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 employ the best instructors in Northern Nevada that will aide you in becoming a safe, proficient pilot. 

Flight Instruction

Great Basin Aviation is a full-service flight school and aviation resource center. We specialize in flight training from student pilot to Airline Transport Pilot; with special emphasis on Mountain Flying techniques and Safety priorities. Great Basin Aviation is Northern Nevada’s only flight school offering modern Cessna aircraft, manufactured in this century; sporting Garmin glass cockpits, and autopilot. Our business model provides professional, experienced full-time Flight Instructor- Pilots who are committed to the achievement of your aeronautical aspirations; rather than that of their own. 

In addition to basic flight instruction, our instructors are also certified for certain endorsements, IFR instruction, Commercial, CFI/CFII, flight reviews, mountain flying skills, and more. Please call or email (goflying@greatbasinaviation.com) for rates and questions. 

Ground Instruction

We offer ground school through the Cessna Sport/Private Pilot Course and Cessna Instrument Rating Course. 

Have you dreamt of becoming a pilot or earning your instrument rating? Make it a reality! We offer Cessna's new scenario-based flight training course, developed exclusively for Cessna by the experts at King Schools. This web-based course provides everything you need to obtain your Sport, Private Pilot Certificate or Instrument Rating. It's been designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and confidence to embrace your future in aviation. 

This course is for the pilot who is training in either a technically-advanced full-glass cockpit airplane or in an airplane with analog gauges. The training includes flight preview videos and full-motion diagrams of the course material, plus a complete FAA knowledge exam review program—and it's available anywhere you have Internet access. Your personal login will maintain a record of which sessions you have completed and will allow you to continue where you left off if you are interrupted. The course never expires and it is always kept up-to-date, so you'll have access to all of the in-depth knowledge sessions and flight previews well after you have completed your training. 

You can take your Cessna Sport/Private Pilot course on your iPad—even when offline! The Cessna Sport/Private Pilot and Instrument Rating course lessons can be downloaded onto an iPad/tablet and viewed later when online or offline, with the Cessna Companion App. Kits include flight bag and Garmin Pilot access. Other Cessna courses are available. Please give us a call to let us know if you are looking for a specific course. 

We also have specialized ground instructors (Richard Brong and Alex Infantino) available for you to assist in ground school training (basic and advanced), FAA Knowledge Test preparation, and Checkride oral exam preparation. Check out their profiles below. 

Cessna Pilot Center

Great Basin Aviation is proud and privileged to be affiliated with Cessna as a Cessna Pilot Center (CPC). A Cessna Pilot Center is a specially selected flight school that represents top-quality, professional flight training. Each CPC is hand picked by Cessna to ensure that they maintain Cessna’s high standards for flight training. 

Talk to any certified pilot. They will likely tell you they learned to fly in a Cessna. More people have obtained their private pilot certificate in Cessna aircraft than all other aircraft types combined. There is a reason for that: Cessna's are easy to fly and safe. 

A Cessna Pilot Center is where you go to take advantage of Cessna's years of experience in training most of the world's pilots to fly. At a CPC, you learn to fly in less time than other programs while following Cessna's computer-based curriculum that stresses safety (on a National average).

When you learn to fly from a Cessna Pilot Center, you are truly learning from the best. It’s not just that you’ll learn from the world’s best-trained instructors. Or that you’ll train with innovative computer-based instruction. What really matters is that you will be learning to fly in the world’s greatest aircraft, Cessna’s forgiving, reliable single engine airplanes. For more information on the advantages and benefits of training at a Cessna Pilot Center visit: cessnaflighttraining.kingschools.com/Index.aspx

Our Instructors

Emmett Castellan 

Emmett is a full time CFI, MEI and CFII. Outside of flying, Emmett loves spending time with his family. He takes full advantage of our proximity to the Tahoe area and enjoys snowboarding, skiing, backpacking, mountain biking and traveling the globe. Emmett speaks fluent French and has a Masters degree in Business.

Stephen Weaver 

​Stephen is a full time CFI/CFII, with a passion for teaching and having fun while doing it! Stephen is a member of National Association of Flight Instructors. An avid lover of the outdoors, when he's not exploring by air he can be found hiking, skiing, and cycling. Stephen loves his cat, Bella. He enjoys taking students from discovery flights all the way through commercial training, and into their own aviation careers!

Matt Stubblefield

Matt is a full time CFI/CFII/MEI working towards his aerobatics, glider, and heli certificates. Matt is also Great Basin Aviation's Chief CFI. Matt is a member of National Association of Flight Instructors. His hobbies include skiing and mountain biking, and he has a degree in biology from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. Matt is always happy to take on new students, and he is an expert on mountain flight training.

Brenden Georg

Brenden is a full time CFI, CFII, and MEI. He received his Private Pilots License here at Great Basin in the spring of 2018 and completed his training at ATP flight school in Sacramento. Aside from flying, Brenden enjoys outdoor photography, hiking, and skiing.

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Danny Britson

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 is 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.​

Stefan Arnone

Stefan grew up in Reno and learned to fly at the Carson airport in 2013. He completed his instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and initial CFI training at Rocky Mountain College in Montana, where he earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Science, graduating in May 2019. He has also spent summers since 2011 working at Truckee-Tahoe Soaring Association, where he earned his private (2014) and commercial (2018) glider add-on ratings; he hopes to add CFI-Glider this season. Stefan speaks fluent German and enjoys skiing in the winter and soaring in the summer, and is excited to be back home in northern Nevada to continue his aviation adventure as a flight instructor! 

Mark Montague

Mark Montague first soloed in 1971 and was introduced to Great Basin flying in 1973, wave soaring at Minden.  In 1979 he earned his CFI certificate and since then has continued to add ratings as needed as his career unfolded.  In 2014 he retired from United Airlines after twenty-seven years.
Along the way he continued to instruct, earning a Gold Seal on his CFI certificate.  He enjoys the special challenge of drawing from each student or copilot his or her very best performance and he's taught seminars for good flight instructors who are serious about being even better. Mark is also a Glider Pilot Examiner. 
In addition to flying and teaching, he enjoys backpacking, photography, exploring Nevada, and model building.

Deb Rothchild

Deb Rothchild is a helicopter and fixed wing CFI/II. She is available to instruct in Reno and Carson City. Born in Alaska to a family of pilots, Deb eventually followed in their footsteps.  Although she has flown as a tour, contract, and photography pilot, as well as specialized in military transition training; Deb enjoys assisting others in their amazing journey of breaking the surly bonds of Earth.  Her holistic approach to teaching addresses the unique challenges that students often face while learning to fly.  Breaking through barriers, the clouds, and keeping the blue side up.

Al Hayes

Al soloed a Cessna 120 at age 16, earned his Private Pilots License at age 17. Instructed as a 20 year old kid that eventually led to a 36 year United Airlines career, retiring as Captain on the  B-747-400.  Then flew as Captain for NetJets for 9 more years. Now here he is back to square one, in good old Cessna's.  Instructing - and loving every minute of it.

Joe Rajacic 

​Joe started flying in 1969 and has never looked back. Recently a Citation Jet pilot flying medical missions for Reno Flying Service. He flew for United Airlines for 37 years retiring as a 747-400 Captain. Flew J-3 Cubs to Military jets with over 23,000 hours. Rated as  CFI-A, CFI-I, simulator instructor, A&P Mechanic,  Flight Engineer Jet and AGI/IGI. Worked at NASA as special projects/simulator/research pilot on projects such as the Boeing SST prototype and Future Flight Navigation programs. Awarded F/O of the year 2008 and chosen as one of the Top 100 Employees at United Airlines for work at the United Airlines Training Center as a B747 Subject Matter Expert. Director of ALEX - the Aerospace Learning Experience, a STEM education 501(C)3. Joe now enjoys inspiring new people to join the wonderful world of aviation.

Paul Jolley

Paul Jolley was born and raised in Reno, Nevada and started his flight training at Reno Flying Service and finished at ATP in Sacramento.  He flight instructed at Sierra Academy of Aeronautics in Atwater, California before heading to Bethel, Alaska for 2 1/2 years to be a Bush pilot and company instructor for Yute Air, a part 135 operator. He is currently a first officer at Skywest Airlines. He has had numerous mentors along his route to becoming an airline pilot and is looking to share his experiences with others!

Matt Bowers

Matt is a CFI/CFII/MEI, has earned FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor.  Always after new accomplishments, he has instructed in tail-wheel, ultra-light, biplanes, twins and turbo-props.  Hauling sky-divers in the T206 in Truckee and the Caravan in the Bay Area was fun too.  He really enjoys flying into grass strips in the mountains of Idaho and Montana.  Matt is an Accountant and a Computer Network Engineer.  But, the most rewarding is helping students fulfill their dreams of becoming a pilot.

Brandon Jones

Brandon is CFI, CFII, MEI, HI, AGI, IGI, CASEL, CASES, CAMEL, C-RH, IA, and IH. He is an extreme advocate for General Aviation (GA) and teaching. With 24 years under his belt as a certificated pilot and 17 years as a flight instructor, Brandon is committed to continual education and transferring his love and passion for aviation to all of those who he has the privilege of flying with. Having owned a large and successful flight school in San Diego many years ago, Brandon now teaches part-time for the sheer fun of sharing his passion as well as fulfilling his interest in keeping GA alive and growing.

Earl Kessler

Earl is a CFII/ATP with Great Basin Aviation. He has been instructing for over 20 years and has been flying since 1970. Earl also flies as a corporate pilot with international flight experience. He has flown everything from light sport airplanes to turbine power aircraft and has instructed in each of them. He also specializes in basic, instrument, and advanced instruction including CFI/CFII.

Bob Bennett

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.

Lee Griffin (Carson)

Lee Griffin, call sign “Thumper”, brings a wealth of experience and know how to the world of aviation. Mr. Griffin began his career in the Navy, where he was awarded numerous medals of commendation for missile testing and evaluation. After the military he continued flying and was hired at FedEx, where he retired as a Captain. Through the length of his career he has flown over 135 different aircraft, and has also performed in air shows across the country. He currently owns and flies a Beechcraft Baron. ​

Shane Gorman (Carson) 

​Shane became a pilot in 1969 and a CFI in 2006.  Shane is focused solely on primary training.  He enjoys introducing someone to aviation and developing habits that will build a solid foundation for safe flying.  Shane also holds a glider rating and experience as a glider tow pilot.  When not instructing he enjoys flying his Cessna 172XP to back country strips in Idaho and Utah and to the many small airports in Nevada, Oregon and Montana.

Alex Infantino (Ground Instructor)

Alex is an Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) with a passion for instructing and dreams of becoming a professional pilot. He loves cycling, skiing, and backpacking, and is also a full time business student at UNR. Alex can provide all ground instruction required for private, commercial, instructor, and ATP licenses, as well as flight reviews.

Richard Brong (Ground Instructor)

Richard learned to fly in Reno in 2006 and has been active in the local flying community ever since. His FAA certificates include Private, Instrument, Advanced Ground Instructor, and UAS Remote Pilot. Richard attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he eared a Master of Aeronautical Science with a specialization in Educational Technology. Richard has been a secondary-level science teacher in Reno since 2001 and has also served 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. Richard plans to round out his FAA certificates with his CFI in the near future.