PlaneSmart! Staff

President & CEO

Michael is responsible for setting strategic directions and managing the daily operation at Planesmart! Aviation.  He is committed to creating an unparalleled experience for all PlaneSmart! clients by ensuring an all-inclusive quality program that is designed with safety and convenience in mind.  Prior to taking the lead role at PlaneSmart!, Michael served as the Marketing and Media Communications representative for the company.  He also founded and developed a successful Marketing and Film Production Company focused on TV commercial advertising, documentary style film, and weekly television all about aviation.  Additionally, Michael has 16 years experience in the high technology and telecommunication industries where he held senior positions in various financial, marketing, and operational organizations.  Michael holds an MBA in Engineering Management and Marketing from the University of California at Davis, and has been involved in aviation as an aircraft owner and instrument rated pilot for 30 years.

Chief Pilot

Jim is responsible for implementing safety policies, developing and maintaining various training curriculums and introducing standardization procedures for all PlaneSmart customers, employees and pilots. He is tasked with the responsibility of developing and maintaining these aspects to the highest industry levels. 

Mr. Owens is an Airline Transport Rated pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument Flight Instructor and Multi-Engine Instructor with 3000+ hours of his 6000+ total time logged as dual given. Jim has type ratings in the Eclipse 500, Cessna 550 and 560 Citation Business Jets, is factory trained in the Pilatus PC-12 NG, as well as a wealth of experience in many other makes and models. He is a Gold Seal Instructor and a Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot with 1000 hours logged in the Cirrus. We are proud to have someone with such proficiency in Technically Advanced Aircraft on our team.

Director of Sales

Hamp is responsible for providing detailed information about PlaneSmart!'s philosophy, products and services to our customers.  He also handles aircraft sales as well as demonstration flights.  Hamp is a third generation pilot with over 2,000 flight hours in multiple types of aircraft. Hamp began working as a sales professional years ago and now he is proud to lead PlaneSmart!'s sales team. We are proud to have Hamp as a member of such a great team.

Director of Marketing

Patrick is responsible for the day to day marketing efforts for PlaneSmart! Aviation's continued success and business development. His passion in the aircraft industry came from his father, Rick, who served as a US Navy fighter pilot in the F-4 Phantom, and who is now a test pilot for a major business jet manufacturer. Unable to shake the aviation bug, Patrick earned his Bachelor's degree in Aviation at Henderson State University in Arkansas. Beginning as a flight instructor in college, Patrick's career has progressed from Production Flight Test and Sales Demonstration Pilot for a large aircraft manufacturer into a Marketing professional. He has also held regional aircraft sales positions for 3 other major aircraft manufacturers.  Patrick is an ATP rated pilot, has accumulated approximately 3,000 flight hours, is type rated in the Beechjet 400A (Hawker 400XP), the Beech 1900 airliner, and has been factory trained in the King Air B200, King Air C90B, Piper Meridian, Beech Baron 58, Beech Bonanza A36, and the latest Mooney aircraft.

Controller

Russ joined PlaneSmart! Aviation, as Controller, in June and is responsible for all daily financial operations. Russ retired, as a Vice President, from AT&T (formerly SBC) Management Services, Inc., in 2002. Before moving to Dallas in 1995, he held various operations and staff positions in pre-divesture AT&T, Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, SBC Communications in the Southwest. In Dallas, among other duties, he worked on the integration of three acquired communications companies into the SBC Communications operating structure. During his communications career, he attended various graduate programs for executives at the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and was the 1989 Executive-In-Residence at the Price College of Business.

Director of Client Services Stephanie's primary focus at PlaneSmart! is providing excellent and efficient service to our customers.  From scheduling airplanes, accomodating customer travel requests and reservations, to general aircraft management operations at each of PlaneSmart!'s aircraft base locations.  Stephanie's passion for Aviation and Customer Service Began in 2001 when she became a Flight Attendant for Southwest Airlines.  In 2007, after six years of Safety Briefings and 10,000+ bags of peanuts served, she joined the General Aviation Community.  With that experience, Stephanie continues to hold customer satisfaction as her top priority.

Sales Representative - Austin Region

Coy's love for flying developed at an early age as he was a frequent "copilot" with his grandfather in a Turbo Commander.  While earning a Business and Economics degree from the University of Texas at Austin, he gained his Private Pilot's license, which began his journey into professional aviation and aircraft sales.  Coy has been in Sales and Finance since 2002 and a pilot since 1997.  Along with his current sales efforts for PlaneSmart!, Coy is also an active CFI/CFII.

Sales Representative

Born to fly and sell airplanes, Ryan has been an airplane enthusiast as far back as he can remember.  A Dallas local, Ryan started out working small jobs at airports to pay his way through flight training as a teenager.  More recently, Ryan graduated from Oklahoma State University with a BS in Business Management and a minor in Aerospace Administrations and Operations.  While studying in college, Ryan was able to earn his CFI and CFII ratings.  Prior to joining the PlaneSmart! team, Ryan spent two years working with the Cirrus Aircraft Regional Sales Center in Dallas, and is very familiar with the Cirrus and PlaneSmart! features and benefits.

Director of Maintenance

With over 23 years of aircraft mechanical experience in the US Army, Chuck retired as a 1st Sergeant in 2004. His experience with Army helicopters ranged from the Huey to the AH-64D Longbow Apache, from Korea to the 101st Airborne Division. Following this career, Chuck transistioned into civilian aviation, both as an aircraft mechanic and as a licensed pilot. He currently holds FAA certificates to include A&P, IA, Commercial Pilot, Instrument, in both single engine and multi-engine aircraft. Prior to joing PlaneSmart! Aviation, Chuck most recently spent a few years employed with a Cirrus Service Center located in central Texas.

Pilot/Fleet Manager

Tyler comes to the PlaneSmart! team as a full time pilot and also manages the day to day maintenance tracking of the entire aircraft fleet.  At the age of 15, Tyler began pursuing his dream of flying and later graduated from the American Flyers Professional Pilot Program.  Currently Tyler is rated as a CFI, CFII, MEI, and is also a highly experienced CSIP (Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot).  With over 3000 hours of total flight experience, 1000+ hours have been logged in Cirrus airplanes.  Tyler's experience helps to enhance the level of commitment that PlaneSmart! has to providing our pilot and non-pilot clients with a first class solution in their training and transportation needs.

Pilot

A native Texan, Ryan's primary role for PlaneSmart! is to support the clients with their flight training and professional pilot needs.  In 2004, Ryan graduated from Messiah College with a BS in Marketing.  He began his journey into aviation after working for Hertz Rental Car for a few years.  Enrolling in ATP Flight School in late 2007, Ryan achieved his pilot certifications and continued on to become a CFI, working full time with ATP in the Dallas and Houston schools.  In early 2010, Ryan joined the PlaneSmart! team with a respectable amount of flight training experience as a CFI and MEI.  He is Gold Seal Instructor and will soon be an authorized CSIP (Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot).

Pilot

Tom has worked for American Airlines for over 35 years and is typed in the Boeing 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, and the 777, as well as typed in the Douglas DC-3, McDonnell Douglas DC-9, DC-10, MD-11, Citation, Westwind, and Falcon 10 and 20 business jets. With over 24,000 hours of flying, for grins, Tom is typed and instructs in a WWII B-24 bomber for the C.A.F. His licenses, credentials and certificates are just as long as his type ratings: Airline Transport Rated, Single and multi-engine rated land and sea, Rotorcraft Helicopter, Gyroplane, Glider, Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor, and Multi-engine Instructor as well as an accomplished Cirrus SR20-G2 and SR22-G3 pilot and Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot.

Pilot Jay is responsible for the Houston-based pilot services. He became hooked on aviation while in college at Arkansas State University after a flight with a friend on a parts run. After ten years working in the rubber industry, he made the career change to become a Commercial Pilot. Jay is a Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor, Multi-Engine Instructor, and Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot with almost 1000 hours of dual given. He is qualified Second-In-Command in the Merlin IIIB, and Citation 525.

Pilot

Growing up, Garon was fortunate enough to receive airline flight privileges through his mother's employer at that time, American Airlines.  Traveling across the country often, Garon's interest in air travel grew into that of wanting to become a pilot.  Later, he completed his flight training at ATP Flight School as a CFI, CFII, and MEI.  Since then, Garon has been given over 1200 hours of dual flight instruction and previously worked as an instructor at Aviator Air Centers before joining PlaneSmart! Aviation.  Currently, his total flight experience is more than 1700 hours and his primary role is to support the flight training and professional pilot needs of our growing family of valued clients.