Your Pilots and Instructors – Even though we provide the safest and most modern training aircraft, our primary strength is the quality of our Flight Instructors. Our expert instructors pay the closest attention to safety and undergo continuous re-training to ensure that they deliver no less than excellence in flight instruction.

Matthew Theologos | Assistant Chief Flight Instructor | CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI matthew@neworleansairplanes.com ext 708	A third generation pilot, Matt grew up surrounded by general aviation. “One of the earliest memories I have is sitting around with my dad at what we called the ‘Candy Airport,’ a local FBO where we watched airplanes land and snacked on candy out of the vending machines together.” Despite being the son of an airline captain and the grandson of a flight school owner, his sights weren’t always on flying. Once set on going to law school, Matt worked his way through college throwing bags at a local airport before deciding to further pursue his passion for aviation. After college, Matt attended flight school in Florida where he earned his Single and Multi-Engine Commercial, CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, and IGI.  Matt is a graduate of Tulane University with a B.A. in Political Science.
Alex Schexnayder | CFI, CFII, MEI alex@neworleansairplanes.com ext 710	Alex is an emerging pilot from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In addition to his commitment to flying, he has a great sense of rhythm. Throughout his teenage years he was a drummer for various bands and toured the U.S. opening for acts such as Better Than Ezra, Cowboy Mouth, Train, The B52s, and performed with his band at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival.  During his college career at LSU he worked as a private drums and percussion instructor.  Of all of Alex’s passions, Aviation has always been his deepest ambition and is now his established career path. His Father, an instrument rated pilot, inspired him as a young boy to pursue his dream of becoming a professional aviator. After earning his private license at home in Baton Rouge he completed his training in Dallas, TX and Jacksonville, FL making him a certified flight instructor for private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine training.
John (Ben) Callender | Tour/Survey and Charter Pilot ben@neworleansairplanes.com ext 714	Ben Callender is a native of New Orleans and a lifelong aviation enthusiast. He began his pilot training as a teenager with our very own chief flight instructor Steve Knapper right here at New Orleans Lakefront Airport and has over 2000 hours of flight time.After graduating from Tulane University with a degree in Psychology, Ben moved to the east coast of Florida where he earned his Commercial, Instrument and Multi-engine ratings. After moving back to New Orleans he worked as a cargo pilot for a Louisiana based company. Ben is a charter pilot for Gulf Coast Aviation and also gives New Orleans city aerial tours. He is currently training with us to become a Certified Flight Instructor.
Steve Knapper | Chief Flight Instructor steve@neworleansairplanes.com ext 709	Steve, our Chief Instructor, is the old “guiding hand” of our instructional team, offering advice daily to both instructors and students alike.  Soloing in 1968, Steve has logged 4,300 hours flying both charter and student instruction.  Aviation is his passion as evidenced by his 30 + years as a Civil Air Patrol search and rescue pilot and check airman for the New Orleans area.  In his spare time, Steve is a FAAsteam Representative giving instruction towards the Wings program.
Emmet Bartholomew | Tour/Survey Pilot emmet@neworleansairplanes.com ext 712	Emmet is a lifelong resident of the New Orleans area who began his flying career here at Lakefront Airport, earning his Private, Instrument, Commercial and Multi-Engine Ratings.  As with his professional career in project management and other interests / endeavors, he committed himself to excellence and sought added training which led him to join and volunteer his services with the Civil Air Patrol (Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force) where he serves as a Captain, Mission Pilot and Safety Officer for the Billy Mitchell Senior Squadron in New Orleans.  He is also an aircraft owner and president of Crescent City Aviation, a flying club based at Lakefront Airport.  Emmet attended the University of New Orleans majoring in music and has had the pleasure of recording as a studio musician as well as performing with many groups throughout his life.  He is proficient with numerous musical instruments, genres of styles and has performed with original acts, having opened concerts for bands such as the Black Crows, Warrant and Zebra.  Emmet also enjoys performing stand-up comedy, is a motorcycle and boating enthusiast and is an avid runner.  He attributes his diverse life experiences and passion for aviation to shaping him into a more balanced and safer pilot as well as to having the ability to provide Gulf Coast Aviation customers very special and memorable flight experiences.
David Cusimano | CFI, CFII, MEI david@neworleansairplanes.com ext 707	David earned his Private license over ten years ago right here in New Orleans. While working as an Aerospace Engineer for Lockheed Martin on the Joint Strike Fighter F-35 Aerodynamics team, he continued his flight lessons and earned his Instrument Rating in Arlington, TX and his Commercial, CFI, and CFII in Grand Prairie, TX. After deciding that he would rather fly the planes than make them, he left the engineering world and completed all of his Multi-engine Ratings in Fort Lauderdale, FL. David also earned the FAA’s highest pilot certificate, the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP), in one of our DA42′s. He brings both flying knowledge and the firm understanding of aerodynamics, which is essential for instructing advanced students, to the team. He is easily able to convey his skills to both beginning and advanced students alike. David holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University and a M.A. in Economics from The University of Texas at Arlington and an MBA in Finance and International Business from Tulane University. David is also an economics and entrepreneurship instructor for Tulane University and Delgado Community College. David’s primary role today is an advisor for Gulf Coast Aviation.
Bradford Fournier | CFI bradford@neworleansairplanes.com ext 713	The consummate teacher, Mr. Fournier enjoys equally the art of flying and the art of teaching. His teaching interests are bifocal, teaching aviation as a certified flight instructor here at the region’s premier place for flight instruction, and also teaching piano and music composition at Loyola University’s Preparatory Music Department. He describes his teaching style as holistic rather than localized, helping the student to acquire the skills, knowledge, and mindset to successfully and confidently complete each flight in its proper context. Mr. Fournier notes that “just as in learning to land a poor downwind leg can influence a poor approach, it is not enough to simply add up safely taxing, departure, en- route, and arrival to make a safe flight. We must anticipate our actions, the variables, and understand how each piece of the flight environment contributes to the whole”. Mr. Fournier is quick to note that aviation is not just for the aspiring commercial pilot. Aviation can help anyone to become a more well-rounded, confident person. Skills such as problem solving, decision making, analysis, and safety awareness can benefit everyone! In addition to his work at Gulf Coast Aviation and at Loyola University, Mr. Fournier is an active composer, having written both large and small works for piano and chamber ensemble. These works have been performed both locally and nationally to much acclaim. He also is interested in and studies mathematics, philosophy, theology -in particular monastic studies-, and enjoys reading.