Dalton CFI

I graduated from the University of North Dakota in May of 2017 with a degree in Aviation Management.  Most of my life I worked at an airport with nothing but a dream to fly.  I started flying in the early part of 2010 and wanted to do nothing but progress from there.  Once receiving my CFI in late October 2016 I knew there was only one thing I would love to do, help anyone achieve their goals of flying the skies!  I joined the Racine Sport Flyers Team June 2017 because the people I met were very welcoming and had such a passion for aviation. Getting the opportunity to train anyone from leisure flying to those who plan on making it a career is one of the most exciting things I've experienced. Come join us in the adventure!

Dan CFI-SP

​Education: BFA in Industrial Design from U of I, Chicago

Daniel came to aviation after a long and successful stint spent racing sailboats internationally. He honed his instructional abilities in this arena and was a highly sought after instructor, clinician and author on subjects relating to sailboat racing, training and technical boat setup.

Starting as a Sport Pilot in 2011 Daniel has added PPL and CFI, Sport among other ratings. Becoming an instructor was a natural step for someone who truly enjoys teaching and Daniel added his first flight instructor rating in 2017. As someone used to training for international competition, it is no surprise that Daniel brought this expertise to flying. Several of his articles on practice and proficiency have been published.

Although he enjoys flying any airplane, he is particularly fond of conventional gear antiques (tail draggers) which is where he spends much of his time. His own stable has included a Fisher Horizon 1 EAB, 1947 Cessna 120 and currently includes a 1948 Stinson 108-3 and an under construction home built of his own design.
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When not instructing, Daniel is a pilot and aerospace education officer for the Civil Air Patrol and also, President of the Lake County, Illinois chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association.

Clay CFI

My first flying experience: I started at an EAA young eagles camp in West Bend, Wi. In a week I got to see all different types of aviation; Flying in a helicopter, Cessna Skyhawk 172, and glider. Even touring Oshkosh's air traffic control tower. My first ever flight at the controls happened at Hartford, Wi. Where I flew a glider from the release of the tow plane, all the way to the landing! The glider pilot applauded me with a big smile and suggested to me that I start taking flying lessons.

I then started flying at 16 and achieved solo flight in a J3 cub at 12 hours of flight time. 

Education: In 2016, I continued my education at Fox Valley Technical College, Oshkosh Wi. Wracking up ~250 flight hours, between a Cessna 172SP and Beechcraft Duchess. I graduated in early 2019 with flight instructing certifications.  

Aviation Certificates: Certificated flight instructor; single-engine, multi-engine aircraft, and instrument. (CFI,CFII,MEI)  & Commercial drone license.

Flying at Racine Sport Flyers is a blast! The CTLS is a fun aircraft and performs very well in every way you would want an airplane to fly. Although it can be a challenge, I find students enjoy the process and find other aircraft easier to fly when they make that transition to flying bigger aircraft. I hope to see you in the sky soon, and I'll gladly be here to guide your way to becoming a pilot, from recreation to professional, we can achieve your dreams.