About Hewison Aviation and our Flight Instructors
Our institution’s philosophy is to provide students with the best possible opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, experience, and judgment required of a quality education in aviation. Our goal is to provide the resources that will assist each student in reaching his or her ultimate potential of becoming a private pilot, professional pilot and/or flight instructor.
HISTORY
The thought of Hewison Aviation began when Chris was a young boy and found his love of adventure in the sky. From the time he was a child, Chris watched his father, who was a private pilot, enjoy his love of aviation. Chris’ uncle, Richard Hewison, was a fighter pilot in the Korean war, and seeing pictures of his flying accomplishments always put a smile on Chris’s face and does to this day. This developed a lifelong drive for fulfillment to be in the clouds. Getting his CFI in 2014 and starting Hewison Aviation as a flight training center of excellence fulfilled a life-long dream to help others share Chris’ love for aviation and the people that fly planes.
HALLMARK
The hallmark to our success is providing highly experienced instructors that teach for the joy of expanding aviation and seeing students succeed. Our instructors are not freshly minted CFIs. They are career aviation professionals and enthusiasts. This is what sets us apart from the other schools.
OUR TEAM
Our staff consists of experienced aviation professionals of all ages. We are confident we have an instructor that will work for you! All of our instructors have over 500 hours of flight time, and most have thousands. The experience level of our staff is another of the many factors that sets us apart from the competition.
The one common element in each of our curriculums is a high standard of performance for both instructors and students. Each of our instructors is highly experienced and working in the profession purely for the love of aviation and the opportunity to share their passion for flying with others. They are required to undergo frequent recurrent training. Every student is instilled with, and is required to bring, a disciplined attitude toward aviation. The end result is a safe and pleasant training experience and a well-prepared aviator.
Christopher Hewison
CEO | CFII
Being involved with the aviation community is a dream come true! Since I was young, flying with my dad and meeting pilots at the airport, I always enjoyed our flying experiences together and couldn’t wait for the next time we got to go “up.” Now I get to share my love of aviation and teach those that are like minded and work with an amazing team of aviation enthusiasts that represent the best-of-the-best.
Maura Hewison
COO
When Chris and I went on our first flight together, the first feeling I had was the joy and exhilaration and of being part of something special. I had never had a chance to fly in a single engine airplane before and my first experience put a huge smile on my face and I wanted to share this with everyone. When we started the Flight Academy I knew I had a new calling and could help people become pilots.
Allyssa Staley-Ross
Administrative Assistant & Social Media Director
Allyssa runs the background tasks that help keep our flight school running, as well as managing our social media pages. She is a feet on the ground type person and has flown in one of our aircraft once and that was enough for her 🙂 You’ll often see her son Malcolm around the South Albany Airport. She is the cornerstone to keeping everyting running smoothly in and around the FBO.
Brad Sulik
CHIEF INSTRUCTOR | MEI, CFII, Gold Seal Instructor
Pilot since 1993, CFI since 1996
With over 12,000 hours of fixed wing time Brad bring the knowledge of Type ratings in DA50, MU300, GV, GVI, and GVII to the table.
I enjoy helping people to achieve their goals of learning to fly. Teaching and shaping future pilots is a great way to give back to aviation. I hope that I can promote General aviation safety and inspire other pilots to do the same.
Chris Spencer
ASSISTANT CHIEF INSTRUCTOR | MEI, CFII
Retired US Army Officer flew UH-60 Blackhawks as a flight lead and instructor pilot day and night vision goggle operation for 19 years, as well as a former First Officer for SkyWest Airlines on the Embraer 175. I enjoy teaching because it provides an opportunity to give back to the next generation and pay it forward to the aviation community. I hope to allow the next generation of pilots an opportunity to learn from my experiences and follow their dreams.
Cameran Amphlett
CHEIF PARTY PLANNER
What I like about aviation is being on the ground, and being at the destination, The team is great and I love planning parties and events for all of us to get together and share stories about flying and having fun.
What I like about being Chief Party Planner is planning cute parties and bringing everyone together!
Mike Baldwin
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | CFI
The USAF put me through Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1979, and I was fortunate to be assigned to the 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron from 1980-1986. Based at Griffiss AFB, I sat alert there and at our detachment at Loring AFB, Maine. Our mission was Air Sovereignty (peacetime) and Air Defense (wartime), and we trained 24/7. It was a blast. I retired from the reserves as a LtCol in 1996.
I keep an RV8 sport plane at my airfield/home (8NY8 in New Hartford), and do flight instruction for Hewison Aviation on the side. Chris and Maura have created a great flight school, and I’m proud to be part of their team!
Allan Benoit
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | CHECK AIRMAN
First Officer for REVA Air Ambulance. Graduated from the Schenectady County Community College aviation program, Commercial Pilot since 2016.
I received my CFI in 2021 after flying a season of skydivers and love aviation. One thing I am proud of is placing 5th in power-off landing in 2015 at a Regional NIFA competition.
Chris Blas
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | CFI
I became addicted to flying as a kid. I grew up on the Island of Guam and had no choice but to fly to the mainland. My first flight was on a Pan-Am 747 and I was hooked from that moment on. It’s still my all time favorite airplane.
I’m retired from the Air Force so I’ve been flying professionally since 1997. I was a Flying Crew Chief, an Instructor Flight Engineer and then I became a pilot in 2014. I became a CFI in 2023.
Adam Carangelo
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | CFI
Pilot since 2004, CFI since 2012.
My favorite part of being a CFI is helping kids experience their dream to fly. Giving back to children and teaching them to reach for the sky – It’s what made me who I am.
When I am able, I love to give out free intro flights to young kids interested in becoming pilots.
What better way to give back by investing in our future?
Keegan Delury
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | ASSISTANT GENERAL MANGER | CHECK AIRMEN
I started my flight training November of 2018, graduated from SUNY SCCC with an associates in aviation science and commercial pilot certificate August of 2021, and earned my flight instructor certificate November of 2021.
My favorite thing about flying is the constant need to continue learning and striving to make each flight better than the last. I’ve learned something from everyone I’ve flown with and am excited to share my knowledge and experience with the next.
Shane Hart
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | CFI
I grew up around aviation my whole life, and was inspired to become a pilot by my father who has been flying for almost 50 years. I’ve been flying for 3 years now, and completed my Associates in Aviation Science through Dutchess Community College in 2022, where I did the majority of my flight training, from discovery flight through my commercial checkride.
To me, being a flight instructor is a great privilege as well as a big responsibility, and I’m very excited to help train the next generation of safe pilots!
John McCormick
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | CFI
When I was 3 years old, I saw the Shamu 737 beside me at the airport, and was hooked. I KNEW I wanted to fly that plane! 16 years later I took my first solo. 3 more years to get my commercial.
13 more years before I could get my CFI. I’ve been teaching since 2019. My first solo student was kept up in the pattern, circling, waiting on Phenoms & KC-135s, for 1.3 hours. The way she handled that gave me more pride and job satisfaction than any other job I’ve had. I have a B.S. in Aeronautics (non-RATP), and an MBA in Cybersecurity Management. I also fly a paramotor
Ajay Raghavendra
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR | CHECK AIRMAN | MEI, CFII, Gold Seal Instructor
Active US Army Blackhawk pilot and First Officer at Skywest, Ajay has loved aviation and the people in aviation from a young age. He loves to give back to the community and enjoys putting on aviation related presentations for pilots and aspiring aviators.6.
Ryan Tong
MAINTENANCE COORDINATOR | C-MEIL
Keeping the airplanes going is what Ryan does second best. Flying his cub is first. Ryan started out as a student with Hewison Aviation and is now building his hours and working as a mechanic. As a Multi-Engine, Instrument rated Commercial Pilot, Ryan loves to fly out of grass strips in his bright yellow Piper Cub and give friends rides whenever he can. Flying since 2006.