2.7 JetBlue Pilot Chris Mullins, former Wayman Instructor

Welcome to Captain Chats from InSight Aviation Podcast w/ Retired DPE & United Capt Dan Petrovich. Sponsored by Wayman College of Aeronautics Welcome to our first Captain Chat! This is a continuation of what we used to do on Zoom during the pandemic, but now we’re back in person. We'll be hearing from alumni, pilots, and aerospace professionals who have been in the industry for a long time. Today, we have Captain Dan Petrovich with us. Captain Dan, would you like to introduce yourself? Dan Petrovich: Hi, I’m Dan Petrovich, a retired United Airlines Captain. I was with United for 37 years. I learned to fly at Opa Locka and come from a huge aviation family, much like yours, Wayman Eddy. Wayman Eddy: Thanks, Dan. I'm really excited to dive into your story. But first, for those who are new or joining us online, let me introduce who we are. We are Wayman Aviation Academy, now known as Wayman College of Aeronautics, based at North Perry Airport in South Florida, just between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. We teach students how to fly. Who here is learning to fly? Great, we have a room full of student pilots! The format for Captain Chats is to learn how these pilots got to where they are and what advice they have for aspiring aviators. We’ll do a 20-30 minute interview and then open it up to questions and answers, which I think is the most interesting part. So, let's start from the beginning. How did you get interested in aviation, Dan? Dan Petrovich: I grew up in Carol City, where we would see planes flying over Opa Locka all the time. My dad, who was in air conditioning and refrigeration, had an accident and, after winning a small lawsuit, decided to learn how to fly. He went from his first lesson to a commercial multi-rating in just 93 days. I watched him and eventually, he got hired by United Airlines in 1965 and retired in 1996. My dad wanted me to be a doctor and my brother to be an attorney, but neither of us was interested. I got a Navy ROTC scholarship to the University of Florida, but unfortunately, halfway through my first year, my dad ruptured three discs in his back and lost his FAA medical. I had to come home every weekend to help my family, which affected my grades and performance. My lieutenant commander advised me to finish the semester, drop the scholarship, and take care of my family, which was great advice. I got my old job back at Winn-Dixie, and within a year, I was an assistant manager. We moved to Plantation, and I checked out flight schools. I took three lessons at Opa Locka and got a job at a flight school pumping gas and cleaning windshields. Within six months, I had my private, multi, commercial, and instrument ratings, all in one day. Then I flew corporate and did a lot of flight instructing. Wayman Eddy: Wow, that's impressive! Now, many of our students are working on their private pilot licenses. Do you have any tips for them? Dan Petrovich: The private pilot license is the hardest because everything is new. You’re learning physics, math, and meteorology, and it's a lot to take in. Once you have a solid foundation, you can build on it quickly. As an examiner, I always emphasized the importance of understanding the new world you’re entering. It's challenging, but with a good foundation, you'll do well. Wayman Eddy: That's great advice. After getting your licenses, you went into flight instructing. How was that experience? Dan Petrovich: I loved it. I continued flight instructing throughout my career, even when I was with United. I eventually became a ground school and simulator instructor, a training captain, and an examiner. Teaching helped me learn more because I had to explain concepts clearly to students. Thank you, Captain Dan, for sharing your journey with us. We appreciate your time and insights. Thank you all for joining us today. Happy flying!

The InSight Podcast is now InFlight! We're off of Zoom and zooming around with pilots as we discuss How they got into Aviation, What they're doing now, and What YOU should be doing to start flying. In Season 3 Episode 1 we fly with Katie Koch. She is Procurement, Pilot Shop and Maintenance manager for Wayman Aviation Academy. She started flying young with a unique program. She was the most recent chairwoman for the Treasure Coast 99s, female pilots organization. And Katie is the proud owner of a Piper Warrior that she restored herself

In this episode we talk with Wayman Academy’s own Base Manager Graylin Stitt who is also a commercial pilot and engineer. He gives insight on the importance of sticking to your goals and not letting anyone talk you out of your goals, even if it is yourself. He is well known around the academy for his calm demeanor, helpful attitude and commitment to providing sound guidance to any student that needs it.

In this episode we welcome Wayman alumni Chris Mullins who is currently a First Officer at JetBlue. Chris was once a flight instructor at Wayman and offers some insightful advice on the importance of mentorship and the incredible transition to a major airline such as JetBlue.

In this episode we talk to Teressa Mastrosimone, a Wayman Alumni and the Senior Director of Training Center Operations at Atlas Air's Miami facility. She oversees their training center, training records, scheduling and hiring of new pilots and flight attendants.

In this episode we have the pleasure with speaking with Corporate Pilot & Aviation YouTuber Stevo1kinevo about his career as a TBM 850 pilot. He tells us about his unique path to becoming a pilot, flying for a part 121 carrier, eventually going into corporate flying and becoming a Flying Ambassador to The Bahamas. Also we speak about the importance of quality of life in an aviation career and a few interesting experiences he has had whilst flying the TMB 850. You can follow Stevo1kinevo here: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/steveo1kinevo Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/steveokineevo/ Website - https://www.steveo1kinevo.com/

In this episode American Airlines Captain, Chief Pilot & Director of Flight Domingo Alfaro tells us about the responsibilities of a Chief Pilot & Director of Flight. We also learn how he got this position and about the massive demand for qualified pilots.

Captain Kimber Turner who now works in admissions at Wayman Academy talks about tips to get hired at your first pilot job, creative ways to build flight time and the lifestyle as a corporate pilot compared to that of a cargo pilot. 

Brian Hough Senior Vice President at King Schools brings his wealth of knowledge on developing aviation curriculums, insights into training efficiency, how best to serve a student, the pilot shortage and making collegiate education flexible for flight students.

How to get hired as a Flight Instructor w/ Assistant Chief Mario Culpepper at Wayman Aviation Academy. We speak about becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), ways to make learning effective and efficient, resume tips and suggestions on how to interview for your first CFI job.