Instructors and Staff
meet our instructors
Mike Bennett - CFI/CFII
Academy Director - Chief Pilot CFI CFI-I
- Total Flight Time: 2600
- Commercial Pilot SEL Instrument
- Private / Instrument / Commercial
- High Performance / Complex / CFI CFI-I
- Total Instruction Given 2000
About Mike:
After earning his Private Pilot License in the summer of 2001, Mike enjoyed many years of general aviation flying, including his time in the 150th Aero Flying Club based out of Morristown, NJ, KMMU, where he met some amazing people and built a bit of a name for himself in the aviation community. During this time, he started the YouTube channel and website 110knots.com, where he shared his love of aviation through his YouTube videos of flying with his then 5-year-old son. Piedmont Airlines invited Mike to PHL to sit in on a hiring session. That meeting set things in motion for Mike to earn his CFI and, later, his CFI-I.
Mike worked at a few NJ-based flight schools while running his general contracting business but quickly realized he needed to focus 100% of his energy on building the 1500 hours required to obtain ATP Minimums. After researching flight schools around the country, he decided to move to Sanford, FL, and went to work for a large Part 141 Flight Academy (L3 Harris) out of SFB. Mike succeeded at L3 Harris, earning a 100% first-time pass rate, graduating 14 private pilots and three instrument pilots in just 15 months. Mike also learned how a large flight school operated. He was a part of a larger system that could pump out quality pilots at an impressive pace. He also saw how that same system wouldn't work for everyone. It was fun, and Mike made lifelong friends there, but COVID-19 put a pause on his path to the airlines.
Mike moved back to Information Technology and survived the COVID shutdowns, abet, without flying. Until he met Keith at X39, Keith was busy as usual, but he took Mike's number. A few weeks later, Mike got a call from the then-lead CFI at Tampa North (also Mike.) He was going to the airlines and wanted to know if Mike wanted to work there. He jumped at the opportunity and hasn't regretted it.
Terry Hackworth - CFI
Manager of Flight Standards - Flight Instructor CFI
About Terry:
Terry is passionate about flying and teaching all things aviation. Terry is currently available for instruction for private and commercial courses here at KC Aero Academy. He taught for over two years in Chicago, Pensacola, and Tampa and boasts a 100% FAA first-time pass rate on student check rides!
He is also a corporate pilot and a first officer on a PC-12, flying part 135 charter flights all over the United States and the Caribbean.
An interesting fact: when Terry was working on his ratings, he worked in the mining industry in underground and surface mining in coal and limestone, operating heavy equipment and specializing in explosives. He also worked part-time snow plowing the terminal and gate areas at O’Hare International Airport.
Jim McLeod - CFI/CFII
Flight Instructor CFI CFI-I
About Jim:
Jim is a retired nuclear systems engineer with over 10,000 hours in piston single-engine airplanes and over 8000 hours of instruction given.
He is an instrument and multi-engine instructor and a rated helicopter pilot. With a flying career spanning many years, including operating his own flight school, Jim offers a wide range of skills that only experience can offer. We are proud to have Jim as one of our valued team members.
Notable skills. CFI CFI-I, MEI, LSA, and Tailwheel training.
Sabrina Parkin - CFI/CFII/MEI
Flight Instructor CFI CFI-I MEI
Sabrina was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where she started her career as a flight attendant. After 3 years with Endeavor Air, she finally decided to take the leap from the cabin to the flight deck and started flight training in 2021. She’s a passionate educator and enjoys traveling whenever possible. She holds an FAA Commercial Pilots license (single engine and multi-engine), Flight Instructor, Flight Instructor Instrument, and Multi-Engine Instructor certificates.
Fun Fact, When she’s not flying, you'll find Sabrina cheering on the Buffalo Bills.
Luis Gill - Webmaster
Private Pilot (working on his IFR)
About Luis:
"Lue" has a proven track record of 17+ years in the Tech industry at senior Product Design and Development levels. He is a thought leader focused on User-Centric (UC) and Human-Centered (HC) design solutions and research, assessing customers' needs and implementing innovative UIX solutions while also serving as a subject matter expert (SME).
He is a U.S. Army/National Guard veteran and has been passionate about aviation since he was young. Lue is one of KC Aero Academy's Private Pilot Graduates, currently working on his IFR rating. He is well on his way to becoming an Airline pilot.