"Mark loves to fly and wants you to love flying. Learning from him is like having a friend teach you to fly. Unlike instructors requiring rigid schedules, he adapts his training to your schedule: when he realized I’d learned a lot of the ground school information on my own, he reviewed my knowledge and got us up in the air. He lends books and resources from his huge collection and always goes above and beyond: he records videos of his students' first solo flights, which are cherished by all pilots, and regularly sends emails of new technology and interesting information about aviation. I was fortunate in meeting up with Mark.”
—Trevor Lovoi
“If you've ever dreamed of flying, you owe it to yourself to try it. Flying has interested me since I was a kid. In my 40s, an uncle, a WWII B-17 pilot, took me up in his plane. Since he’s flying at 90, I figured I could learn at 50 and have years of pleasure. After earning my private license and instrument rating in Texas and some years overseas, I’m enjoying working with Mark to regain my proficiency and upgrade my skills. The bird's eye view of this area--ocean, mountains, city, and bay--is prettier than anywhere else I’ve been.”
— Paul Koch
"At 17, I’m not a typical student, but I’ve always wanted to fly. I am a math and physics nerd taking AP classes and involved in robotics competitions, so I’m glad Mark is understanding about the other things going on in my life and willing to work with me. Flying is fun and makes me feel unique. It won’t be my profession—I like building robots—but it’s a skill I want to keep up. Mark will be able to teach me as far as I want to go. He’s a good pilot and a good person."
— Douglas Hutchings
"Many of my relatives have a pilot license. I enjoyed getting to fly my first time up in any plane when was 9 and an uncle let me take the controls of his small craft. Recently, after a co-worker working on his Instrument flight rating invited me to join him on his flights, I decided to pursue my license. Getting one is more achievable than I’d imagined, and I’m having such a great time that many of my co-workers are considering flight training. I’d recommend Mark: he gives lots of positive feedback on what I’m doing well and is patient about areas I need to improve and thorough in double checking to make sure I’ve resolved those issues.”
— Curtis Light, Software Engineer
“When I’m the pilot, I can go places, do things I wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. I can act on impulse—fly my family to Tahoe just for the day, wake up in Palo Alto on a wintry Saturday and by noon be snowmobiling with my young son. Especially for someone with a busy work schedule, being able to fly makes more time for fun. Mark's relaxed approach makes the learning experience very enjoyable."
—Edward Munro
“Playing flight simulation games made me decide to go for the real thing. After trying a few other flight instructors, I met Mark, whose openness to using flight simulation as a training aid set him apart. The simulator familiarized me with the cockpit, instruments, and procedures, giving me more confidence in the air and letting me focus on flying the plane. As a result, I earned my license with significantly fewer hours in the air, saving time and money."
–Honglei Wu
