JATO Aviation leads the field with the highest standards of safety and professionalism and provides training recognized by aircraft manufacturers, like Cirrus Aircraft, and most insurance companies. Our certified flight instructors (CFIs) have thousands of hours of dual flight instruction in both piston and turbine aircraft with the latest glass cockpit avionics. Our training programs are designed to work around our students’ schedules and to help them meet their personal flight training goals.
April Gafford
CFI/Mentor Pilot
Founder: JATO Aviation
Ratings Held:
ATP, CFI/CFII, MEI, Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP)
Type ratings: CE-500, SIC: CE-510, Cirrus SF-50 Vision Jet
Veterans Airlift Command Pilot
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20/SR22/SR22TN/SR22T, Pilatus PC12, TBM 850, Piper Matrix/Malibu/Meridian, Cessna Corvalis (formerly Columbia) 400/350, Cessna Citation 500/510.
Flight Experience/Training:
Over 4000 hours total flight time
Spirit Aviation: Part 135 Charter Pilot: King Air 200
JATO Aviation: Part 135 Charter Pilot: Pilatus PC12 UND/Cirrus Aircraft:
Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot
Factory-trained: Cessna - G1000 CFAI plus; Columbia - Columbia 350/400:
Flight Safety: Citation I/II/V, King Air 200/C90B, Beech Baron, Cessna 414A
SIMCOM: Piper Matrix/Meridian, TBM 850, Pilatus PC12
Teaching Experience:
Over 3000 hours dual given Chief Flight Instructor: Diamond Aviation (2000 – 2009) and JATO Aviation (2004 – present) Turbine Transitions, Mentor Pilot , Technically Advanced Aircraft, WAAS FAA wings safety seminar instructor
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Helping pilots achieve mastery of the aircraft and facilitating clients reaching their goals in aviation are incredibly rewarding to me. I also have a particular interest in Human Factors, developing best teaching practices, and promoting safety in aviation.
John Murphy
CFI/Mentor Pilot
Chief Operating Officer
Ratings Held
Goldseal CFI/CFII/MEI, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI)
Aircraft Specialty
Cirrus SR20, Diamond DA-42, G1000-equipped Cessnas, Pipers, Beechcraft, and Mooney. Twin Cessna and Pipers.
Flight Experience/Training
Chief Flight Instructor/Flight examiner
Part owner of a flight school
Oversaw/Managed four flight schools in California
FAA Wings Safety Seminar Instructor
FAA Accident Prevention Counselor (Both OAK and SJC FSDOs)
FAA Recurrent Training Program (Flights/Ground training for pilots with had accidents/violations?
Ten Pilot Proficiency Awards
Teaching Experience
More than twenty-eight years as a professional pilot and instructor.
A total of 18,500 hours with over 14,500 hours of dual instruction given for private, commercial. CFI, CFII, MEI, and ATP.
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
You don't instruct for over twenty-eight years without enjoying the people you meet, see your students reach their goals, have enthusiasm for aviation, and love that view from the office window.
Bob Wood
Lead Flight Instructor (CFI, CFII)
Ratings Held:
ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI
Aircraft Specialty:
C-172 Stretch, Cirrus SR20, 22. TAA (G-1000, Cirrus Perspective)
Flight Experience and Training:
5000+ hrs ASEL, 28 yrs, Flight Attendant-United Airlines, Cirrus Certified Training Instructor
Teaching Experience:
Initial Flight Attendant Training Instructor UAL 1992-1994, Voice Acting Instructor (1992-Present), CFI, CFII-Diamond Aviation (2006-2013), CFI, CFII-JATO Aviation (2013-Present)
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
“I make people’s dreams come true”
Mark Heidenreich
CFI/Mentor Pilot
Ratings Held:
CFI/CFII/AGI, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI)
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20/SR22TN/SR22T, Cessna, Tailwheel
Flight Experience/Training:
I've been intrigued with aviation since I was a young child, living in a house situated directly beneath the approach to LAX in the early '50s. I never gave serious consideration to a career path other than flying airplanes since then. My first lesson was in 1970, and I was instructing by 1973. In 1975 I found a solid corporate flying job I kept for the next 25 years. I began flying Cirrus aircraft in 2004. I left in 2000 to return to my native state and left corporate aviation for good in 2005.
UND/Cirrus: Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP) – 2009
Teaching Experience:
I have been instructing again since 2009 and currently averaging 600 hours flight instruction annually.
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Because no two people will perceive and acquire new information and skill in exactly the same way, I enjoy the challenge of attempting to tailor my approach to teaching in a manner best suited to the individual student pilot. Emphasis on fundamental flying skills is a priority with me.
Tara Borton
CFI/Mentor Pilot, Assistant Chief Flight Instructor
Ratings Held:
Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument; Platinum Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (Platinum CSIP), ASEL, ASES, AMEL
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20/SR22TN/SR22T, Cessna 172/182/400T (Corvallis)
Flight Experience/Training:
Over 8200 hours total flight time
Aviation for me started when my grandmother and grandfather earned their pilot's certificates, bought a Cessna 182, and used it to pick up my brother and I at the Palo Alto airport for "visiting the grandparents" down in Southern California. We flew with my grandparents and their monster white Samoyed all over the Western States. We learned the Morse Code (no headsets) and watched VOR intercept and navigation on round dials. Years later, while in college, I took my first flying lesson and fell in love with the idea of becoming a flight instructor as I met CFI Mayetta Behringer, another amazing woman pilot! I finished Stanford with a degree in Psychology, and by 1991, I too was a Certified Flight Instructor. I began teaching flying in Southern California and in 1997 returned to the Bay Area airports. I began teaching in Cirrus aircraft in 2012.
Teaching Experience:
I have been flight instructing since 1991 and currently averaging 400 hours of flight instruction annually
I have been an instructor in many other areas since 1979 including personal swimming trainer, Masters Swim Coach, Training and Development department GTE Sylvania
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Getting to know my students. I take a personal interest in every student's flying goals and strive to help them achieve them.
Motto: Every day is an opportunity for learning something new!
Joe Romson
CFI/Mentor Pilot
Ratings Held:
Commercial ASEL, CFI/CFII, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI)
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus, Cessna, Light Sport, experimental Van’s RV (including aircraft construction)
Flight Experience and Training:
Private pilot since 1986, flying in San Francisco Bay area and Seattle. Additional training in gliders, aerobatic aircraft (C-150 aerobat, Citabria) and aircraft accident investigation.
Teaching Experience:
Biomedical educator for more than 30 years, (PhD in 1982, MD in 1986). Published author and lecturer, with areas of interest in Human Factors/Human Performance, Aviation Safety, Aero medical factors and Simulator based training.
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Both the opportunity to share a very special activity with people (becoming a pilot or advancing their goals as a pilot) and seeking news ways to educate and develop better, safer pilots.
Daniel Heraldez
CFI/Mentor Pilot
Ratings Held:
Commercial ASEL/AMEL, CFI/CFII/MEI, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI)
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20/SR22/SR22TN (Avidyne and Perspective), C172-G1000
Flight Experience/Training:
Approximately 2100 hours total time
UND/Cirrus: Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot
NASA Ames Research: Contractor working on projects related to pilot performance and automation.
Teaching Experience:
Experience teaching in PA28, C172SP, C172-G1000, C182-G1000, DA-20, DA-40, SR20, SR22, SR22TN
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Guiding a person with no aviation experience into becoming a safe, responsible, and competent pilot. There is great joy and exhilaration when your student successfully completes their first solo flight or safely returns from their first cross-country flight. It's also quite satisfying knowing that what I do helps promote and advance general aviation.
Keith Johns
CFI/Mentor Pilot
Ratings Held:
Commercial, CFI/CFII, CSIP, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI)
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20, SR22, SR22T, Cessna 172, LSA, Garmin & Dynon Avionics
Flight Experience/Training:
I began my professional life as a music teacher and trumpet player. Though flying had always been a dream, I wasn’t able to pursue it until my late 20s. After my first discovery flight, I knew I wanted to become a flight instructor. I continued to teach music and play my trumpet professionally as I passed my Private, Instrument rating, and Commercial certificates in 2000, 2001, and 2002 respectively. After two kids and two moves, my career as a Flight Instructor began in 2009. In 2016 I obtained my CFII certificate and my Cirrus Training Center Instructor qualifications. I earned my CSIP qualification in 2022 at Cirrus HQ in Knoxville.
Teaching Experience:
I began instructing with Diamond Aviation in San Carlos in 2009 and joined JATO in 2014, and have found a great home here. In 2024 I passed 2800 hours of flight instruction and 4000 hours of flying time. My goal is to teach into my 70s if I can stay healthy and mentally sharp.
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
Being a flight instructor is an incredibly rewarding career for so many reasons. I am able to guide aspiring pilots, while sharing my knowledge and passion for aviation. Seeing students progress from tentative beginners to confident pilots is a joy to experience. I have the privilege of empowering individuals to build skills and confidence to achieve a lifelong dream. On a personal level, this industry is always evolving, so there are many opportunities for personal growth and learning new skills. Lastly, I am motivated by the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing evolution of aviation safety standards and technology, and what better place to do that than in a Cirrus aircraft at an award-winning training center like JATO.
“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” - Mark van Doren
“The real secret to success is enthusiasm.” - Walter Chrysler
Ramon Rick
CFI/Mentor Pilot
Ratings Held:
ATP, Gold Seal CFI/CFII/MEI, Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP)
Type Ratings: SF-50, CE-510S, CE-525S, EMB-500, EMB-505
EASA+UK Class Rating Instructor
EASA+UK Class Ratings: TBM
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20 / SR22 / SR22T / SF50
Diamond DA42 / DA62
Daher TBM 900 / 910 / 930 / 940
Cessna Citation Mustang / M2 / CJ3+
Embraer Phenom 100 / 300
Flight Experience and Training:
Over 2500 hours total flight time
Simulator Training, VisionJet SF50: Cirrus Factory
In-Aircraft Training, TBM 940: Daher Factory
Simulator Training, TBM 900 - 940: SIMCOM
Simulator Training, Citation Mustang/M2/CJ3+: FlightSafety
Simulator Training, Phenom 100/300: CAE
Stanford PhD in Applied Physics
Stanford MBA in Business Administration
Teaching Experience:
Over 1800 hours of dual instruction given. Focus on Ground Instruction, Private / Instrument / Multi-Engine Training, Turbine Transitions. Mentor Pilot for single-pilot turboprop and jets.
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
I love mentoring fellow pilots and sharing my passion for advanced technology in aviation.
THOMAS DANIEL
CIRRUS CSIP of the Year
Gold Seal CFII, Platinum CSIP, Dean of Avionics College at COPA University, https://cfi.thomas-daniel.com
Ratings Held:
CFI/CFII, AGI, Platinum CSIP (Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot) EASA (Europe), South Africa and New Zealand PPL
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20/SR22/SR22TN/SR22T, Cessna 172/182, TAA (G1000, Perspective), tailwheel (Citabria)
Flight Experience/Training:
After an executive career in semiconductor industry, I retired early to dedicate myself to flying and accumulated over 8000 hours total flight time including 5000 hours instruction given. I love flying in faraway locations and flew single-engine piston aircraft all over the world, including North and South America, Europe, Africa and New Zealand. I share that passion with other pilots by organizing annual Cirrus trips to Mexico and Central America. I own and fly a Cirrus G3 SR22 TN out of San Carlos.
Teaching Experience:
Teaching full-time for Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial, CFI, and transitions to Cirrus. I am also a Dean of Avionics College at COPA University, where I develop Garmin and Avidyne avionics courses and teach them at the Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program (CPPP): https://cpppevents.com/
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
I am obsessed with safety, but I smile each time we take off, and I want you to smile, have fun, and enjoy flying. Each pilot, each aircraft, and each flight brings new discoveries, which I want to share with you.
Patrick Shea
Certified Flight Instructor
Ratings Held:
Commercial ASEL, Commercial ASES, AMEL, CFI/CFII, MEI, AGI/IGI, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI)
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus, Cessna 150/152/172/182, Piper Warrior/Archer/Arrow, G1000
Flight Experience/Training:
Over 2,000 hours dual given. I am a homegrown San Carlos Pilot and Instructor. I earned my Private Pilot and CFII at the San Carlos Airport and the CFII right here at JATO Aviation. I accrued about half my flight time in the area as well as in the Sierras and up and down the Pacific Coast. I am a graduate of Purdue University's top-ranked Professional Flight Program. I received the rest of my ratings and instructed under Part 141, giving me experience under both Part 61 and Part 141.
Training Experience:
I have about half of my instructional time at San Carlos and the other half from my time instructing at Purdue University. I have experience instructing in Cirrus, Piper, and Cessna under both Part 61 and Part 141.
What is Rewarding to You About Being a CFI?
More than anything, I enjoy growing with my students. You never stop learning, not even as a CFI! I also enjoy watching students have the same energy that I remember having within my self when I was learning to fly.
As one of my old CFI's once said: "If we aren't having fun, we are doing something wrong."
Jack Johnson
Certified Flight Instructor
Ratings Held:
Commercial ASEL/AMEL, CFI/CFII/MEI, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI)
Aircraft Specialty:
Cirrus SR20, Piper Archer/Seminole, Cessna 152/172
Flight Experience and Training:
I took my first flight here in San Carlos and began my flight training journey in Madison, Wisconsin, while completing my undergraduate degree. From there, I trained in the Bay Area, Midwest, and Florida, finishing all my ratings. Last year, I returned to the Bay Area to begin instructing.
Teaching Experience:
Before coming to JATO, I taught private, instrument, and commercial students in an accelerated format.
What is rewarding to you about being a CFI?
I get to share my passion for aviation and have fun while doing it! Whether it's guiding people with zero experience, adding an instrument rating, or transitioning into a new aircraft, it's fulfilling to help students achieve their goals and become safe, proficient pilots.