From corporate job to Flight Instructor: Carter Mazur's journey with the Academy

Growing up, aviation was never on my radar as something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. 

I was living in a different state, working a great corporate job, and training Part 61 as a hobby for my Private Pilot Certificate. The further I got into training, the more I found myself watching the planes fly by as I sat at my desk working, and I knew I had to make a decision to start all over and chase my newfound dream of flying, or make the “safe” decision and stay where I was. After almost a year, I finally decided to bet on my dream, quit my job, and moved across the country to do it. I began my flight training with Acron Aviation in September of 2023.

Having just completed my Part 61Private Pilot Certificate, I was both nervous and excited to jump into the Part 141 training environment. I noticed three things almost immediately: The airspace was more complex than I was used to, the pace was faster than I was used to, and the expectations were very high. These factors proved to be incredible benefits to me rather than obstacles as I progressed through training. For each of my courses, I was paired with an awesome, highly knowledgeable, and friendly Instructor. They all genuinely wanted me to succeed and pushed me not just to meet standards, but to exceed them, and to be a safe, competent PIC.

Acron Aviation holds its students to high standards and trains them to a high level of proficiency. Upon completing Instrument, Commercial Single-Engine, CFI, and CFI-I in almost exactly one year, I was able to interview for my first CFI position with the Academy. I received the job offer, and one month after graduating, began instructing. I instructed for a little under one year, and then was able to become a Check Instructor, conducting stage checks and end-of-course oral exams and flights. Now sitting on the “other side of the table,” I had the opportunity to evaluate our cadets’ knowledge, skills, and ability to prioritize safety. This was a huge full-circle moment for me as I remembered what it was like being in their shoes, where my knowledge and abilities were at that time, and got to see how much I have grown in such a short amount of time. Throughout my time as an Instructor, I was blessed to have the opportunity to work with many of our different programs at the academy, including Air India, the U.S. Air Force, and ANA. Each program had unique aspects which really helped to broaden my knowledge and experience as an Instructor.

Flight training is tough and requires a high level of commitment from you as a student. If you show up at Acron Aviation prepared, committed, ready to work hard, and with a positive attitude, the Academy will provide you with all the resources and training you need to meet your goal. Training will have its ups and downs, good flights and bad ones, successes and failures. The most important thing I would suggest remembering on your hard days as a student, or even as an instructor, is not to resent something you once prayed for. On my toughest days when I felt burnt out, I remembered that just a few years ago, I was sitting at my desk wishing I was a CFI on my way to the airlines, and now here I am, living out that dream.

I recently had my last day as an Instructor with Acron Aviation to move on to my first position with my dream airline. The management team, my coworkers, and students celebrated with me during the last week and sent me on my way feeling grateful and excited for my next opportunity. I came to Acron Aviation Academy as a student, but I left with friendships that I expect will last well beyond my time at the Academy. My time at Acron Aviation was life-changing, challenging, and incredibly rewarding, and I am incredibly grateful to God, most of all, for getting me where I am today, and for the incredible people and opportunities He placed in my path. I highly recommend Acron Aviation to anyone who is ready to take the same leap of faith I did, bet on their dream, and chase this crazy dream of becoming a professional pilot.