Meet Our Instructors

Michele comes from the heart of Ohio. If she had had a choice, she would have grown up in the mountains of Idaho! She made the best of her time in the Midwest, including playing Division 1 ice hockey for THE Ohio State University.

Inspired by her family of military aviators, she took her first flight and the stars aligned: she knew she wanted a career in aviation. While earning her private pilot's license in Ohio, she honed her navigation and pilotage skills flying from one farm field to the next. She pursued her instrument rating while getting a taste of density altitude in Colorado, and then found her way to Idaho in 2015 when she became Store Manager for The North Face and joined Ponderosa! She finished her instrument rating at KBOI, followed by her commercial, then her CFI. Michele trained with Tom Mahoney in the backcountry, and enjoys mountain flying with the narrow strips and short approaches!

Michele spends her free time flying, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, skiing, running, upland hunting or big game hunting with her husband in the mountains. Sometimes they do a combination of these at the same time! Michele is eager to pass on her knowledge and passion for aviation while flying smart and safe.

After fifteen years of playing music professionally in the Treasure Valley, Adam realized deep down he had other things he wished to achieve and dreams to live. For his birthday, a loved one purchased Adam a Discovery Flight with Ponderosa Aero Club. That 60 minute flight was a watershed moment in his life.

Shortly, after the Discovery Flight, Adam was in the left seat learning to fly. Upon obtaining his Private license, the next several months were spent flying all over the western US gaining invaluable experience and racking up the hours. Then it was time to add an instrument rating to his certificate. Now the fire was really burning. Shortly after the IFR upgrade, Adam went on to add Commercial, CFI, CFII and Commercial Multi-Engine ratings. Eventually, after some more IFR experience flying King Air 90s for a local cloud seeding operation, an opportunity came up in sunny San Diego, California. Adam packed his life in his car and moved to SoCal and commenced teaching others how to fly. Fortunately, for Ponderosa, circumstances brought him back home to Boise where he joined the PAC instructor staff - back to his roots. Adam now flies for SkyWest airlines, and instructs at Ponderosa part time.

As jovial and relaxed as Adam is in person, there is a lion of a goal setter underneath. Adam hopes to pass on both his love of aviation and the discipline it takes to do it safely to all his students, no matter what level they are and how many hours they possess. Through discipline and passion we better ourselves and can become the best pilots we can be!

After leaving the military, Chris went to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ where he graduated with a degree in Aeronautics. After instructing for two years he was hired by Mesa Airlines, and moved to Boise in 2021. When not flying he enjoys spending his time outdoors.

Glenn's interest in aviation began in Scouts with paper airplanes. As a teenager, he designed and built remote control aircraft.

Over the course of a 22-year Navy career, Glenn focused on the repair and maintenance of high-performance military aircraft, while also being selected to serve as an instructor, and finishing a bachelor's degree.

After retiring from the Navy, Glenn worked for Boeing modifying C-17, A-10, B-1 and F-15 aircraft. He worked his way from private pilot to certified flight instructor and multi-engine pilot. He continues to fly charter flights, including into Idaho's backcountry.

Glenn tells his students, "If you desire a career in aviation, you can do it! Becoming a professional pilot requires focus, but it is extremely rewarding."

I grew up near Seattle, and was surrounded by airplanes from a young age. My dad and I took a few glider lessons together in eastern Washington, and my bedroom walls sported a really cool 747 cockpit poster and, of course, the ubiquitous Top Gun magazine tear-outs (it was the 80s!)

I began flight lessons during our year at Osan Air Base in Korea. It was very different flying, I would later find out: lots of special VFR, poor visibility, and lining up to wait for A10s, F16s, and U2s. We moved to Tucson, AZ, before I was able to complete my private pilot’s license, but once we were stateside, I found a flying club at Ryan Field and resumed training.

Arizona flying was completely different from Asia flying, and I was so thankful to see the mountains from 100 miles away. My new instructor found it humorous that I had more actual instrument time than she did! I got my license when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child (you can imagine my DPE's reaction when he met me for my checkride!) and then took many years off from flying.

We moved to Boise in 2018 after my husband retired from the USAF, and I picked up flying again in 2020 at Ponderosa. I plan to teach here and work my way to bigger airplanes with more buttons and switches.

Kaleb's aviation career started in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in aviation technology from Utah State University. While there, he also earned his A&P licenses. Kaleb spent the next 10 years maintaining aircraft, mostly Dassault Falcons and King Airs. This wasn't enough to satisfy his love for aviation, so he decided to pursue the career of a professional pilot.

Kaleb has a beautiful wife and four crazy kids, and he loves sharing his love of life and airplanes with his family. All his kids love flying and jump at the chance anytime they can.

Besides flying, one of Kaleb's favorite pastimes is rafting. He frequently rafts the Payette river to the north of Boise as well as many others around the area.

Kaleb loves to see others attain their aviation goals, so give him a call or shoot him an email if you're ready to pursue yours.

Mike's love of aviation began while looking for a career change. A friend took him on a discovery flight and that was all it took. About a year later, Mike had his private pilot certificate in hand thanks to Glenn H and the Ponderosa team. Mike proceeded to earn more ratings during a stint of working in Wisconsin and has returned to Ponderosa as an instructor.

"I'm excited to share the satisfaction, fun and freedom of flying with my students...and can't think of a better home than Boise and Ponderosa Aero Club!"

Mike hails from the midwest and lived in several places before settling in Boise. Mike is also a lifelong cyclist and mechanic, so don't be surprised if you bump into him on the trails or find him underneath a car.

Growing up outside of Boston, MA, Sam has been interested in and inspired by aviation for as long as he can remember. After studying history and education in college, he relocated to Wyoming where he worked as a white water rafting guide. During this time, Sam took his first discovery flight in Driggs, Idaho and quickly realized aviation was his passion and that he wanted to make a career out of it. Soon after obtaining his private license he moved to Denver, CO where he completed the rest of his ratings. While flying around the highly congested airspace of Denver, Sam quickly developed the skills and proficiency to deal with the unpredictable weather and high density altitude that is associated with the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Following the completion of his ratings, Sam wanted to get back to a quieter, more GA centered community which led him to Ponderosa. When Sam isn’t flying he enjoys hiking, camping, fishing, rafting, and playing hockey. With a professional background as a backcountry and white water trip leader, safety and risk management are a top priority for Sam and he looks forward to incorporating these skills into his time working with students at Ponderosa.

Steve’s love of flying began on a third-grade field trip to the local airport. It was years later, as an Air Force air traffic controller when he got to take several "familiarization flights" in some very cool airplanes. The first plane Steve actually controlled in flight was a T-33 jet trainer! He also logged some hands on time in a B-57 and a UH-1F helicopter.

It was 1976 at Strawberry Glen airport near the Western Idaho fairgrounds that Steve earned his private license. Over the next couple years, with the aid of the GI Bill, he continued flight training earning commercial and instrument ratings. After that, raising a family and job responsibilities limited his flying for a few years. Eventually, funds and time materialized and Steve earned his CFI rating. With a fresh CFI certificate Steve joined Ponderosa in 1988 as a part-time flight instructor.

In 2004 Steve left the corporate world and began his aviation career. While instructing full time at Ponderosa he began flying as a contract pilot for Conyan Aviation and Hawkins Companies. Eventually, Western Aircraft hired him to fly their awesome fleet of Pilatus PC-12's. Seven years and almost 3000 hours later Steve joined Jackson Jet Center as their Director of Operations.

Currently, Steve serves as a PAC checkout instructor and is available for annual flight reviews.

Tom Mahoney started flying gliders at the Air Force Academy at age 18. While flying as a Weapon Systems Officer in the Air Force, Tom worked on his civilian pilot ratings. He is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Test Pilot School and flew developmental test on F-111, EF-111, F-16, and F-15E aircraft. Tom has participated in the Ponderosa Aero Club for 17 years as a backcountry pilot, CFII, aircraft owner, and board member. He has 3,000 hours of combined civilian and military flight time. He is a part-time flight instructor helping out when needed to make Ponderosa Aero Club the best flight club in Idaho.