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Our pledge to you is that when you fly with us you'll be treated with the highest regard for respect, integrity, and responsibility. Our flight instructor staff has over 120 years of combined aviation experience including over 35,000 hours of flight experience making us THE right choice for your flight training needs.
About Us
Piston2Jet is a FAA Part 141 Approved flight training company based at the Manassas Regional Airport in Manassas, Virginia on the west ramp complex. Our highly experienced staff of aviation professionals make us the right choice for your flight training or other aviation needs in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Aside from being a local veteran owned flight school we are also approved to do business with government customers seeking industry leading aviation support services.
Our offices are located at:
10600 Observation Road
Manassas, VA 20110
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Contracting Information
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The Team
Piston2Jet’s highly experienced and professional instructor staff has over 120 years of pilot experience and 20,000 hours combined flight time to meet and exceed your flight training needs. Many of our instructors have military aviation backgrounds ranging from fighters to bombers and even flight test. They are also highly experienced in general aviation and well prepared to provide flight instruction towards your pilot ratings and flying goals.
Whether you're learning for fun or seeking a career in the cockpit, we can pair you with an instructor that will guide you through the process with your safety, satisfaction, and overall experience at the forefront of their efforts.
Mike Hilton
"Hilts"
Co-Founder, Chief Pilot
USAF Lt Col, Ret
Mike has flight experience in over 30 different aircraft including the F-16, F-117 and the RO-6A. He has provided flight instruction to civilian, government, and military pilots alike. As Chief Pilot Hilts oversees all of P2J's flight training operations and flight instructors. Hilts is also a key player in management and developments of our relationships with key industry partners and organizations.
Doug Yurovich, PhD
"Smash"
Asst Chief Pilot
Chief Test Pilot
USMC Col, Ret
"Smash" has flight experience in over 60 types of aircraft, including the F-4, F/A-18 and the Harrier. He served as a US Navy, Marine Corps Detachment, Test Pilot at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Smash also serves as our Safety Director creating, managing, and improving our safety-of-flight guidelines and procedures. He's a distinguished member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and is the Chief Test Pilot at Piston2Jet.
Garrett Lowe
"Swing"
Flight Instructor
USAF Lt Col, Ret
Garrett is a career professional aviator with over 5,500 total flight hours in both civilian and military aircraft; an extensive Air Force flight instruction background in trainer and fighter aircraft with combat tours in the F-16. Currently, as a commercial airline pilot, Garrett is rated in and has flown the 737, 757 and 767 aircraft. As a Piston2Jet flight instructor, Garrett, aka “Swing”, brings more than 25 years of teaching experience to new aviators.
Jonathan Loveless
"Dusty"
Co-Founder, Flight Instructor
Jonathan has had a serious addiction to aviation all of his life. As the years have passed he has become a professional pilot, airshow junkie, warbird aficionado, and flight instructor. Dusty has accumulated 4,700+ hours of flight time in 25+ aircraft types including the King Air 350, MC-12W, T-6 Texan, and various other classic and general aviation aircraft. Dusty works to grow Piston2Jet through creative marketing strategies and assists in the creation of new and exciting flight training opportunities that you won't be able to find anywhere else!
Gordon Landale
Flight Instructor
US Army Lt Col, Ret
Gordon is a retired Army Officer with over 26 years of service, 17 of which were in Special Operations as a Green Beret. He used his GI Bill to turn his flying hobby into a post-military professional pilot career. The only thing he enjoys more than flying is being able to share it with others, helping people reach their goals, building safe, competent, and confident pilots while having fun in the process. A veterans’ advocate, Gordon also volunteers his time helping transitioning veterans use their benefits to pursue educational opportunities. Passionate about safety and continuing education, Gordon is also a FAA Safety Team (FAAST) volunteer representative.
Julian Dion
Flight Instructor
Julian Dion, a veteran of the Austrian Armed Forces, was trained to be an instructor by none other than "Smash" himself. Julian has experience in all popular civilian trainer aircraft and has previous experience in teaching, namely being an English teacher in Nepal and a snowboard instructor in the Alps. He is a prime example of the quality of training that one can receive at P2J.
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Claire Orsini
Flight Instructor
Claire is a seasoned aviation professional with an extensive background in the airline world as a flight attendant and is part of a major airline cadet program! She is a multilingual Certified Flight Instructor and Instrument Instructor with countless hours in our cornerstone Diamond Aircraft DA-20's and DA-40's. She hopes to become an airline pilot one day connecting continents and people together in a way only a true professional like herself can do.
Devan Van Arsdale
Flight Instructor
Devan is a US Marine logistics officer who learned from logistics from the famed 1st Marine Division M1A1 tankers, and take the same "miracles come standard" mentality to finding creative solutions to the fluid environment of flight training. Devan has trained in Part 61 and 141 programs across the country and in multiple popular training aircraft. He is pursuing a lifelong dream and shares a keen interest in helping like-minded people pursue the freedom of flight.
Ben Henson
Flight Instructor
Ben is a rural Virginia native that grew up in the rolling hills of Fauquier County. He has an unbridled passion for all things aviation and works diligently to communicate his passion to his students. As one of our flight instructors he takes a personal responsibility to train all of his students to the high standard that we aspire to deliver at P2J. Ben is a true testament taking a passion and turning it into a career.
Melissa Myers
Operations Specialist
Melissa works to ensure that the day-to-day interactions between the customer and P2J are as seamless and efficient as possible. She assists with flight tracking, dispatching, scheduling, logistics are more. As with every position at P2J our operations specialists are an essential and mission critical role allowing us to operate with a high degree of excellence and honor.
Jake Hutto
Flight Instructor
Born and raised in the Lone Star State, Jake was immersed into aviation by his father and since then he has set his sights on following in his father's footsteps and becoming an airline pilot. Jake is a crucial part of the team here at P2J and he enjoys passing on the knowledge he possesses to the next generation of aviators under the mentorship of his P2J family and friends.
Davis Thompson
"TicTac"
Operations Specialist / Future Top Gun
Davis is currently a senior at Battlefield High School and works as an operations specialist at P2J. He earned his Private Pilot License at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, is working towards Eagle Scout, and is a member of the Civil Air Patrol as well as the Air Force JROTC. He plans to join the Air Force as a pilot and eventually become an airline pilot. Davis is a huge fan of all things aviation and has been known to know a thing or two about aviation topics well beyond his years. If we had to leave the future of our industry up to people like Davis, we'd be in great hands.