Your instructors

Hello! I'm Jensen Beard, and I'm delighted to be your flight instructor. Aviation has been my lifelong passion, and with over a decade of flying experience under my belt, I'm excited to share it with you. My flying has taken me across a number of states and a wide range of environments, which gives me plenty of real-world experience to pass along.

One of my earliest experiences with aviation was attending an air show here in Mesa, AZ, and that experience left a lasting impression on me. I've always had a particular passion for aerobatic flying, and I'm now beginning to build experience and develop my skills in that realm. One of my dreams is to eventually demonstrate aerobatics at an air show myself, and I hope to bring that passion and experience back to the school as my skills continue to develop to share with you.

Alongside my aviation experience, I've honed my teaching skills as a substitute teacher and through my time teaching in the Army. Those experiences shaped a positive, adaptable teaching method that works with any learning style, so every student gets instruction tailored to them.

My mission is to help you become not just a pilot, but a confident and safe pilot. I want each lesson to be engaging and supportive, guiding you past your goals while building the skills, knowledge, and confidence you need in the cockpit. Beyond training pilots, I'm passionate about helping people join and thrive in the aviation community. I look forward to turning your dreams of flying into reality.

Aviation has become much more than a career for me—it has become something I genuinely love being a part of. As a flight instructor, I have had the opportunity to teach both flight and ground school and help students work toward their own aviation goals. I strive to grow as a pilot and instructor, and I’m excited about building a career in aviation while continuing to learn alongside the students I teach. I believe aviation is an industry where there is always something new to learn, and that mindset is something I bring into every lesson and every flight.

My interest in aviation started long before I ever thought I would become a pilot. Growing up, I was always fascinated by airplanes and loved visiting aviation museums, but I never really saw aviation as a career path for myself. I originally considered aerospace engineering, but I knew I didn’t want to spend my life sitting behind a desk. Everything changed when I took a discovery flight with a friend. I fell in love with the experience of flying and especially the idea of having an “office in the sky.” That flight turned something I had always been interested in into something I could actually see myself doing. Going through flight training myself also taught me how exciting, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming the process can be, and that experience has strongly influenced the way I approach teaching.

My experience is why I want my students to feel like their training is personal to them. Everyone learns differently, and everyone comes into aviation with a different background, learning style, and goal. Whether you are taking your first discovery flight, working toward your Private Pilot Certificate, pursuing an instrument rating, or looking toward a professional aviation career, my goal is to help you understand not just what you’re doing, but why you’re doing it. I want my students to feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and learning through the process while building the confidence and skills to become safe, capable pilots. I know firsthand how much one flight can change the way you see your future, and I would love to help you discover where aviation can take you.