Certified Flight Instructors
More than any other aspect, what sets Alpine Flight Training apart from other local flight schools is our instructors. At Alpine Flight Training you will receive instruction from experienced professionals that have extensive aviation knowledge and are adept at teaching the art and science of flight. Our instructors practice what they teach, using their skills and strategies to fly to places like Alaska, Montana, Idaho. You can learn more about our instructors below.
Loren French
DPE | ATP SE/ME | Seaplane/Landplane CFI | CFII | MEI | Gliders
Loren is our on-site Designated Pilot Examiner and Chief Instructor. Loren has worked in a variety of different aviation businesses of the last 22 years. Prior to living in Gypsum and operating Alpine Flight Training he worked for Eclipse Aviation in Albuquerque New Mexico developing aircraft and training programs as well as Frontier Airlines in Denver, and iAero Group flying a variety of airframes. Loren is type rated in the AirBus 320 Series, and the Boeing 737 series aircraft.
Loren holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) in single engine and multi-engine land aircraft, a commercial license in single engine seaplanes, and gliders. With over 8000 hours of instruction given, Loren holds instructional ratings for single engine and multi-engine airplanes, and instrument airplanes as well as ground instructor certificates for advanced and instrument ground instruction as well as seaplanes. Loren is a Gold Seal CFI and NAFI Master CFI. Loren originally learned to fly at Eagle County Regional Airport in 1995, and the bulk of his 13000 hours of time has been flying and teaching in the Colorado Rockies. In addition to instructing for Alpine Flight Training, Loren is a member of the FAAST Team (FAA Aviation Safety Team).
John Lee
ATP | CFI | CFII | MEI
A former regional airline jet captain with over 4500 hours, John holds an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) rating for multi-engine land aircraft, with type ratings for Canadair Regional Jet (CL-65) and the Dornier 328 regional turbo-prop (DO-328). John also holds a Commercial license for single engine land aircraft. John has nearly 530 hours of dual instruction given, and instructional ratings for single and multi-engine airplanes as well as instrument airplanes. Today, John operates his own business in the Vail Valley, however his aviation history and experience make him an excellent instructor and a true aviation professional.
Jim Spahmer
Commercial | CFI | CFII
Jim specializes in single engine Cirrus Aircraft training. He is a retired business owner in Vail.
Sean McCormick
Commercial | CFI | CFII
Ian McCormick
Commercial | CFI | CFII
Ian was born in Vail and grew up in the Vail Valley. The mountains and skiing were a huge part of his life growing up. He started ski racing at a very young age and graduated from the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy. After high school he ski raced for Rocky Mountain College in Montana where he graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees in Aeronautical Science and Aviation Management. During his time at Rocky Mountain College he worked as a flight instructor. After graduating in the Spring of 2024, Ian moved back to Eagle and began instructing for Alpine Flight School.
Mihailo Durovic
Commercial | CFI
Mihailo dreamed about becoming a pilot since he was a young boy. The main reason he moved to USA from Serbia is to become a pilot and be able to handle the expenses of flight training. And here he is! Years later Mihailo is enjoying mountain flying in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado where we enjoy blue sky almost every day. He took a discovery flight lesson here at Alpine Flight School back in 2021 and obtained all of his ratings in the mountains. He is enthusiastic to share his love of aviation!
Gus LeBlanc
Commercial | CFI
Gus was born and raised in the Vail Valley, growing up as a competitive ski racer at Ski and Snowboard Club Vail and the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy. After his ski racing career ended in 2018, he moved to Charleston, South Carolina where he attended the College of Charleston. He pursued a degree in Business but quickly found his passion for flying. He began taking flight lessons at CRAFT Flight Training at the Charleston International Airport/Airforce Base in 2019, where he earned his Private Pilot Certificate and gained valuable experience in busy Class C airspace. After graduating college, he decided to keep pursuing his passion for aviation and got accepted into the American Airlines Cadet Academy at CAE Aviation Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. He earned his instrument rating and built a couple hundred hours flying around Arizona, where he gained even more experience in busy airspace, learning how to navigate through and underneath the busy Pheonix International Class B. From there, he decided to move back home to the Vail Valley to finish his commercial pilot certificate at Alpine Flight Training. He earned his commercial certificate in 2023 at the Eagle Airport and immediately went on to earn his CFI rating in February of 2024. He gained valuable mountain flying experience through his training in Colorado and has been instructing for Alpine Flight Training ever since. Gus has a true passion for aviation and instructing, with the goal of one day becoming an airline pilot or corporate jet pilot. In his spare time, he enjoys backcountry skiing, golfing, camping, standup paddle-boarding, and continuing to study aviation to grow his knowledge and further his career.
To schedule time to meet or fly with one of our instructors call Alpine Flight Training today at (970) 401-5105