Archives for October 2022

Patrick grew up outside of Augusta, Georgia. He attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, where he obtained Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education. After spending nine years in public education, Patrick enlisted in the Marine Corps as a musician. After seven years in the Marine Corps, he decided to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming an aviator. He enrolled with Gulf Coast Aviation in 2021, earning his private pilot’s license, instrument rating, commercial pilot’s license, and CFI rating while finishing up his last year of active duty in the Marine Corps. In his free time, Patrick enjoys spending time with his wife and their three children, running, and woodworking.

Bryan’s interest in aviation was sparked at a young age during his family’s annual trips to the Belle Chasse Naval Base’s New Orleans Air Show.  After graduating from LSU in ’02 with a business degree, Bryan’s career path focus was in the restaurant industry.  This was a natural career selection for Bryan since he already acquired six years of experience working in a restaurant near his family’s home since age fifteen.  Shortly after graduating from LSU, he joined a national restaurant group and had the opportunity to work and live in over twelve different cities across the United States, most notably, San Francisco (where he met his beautiful wife, Brooke), Napa and Washington, DC.  In 2009, Bryan, along with his wife Brooke, purchased his first business, Restaurant des Familles, which incidentally was the very first restaurant Bryan worked as a young teenager.  The Times-Picayune did a featured story on Bryan’s journey from busboy to owner that can be viewed here.

In 2019, Bryan and Brooke opened their second restaurant in the Warehouse District of New Orleans and named it NOLA Caye.  

In July of 2021, Bryan began flight lessons with Gulf Coast Aviation to pursue yet another lifelong goal of obtaining his pilot’s certificate.  Not only did Bryan obtain his Private Pilot Certificate, but he also acquired his Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, Multi-Engine Certificate and CFI within a thirteen month period.  Bryan now enjoys helping others fulfil their aviation goals while instructing at Gulf Coast Aviation on a part-time basis. 

Ashlyn was born and raised in South Ga and has always had a love for aviation. She has flown
along side her dad since five years old in his Citabria and throughout his career. She moved to
Louisiana for college but found she wanted to fly more. She attended Gulf Coast Aviation for her
Private, then moved back to Georgia, where her dad instructed her through her Instrument. After
her Instrument is where she attended American Flyers in Pompano Beach, FL for her
Commercial and their CFI-CFII program.
Ashlyn enjoys water skiing, snow skiing, hiking, CrossFit and reading, but “nothing compares to
flying and looking down at whatever the world has to offer.”

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ryan joined the US Air Force in 2010. He was stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was a crew chief on the F-22A Raptor in the Test and Evaluation Squadron. In 2016, Ryan earned his private pilot certificate to accomplish a lifelong dream of his. It wasn’t until 2020 when he was working as a Probation and Parole Officer that Ryan wanted to fly professionally. He found Liberty University’s online aviation program coupled with Gulf Coast Aviation’s partnership and enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree path. Ryan earned his instrument, commercial, and CFI ratings through Gulf Coast and his bachelor’s degree from Liberty University. Ryan is currently working towards his Masters of Science in Aviation Leadership at Liberty University and works at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development as an Aviation Safety and Compliance Officer.