Like anything truly worthwhile, pilothood is a journey. It's a journey of challenge. Of excitement. Of self-discovery. It's a journey that ends with a monumental sense of achievement - your pilot's license! And then begins anew each time you climb into the cockpit and take to the sky. You cannot get there without solid instruction. Great Basin Aviation is proud to contract with the best instructors in Northern Nevada that will aide you in becoming a safe, proficient pilot. Read on below for a more detailed description of our offerings.
Our Contracted Instructors
Certified Flight Instructors
Danny Britson
Chief CFI Danny is a part-time CFI/CFII who enjoys all aspects of flight training, especially primary and instrument training. He learned to fly and received his instructor ratings while serving in the US Air Force, since then he has flown as a corporate pilot and has over 1600 hours as an instructor. Danny has a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Aeronautics with a minor in Aviation Safety from Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University.
Danny enjoys skiing, home improvement, watching his kids play sports and flying his Cessna 421C all over the West Coast. Danny is an avid Manchester United fan who does not allow any Liverpool or Manchester City clothing on any of his flights. Danny's Email Danny's Phone Number |
Bob Bennett
Check Instructor Bob is a CFI/CFII who has instructed with Great Basin Aviation for the last several years. Bob has been a pilot since 1972 and a flight instructor since 1988, with over 8000 flight hours in general aviation aircraft. Bob is an advanced instructor with Great Basin Aviation and specializes in advanced instruction including CFI/CFII, flight reviews, endorsements, and discovery flights.
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Richard Brong
Check Instructor Richard learned to fly in Reno in 2006 and has been active in the local flying community ever since. His FAA certificates include CFI, CFII, Instrument, Commercial, Advanced Ground Instructor, and UAS Remote. Richard attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he earned a Master of Aeronautical Science with a specialization in Educational Technology and spent about 20 years as a high school science teacher. He also volunteered in the Civil Air Patrol for several years. Richard is an educator at heart and enjoys using his background in education and aviation to help students reach their goals to their highest potential.
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Chazz Sandoval
Chazz was born and raised here in Reno. He entered the world of aviation in 2017 when he took a discovery flight in the Bay Area. Seeing the Golden Gate Bridge from the air and cruising past the San Francisco skyline he was absolutely hooked. He completed his flight training in the Pacific Northwest where he earned his CFI, CFII, and MEI certificates. After flying aerial survey missions all over the country he is back in Northern Nevada ready to share his aeronautical knowledge with the community. Outside of flying, there’s a good chance Chazz is spending time with his Husky or watching his favorite sports teams.
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Grant MuzzioGrant is a full time CFI and a Chinook pilot for the Nevada National Guard. Grant is back in Reno after taking a 3-year hiatus to fly helicopters for the Nevada National Guard and getting his private through CFI airplane certificates. Grant enjoys sharing his passion for aviation with aspiring aviators as well as the challenge of mountain flying. When he isn’t flying, you can find Grant wishing he was flying or enjoying the snow, rocks & golf the Tahoe Basin has to offer.
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Nik JoshiNikul (Nik) grew up in East Africa, Tanzania. He moved to USA when he was 11. He began his aviation career at Stead Airport. He then finished his Commercial single, multi-engine rating and CFI rating in Reno. Nikul earned a college degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, he received a degree in BA in Aeronautics from ERAU in 2009. Nikul is in the Nevada Air Guard, he enlisted in 2013, then commissioned in 2018. When he isn't working and flying, he likes to mountain bike, hike and camp.
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Ryan Mill
Ryan's passion for Aviation began when he was young, watching TV shows like Coast Guard Alaska with his grandfather. He grew up always wanting to pursue a career in becoming a Helicopter pilot, however he quickly learned fixed wing was a much better path :) Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Ryan moved to Reno, NV in 2016 to pursue his bachelors degree at The University of Nevada, Reno and has lived here ever since. Ryan started his Aviation career with GBA in 2021 with no experience and worked his way up to becoming a CFI. When he is not flying you can usually find him somewhere in the mountains skiing, biking, or fishing.
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David Lynn
Dave is a part time CFI that has been obsessed with airplanes since he was a little kid. He received his private certificate at Stead before going to Air Force pilot training. He came back and finished his CFI rating with GBA. He has a deep love for the C-130, which he flies for the Reno Air National Guard, but enjoys flying any plane he can get his hands on. He's one of those weirdos that goes to the airport five hours early just to watch the planes take off and land. He has a bachelor of science in aviation management and a MBA. Dave enjoys sports, gardening, watching his son play football and his daughters dance, and hopes to get a tail wheel plane to go flying in the backcountry.
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Nathan Morin
Born and raised in Reno, NV, Nathan graduated from McQueen High School in 2019 and has known he wanted to be a pilot since he was 6 years old. When it comes to aviation, be it any flight, Nathan has always been more interested in the journey rather than the destination. It's as if the vacations his parents planned weren't for the actual get-away, but rather for the plane ride there and back. Nathan has completed all of his training at Great Basin Aviation and is no stranger to aviation... some of you may actually know him for his photography skills from his social media page, the Reno Plane Spotter. When Nathan's not out flying, you can find him outdoors fishing, riding dirt bikes, and going camping or hunting.
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Shane Smith
Shane was born and raised in South Lake Tahoe so naturally he loves the water and spends a lot of time out on the lake. If he’s not on the lake or flying, then he’s probably spending time with his two pugs and his girlfriend. He loves traveling and has been to many countries such as Japan, UK, France, and Italy. He’s always looking for another adventure, which sparked his interest in aviation. Shane got his PPL with Great Basin right after he got his BS in Business Management at UNR which made him realize he’d rather be in the air than bossing people around. He is a CFI/CFII and multi engine instructor, but he’s always looking to expand his aviation experience
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Alexander Spencer
Alex is a dedicated, full-time CFI who began his aviation journey in Southern California. Encouraged by family members who were already in aviation, Alex left his engineering profession to pursue a career in aviation. He eagerly embraced the flight deck of the C172 and never looked back. Throughout his training, Alex often found himself compelled to seek a deeper understanding of aerodynamics and flight. Sharing this knowledge turned out to be another passion of his, a natural progression that fueled his aspiration to become a CFI. After spending most of his life in South Lake Tahoe and holding a degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, he feels a connection to the region and is thrilled to pursue his aviation career in what he considers his true home. When he isn't flying, you can find him at his favorite places to bike, ski, or fish.
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Trey Casini
Ground Instructor Trey was born and raised in Tahoe City and started his flight training during 2021 in good ol’ Truckee, California. Soon after, he transitioned to Great Basin Aviation and received both his private pilot certificate and instrument rating. Not only is he a stud at flying, but Trey also holds an advanced ground instruction certificate and helps students around GBA with their ground knowledge. Trey’s always been infatuated with anything that was fast and in the air, making him naturally pursue a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Nevada, Reno. In the moments that Trey isn’t hard at work with studying and flight training, you can find him playing basketball or catching some serious waves while surfing!
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