII
Tony Hwang
CFI
Wes Frew
CFI, CFII
Partnerships
American Winds is proud to partner with other respected schools and institutions to offer our students a wide range of pathways to a piloting career. From the Akron Public Schools College and Careers Academies to Walsh University’s bachelor degree program to flight training centers across the country, our partnerships open a world of possibilities for our future pilots!
Our Campus: Akron Fulton Airport – KAKR
American Winds is located on the Akron Fulton Airport – also home to one of the few Goodyear blimp hangars. Our students take off and land on a runway that has seen some amazing history.
It’s named for World War II pilot and local personality Bain “Shorty” Fulton, who bought this former farmland in 1924 and converted it into an airfield.
Our Fleet
We maintain a flight of 11 planes with state-of-the-art navigational systems to meet our students’ needs for both single and multi-engine ratings. Our onsite Maintenance Department makes sure they are all securely hangared and properly serviced. We have direct control over making sure all our aircraft meet inspection requirements, which allows us to ensure a safe learning experience for all our future pilots.
American Winds students can also train in our FAA-certified flight training simulator, the Advanced Elite Model PC-1. The FAA evaluated, approved and authorized this flight simulator for use in satisfying maneuvers and procedures in Part 61 and Part 141 pilot training.