Blase Dombrowski joined the Gulf Coast Aviation team as a full-time flight instructor with his CFI, CFII, and MEI ratings after moving to the New Orleans area in September of 2017.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Blase completed his private pilot license at Capitol Airport in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He then spent a year as a flight instructor with ATP Flight School in Daytona Beach, Florida. Prior to making the move to focus full-time on his aviation career, Blase also completed a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a flight instructor and pilot with Gulf Coast Aviation, Blase brings to the table a broad range of experience working with students from a variety of backgrounds, as well as a strong passion for aviation.

Blase lives in Metairie, Louisiana with his wife and their three (yes, three!) dogs. Aside from aviation, his interests and favorite activities include hiking with his wife and dogs, cooking delicious food (or finding it somewhere in NOLA), competitive shooting, and riding and driving (and often fixing or restoring) motorcycles and classic cars.

After two years of planning and finger crossing, Brandi moved to New Orleans from East Texas in July of 2016. Having no desire to go back, she settled in with the Gulf Coast Aviation family in March of 2017 as the Office Manager. With her love of aviation, sparked since childhood, accompanied with her 5 years of managing experience, she is always happy to assist you in any of your future aviation endeavors. Outside of the office Brandi is a part time college student at Delgado Community College, and in her free time you can catch her rollerblading at the local skate parks or walking her dogs around the French Quarter!

Mr. Brian Capone has been involved with aviation since 1975. He is the holder of several FAA certificates both in maintenance and operations. They include A&P/ IA, ASMEL, SES, CFII, AGI, and IGI. Mr. Capone holds a Bachelor of Science from Louisiana State University and two aviation associate degrees from Alabama Aviation Technical College. He has worked as a part time flight instructor and ran several flying clubs. His maintenance career spans over 30 years and includes work as a mechanic, IA, supervisor, maintenance contract administrator and FAA aviation safety inspector. He spent nine years working with the air drug interdiction program aircraft with the then U. S. Customs Service. Additionally, Mr. Capone served in active duty and reserve rolls in the USMC within various logistics, maintenance, and command billets, retiring from reserves at the rank of LtCol. As an aviation safety inspector since 1995 he has served in various Principal Maintenance positions covering operators from corporate, general aviation, flight and mechanic schools, aerial applicators, repair stations, on demand charters with both fixed and rotor wing aircraft. Since 2006, Mr. Capone has been a full time member of the Flight Standards FAA Safety Team involved with the continuing evolution of the team. He held the position of Southwest Region Assistant FAASTeam Program Manager covering five states and FAASTeam Program Manager for Louisiana Area. In 2011, Mr. Capone was selected as the manager of the Baton Rouge Flight Standards District Office. In that role he coordinated a consolidation of two offices while continuing to provide all stakeholder services. His leadership took the office through government furlough, shutdown, extensive hiring replacing 70% of the office, and resulted in receiving the Southwest Region FSDO of the Year for 2014. He retired from federal service with 32 years served. After retirement he served as the Chair of Aviation Technology at Baton Rouge Community College. In that role he established and obtained a FAA certification Part 147 school leading to an Aircraft Mechanic, Airframe and Powerplant Ratings along with college credits and courses leading to an Associate degree. After completion of getting the aircraft maintenance program and an existing Helicopter Training program running, he turned over to hired BRCC personnel and became self-employed as GingerAir, LLC in February 2016. In this capacity he provides consulting in aviation maintenance and operations that have included establishing a heliport, manual and logbook reviews, and tailwheel transition training. The current endeavor of assisting in establishing a Part 141 satellite operation for Gulf Coast Aviation is complete and he is serving as the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor.

Desiring to fly from an early age, Emmet began his flight training at New Orleans Lakefront Airport in 2007 and joined the Gulf Coast Aviation team in 2011.  He holds an ATP certificate with multiple PIC type ratings, has CFI, CFII, MEI and AGI instructor credentials and is our Assistant Chief Instructor. Emmet transitioned to professional aviation following an extensive career in corporate and governmental project management where he specialized in risk management.  His professional background provides an excellent foundation for students to build upon during their training. In addition to flight instructing, Emmet is a corporate pilot with Ochsner Health System / AirMed International, serves as Captain, mission pilot, instructor pilot and safety officer with the U.S. Air Force Civil Air Patrol, is a volunteer pilot with numerous environmental awareness organizations and is a scuba diver with the Audubon Institute Aquarium of the Americas. When not in the air or underwater, he also enjoys running, hiking, tennis, motorcycling, boating and occasionally performing music and stand-up comedy. Emmet’s diverse interests and experiences have shaped him into a well-balanced and safety conscious pilot with a passion not only for flying but for instructing.

Joel Kent joined the Gulf Coast Aviation staff in January 2018. He began flying in 2006 and earned his Private Pilot Certificate and Instrument Airplane rating under Part 141 before entering navy flight school. He is an active-duty Naval Aviator who currently serves as an Aviation Safety Officer and C-130 Hercules International Overwater Transport Aircraft Commander. He was previously an Instructor Carrier Aircraft Plane Commander and NATOPS Instructor in the E-2 Hawkeye and an Instructor Pilot in the T-45 Goshawk.

Joel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Systems from the US Naval Postgraduate School. He holds an Air Transport Pilot Certificate for Airplane Multi-Engine Land and is a Certificated Flight Instructor for single-engine and multi-engine airplanes and Instrument Airplane. He is a graduate of the US Navy School of Aviation Safety and the US Air Force Advanced Instrument School. He has flown more than 3300 hours in a variety of aircraft and performed 200 carrier arrested landings.

Joshua White joined Gulf Coast Aviation with his CFI, MEI, and IGI. He was previously in sales but with a passion for the sky. In 2016, Joshua decided to leave the sales world behind and pursue his dream of flight. He was able to complete his Private Pilot license with Gulf Coast Aviation before heading to Addison, TX. There he completed his Instrument and Commercial training with American Flyers. Staying with American Flyers, he completed the CFI training at their Pompano Beach location before heading back home. Joshua continues to expand his knowledge about aviation by graduating with a Bachelors at the end of 2018 from Liberty University School of Aeronautics. Now, Joshua lives in Mandeville bringing all of his knowledge to others at the Lakefront New Orleans airport who want to pursue their dreams of flight!

Born and raised in New Orleans, Mary was introduced to aviation at a very young age. At only 3 years old, she took her first ride in a single-engine aircraft with her brother, David Cusimano, who is one of the owners of Gulf Coast Aviation. After dappling around with many career options such as nursing and real estate, Mary is excited to have landed upon such an exciting opportunity to be the General Manager at Gulf Coast Aviation. She recently graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness, but her passion for aviation has become her top priority. She is currently working toward her private pilot license while striving to create a flight school that runs smoothly and successfully.

Matthew was born and raised in New Orleans but now lives in Kiln, MS with his wife Skye. He graduated from Jesuit High School in 2010 and earned a Political Science degree from LSU in 2015. He took his first flight lesson with Gulf Coast Aviation and became a private pilot in November 2014. After college, he began flying full time and earned his flight instructor certificates (CFI, CFII, and MEI) in July 2016.

Nathaniel started flying at a young age and received his Private Pilot Certificate with Gulf Coast Aviation. He completed his flight instructor ratings (CFI and CFII) at the beginning of 2017 and started working at our New Orleans location. He is currently working on his engineering degree at LSU. Going back to school for the 2017 Fall Semester, he helped us open our new Baton Rouge location in September. He also flies for Southern Seaplane for their 135 operation.
**Nathaniel was not involved in the making of this biography. Please contact him for details.

Robert had the good fortune to learn about general aviation in high school when he was allowed to take a trip to Mississippi in a ‘small plane.’  At that moment he was hooked.  As his career of Risk Engineer started to grow, he would take ad-hoc lessons from anyone that had a “Flight Instructor” shingle hanging up.  In 2008 he realized that he had to get more astute if he was to realize his goal of becoming a pilot.  After researching his options, he chose Gulf Coast Aviation based on their attention to fleet maintenance, and their teaching curriculum.   Due to his belief in the school, he purchased shares of the company from some partners that were leaving New Orleans. Today, Robert is actively involved in the aviation community.  He was one of the 5 founding members selected for the Cessna Pilot Schools Advisory Group.

Steve, our Chief Instructor, is the old “guiding hand” of our instructional team, offering advice daily to both instructors and students alike.  Soloing in 1968, Steve has logged 4,300 hours flying both charter and student instruction.  Aviation is his passion as evidenced by his 30 + years as a Civil Air Patrol search and rescue pilot and check airman for the New Orleans area.  In his spare time, Steve is a FAAsteam Representative giving instruction towards the Wings program.