Administration

Instructors

Maintenance

Employment


Administration


Steve Placa
President and Founder

Encountering someone more passionate about flying and more devoted to quality flight instruction other than our founder is highly unlikely. Steve gained his expertise as the Executive Director and owner partner of a major national flight school.  As an officer in the United States Navy Reserve and experienced pilot Steve knows that attention to detail especially in Flight Training is the key to a safe, happy and successful pilot.  Given his extensive aviation knowledge and experience operating an international flight training enterprise he remains a powerful force in the flight training industry. He is proud to offer the very best and most affordable flight training anywhere in the country.


Neil Visse
Executive Vice President/Admissions


Neil is a graduate of the State University of New York at Farmingdale.  He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Aviation Administration.  He has been directly involved with aviation and the flight training industry for over 15 years.  Neil is referred to as “the operational guru.”  His skills are unsurpassed when it comes to defining & managing student programs.  He is passionate in ensuring that students complete their programs on time and on budget.  His combined passion for flying and educational know-how shall afford many a flight student the opportunity to achieve the dream of flight.


Adam Rosenberg
Chief
Flight Instructor


Adam Rosenberg is an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor and an airline captain with over 12,000 hours of flight experience in everything from props to large transport category jets.  He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with multi engine land and sea, single engine land and sea ratings along with five type ratings in both Boeing and Airbus aircraft.  In addition to being an instrument and multi-engine flight instructor he is also one of his airlines’ senior check airmen, responsible for training and evaluation of his company’s pilots as well as flight test and delivery of new Airbus aircraft from the factory in Toulouse, France.

Adam is an “old school” stick and rudder pilot that specializes instructing this lost art in vintage tailwheel aircraft.  When not instructing for us he can be found flying his beautifully restored U.S. Navy Stearman, a variety of other tailwheel airplanes he maintains proficiency in or some of the most technologically advanced jets to the Caribbean and Mexico.  Adam has an effective, laid back style of instructing and a good sense of humor to keep learning fun and enjoyable.  A few hours with Adam learning tailwheel or spins in our Citabria will give you a new sense of what it means to fly an airplane.

As chief instructor, Adam draws from a quarter century of flying airplanes and his vast airline training background to provide oversight of our training program and standardize our instructors to the highest possible standards.


Joseph Cordi
Operations/Office Manager


Joe has said that he was born to fly. And we at HFA believe him and have named him the "Kid-Flyer!"  Before most young people are Licensed to drive a car Joe flew solo at 16 and achieved his Private Pilot License at 17. Wow! At present he is attending the prestigious Vaughn College of Aeronautics pursuing degrees in aviation.  From flight lesson scheduling to managing student programs - Joe does it all. 


Nick Abano
Operations/Aircraft Line Manager


If it soars, glides, flies, or blasts-off Nick has a passion for it.  As an experienced Private Pilot, aviation enthusiast and HFA Aircraft Manager Nick ensures that our aircraft are fueled and standing by on time for each lesson.  In conjunction with our maintenance staff Nick takes great pride in making sure our aircraft are in excellent condition, looking good & always ready for flight. 


Andrew Harris
Director of Marketing/Sales


Andy’s passion has always been teaching and aviation.  He has been a public school teacher and college professor on Long Island for many years.

“I always dreamed of flying and on my 18th birthday I finally saved enough money and biked to the local flight school...it was the first time I was ever in an airplane and have never looked back.” 

He attended Indiana State University’s Aviation Program and earned subsequent degrees at Dowling College and Polytechnic University.


 
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Islip MacArthur Airport
2075 Smithtown Avenue
Ronkonkoma, New York  11779
Tel 800.786.9060 / 631.471.3550