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Flight Instructors

Meet Our Amazing Team

Nate Ruedy

CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP, Tailwheel
Types: CL65, EMB500, ERJ170/190, B737

On his 12th birthday, Nate went for his first small airplane ride in a Cessna 185 and he’s been hooked ever since.  Nate graduated from the University of North Dakota with a BS in Aeronautics.  He has acquired over 9,000 hours in several different aircraft types, including 4 jet type ratings.  While flying for the airlines is a great career, his true passion lies in small airplanes.  He hasn’t missed Oshkosh for 15 years running (except in 2020) and has been flight instructing at what is now Lake Elmo Aero for over 15 years.  When he’s not planning Lake Elmo Aero’s next fly-in/fly-out adventure or monthly forum, you can find him in a red and white Decathlon, usually upside down.

Tom Stehler

CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP, Tailwheel
Types: ERJ170/190, B737
A St. Paul area native, Tom attended Purdue University, where he acted as a corporate pilot and check instructor after graduation. He also founded Purdue’s winning team for the newly-formed collegiate class of the EAA’s AirVenture Cup Race in 2019.
 

Tom is now a Captain on the Boeing 737 for Sun Country Airlines, and has experience in a multitude of different single and multi-engine aircraft, with over 1500 hours of flight, ground, and simulator instruction provided. 

Amy Miyajima

CFI, CFII, Seaplane, ATP
Types: BE400/MU300, L382, B737

Amy caught the flying bug in 2007, after taking a discovery flight in Hawaii. She has since flown and instructed in all types of general aviation aircraft, including piloting the all-female Misty Blues Skydiving Team in demos and air shows across the nation. In 2016, she was selected to be a C-130 pilot with the Minnesota Air National Guard, fulfilling her long time dream of becoming a military aviator. In 2021, she was hired as a First Officer with Sun Country Airlines. Her most recent adventure started in April 2022 with the birth of her son, Davey, who has already taken his discovery flight!

Brian Addis
CFI, CFII, MEI, Seaplane, DPE, ATP
Types: A320, CE500, G-V, G1159

A native of St. Paul, Brian earned his Private Pilot certificate in 1965. Since then, he has been a corporate pilot, flight school owner, airline simulator instructor, and most recently a renowned Designated Pilot Examiner, with over 14,000 practical exams provided. He has dedicated his life to the aviation industry. He has qualified for the FAA Master Pilot Award for 50 years of accident-free flying, and was inducted into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame in 2019.

Ben Arnal

CFI, CFII, MEI
Type Rating: B747

Ben grew up in Afton, MN. He did most of his flight training at the St. Cloud airport through the aviation program.  After achieving a B.S. in Aviation Operations at St Cloud State University, he continued his aviation career with an internship at Centennial Airport, Denver, CO, in Airport Operations. From there he was hired at the Northwest Airlines Aircrew training center as an instructor in the 747 from 2007 to 2009.  He continued his education with an MBA from Bellevue University in Nebraska.  In addition to being a flight instructor, Ben also manages Global Airfreight contracts for 3M.

Molly Erickson

CFI, CFII

Molly is a Saint Paul native. She has done all of her flight training at Lake Elmo Aero. There are a few pilots in her family but she is the first to become a CFI. Her dad flew F4’s and F16’s in the Air Force and then spent 30+ years flying King Airs. Molly spent some time in Cambodia and Thailand, went to beauty school, and then ended up reviewing mortgages and title policies before finding her true passion in aviation. She aspires to be an inspiration for girls everywhere who want to fly.

“You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life, and the procedure, the process is it’s own reward. “ – Amelia Earhart

Brandon Bergeron

CFI, CFII

Brandon began his aviation career in 2004 when he joined the U. S. Air Force Reserve as an Aeromedical Evacuation Technician after spending four years on active duty in the U. S. Navy as a Damage Controlman.  Flying in the Air Force as a crewmember in C-130, C-17 and KC-135 airframes inspired him to pursue an aviation degree. Brandon completed Western Michigan University’s Aviation Flight Science Program in 2011 after earning commercial ratings in single engine land, single engine sea and multi-engine land airplanes.  He earned his CFI and CFII ratings with Liberty University’s flight training affiliate, AV8 in Eden Prairie, MN. Brandon currently resides in Hudson, WI with his wife and three sons. 

Trevor Gumm

CFI, CFII, MEI

Trevor Gumm was raised in Eden Prairie, MN. After starting college and realizing a desk job may not be for him, he dove head first into aviation. Trevor began flight training at Flying Cloud in 2020 and finished his training the following year in late 2021. Trevor has always loved teaching, from coaching snowboarding to coaching motorcycle track riding and now flight instructing. In his free time you could find him working on his car or at a car show with friends. 

Hunter O'Keefe

CFI

Hunter grew up in Farmington, Minnesota. Growing up, he was surrounded by aviation due to both his parents working in the airline industry. Hunter attended the University of North Dakota where he completed his flight training. In addition to flight instructing, he works as a commercial drone operator. In his free time, he enjoys biking around the Twin Cities and spending time outdoors.

Rishiraj Singh

CFI, CFII, MEI

Maxwell McKoy

CFI, CFII

Kyle Palmer

CFI, CFII

Kyle has worked at a small business for a transportation company and a large corporate
environment as a Healthcare Accountant. Kyle went for an Intro flight in February 2020 and just knew that it was for him. It fit his adventurous desires and it would push him to new heights. With the support of his wife, family, and friends he decided to take the leap. Now, he is doing something that he had previously only dreamed about; and getting more joy from it than he ever imagined. When he not flying he is adventuring with my family or running on a long scenic trail.

Ethan Cramlet
CFI

Marc Olson

CFI

Marc grew up in the Afton, MN. In 2004 he joined the U. S. Army as a Cavalry Scout. He was active duty for 4 years. Marc left the Army and became a police officer in the east metro and continues to serve his community in that role. Marc completed his private pilot in 2020 at Lake Elmo Aero after a discovery flight and knew aviation would be his next adventure. Marc completed his CFI training in 2023 and began teaching at Lake Elmo Aero. Marc has always enjoyed teaching, which lead to him meeting his wife when he was her snowboard instructor. When he isn’t flying or in a patrol car, you can find him playing hockey, spending time with his wife and two kids, or at Afton Alps.

Kieran Viggiano
CFI, CFII, Tailwheel

Growing up nearby in Mahtomedi, Kieran started his flying career at the Anoka County/Blaine
Airport where he took his first flight and fell in love with aviation. He continued his flight
training at the University of North Dakota earning a BS in Commercial Aviation and minor in
Meteorology. During his time there, he spent his time flying upside down on the aerobatic
team, working as a ramp rat driving tugs and fuel trucks, and building parts at the Cirrus Aircraft
factory. After Graduation, he flew for his first job at the North Dakota Weather Modification
Project taking Piper Senecas and King Air 90s straight into thunderstorms. He is excited to
continue his flying career instructing at Lake Elmo Aero. If he is not at the airport, you can find
him riding motorcycles during the summer and skiing during the winter.

Alec Reishus

CFI, CFII

Jon Kemp
CFI, CFII, MEI

Cody Segelstrom

CFI, CFII

Bryant Mallez

CFI, CFII

Oscar Nemitz
CFI, CFII, MEI

Oscar was raised in Denmark and England where he gained a love for travel. After moving back to the United States and realizing that college might not be for him, he took his first intro flight, finding a passion for aviation. He then completed his flight training at ATP flight school. Oscar has always loved teaching from sailing to now flight instructing. In his free time you’ll find him sailing in the summer and skiing in the winter.

Jackson Cloud

CFI, CFII
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Lake Elmo Aero, LLC
Liability Release

I, (PARTICIPANT MENTIONED ABOVE) voluntarily desire to take an airplane (collectively, “Aircraft”) ride, pilot an Aircraft, rent an Aircraft, and/or train to pilot an Aircraft (collectively, the “Activity”), as well as to participate in the associated activities including, but not limited to, boarding, deplaning and/or walking on the runway and/or around the Aircraft, etc. (the “Associated Activities”), with LAKE ELMO AERO, LLC (collectively, the “Company”). Such activities may result in bodily injury, death, and property damage. I understand and acknowledge that engaging in any of the above activities are purely voluntary and I have made the decision to participate of my own free will. I also understand and acknowledge that, but for my voluntary execution of this Release of Liability (“Release”), the Company would not allow me to be in or otherwise near any Aircraft or participate in any Activity or the Associated Activities.

1. RELEASE AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE. I, on behalf of myself, my heirs, successors, assigns, agents, trusts, beneficiaries, executors, administrators, guardians, and legal representatives (individually or in any group; collectively, “Releasor”), hereby exempt, release, acquit, forever discharge, and hold harmless the Company, their respective officers, directors, members, administrators, trusts, managers, agents, representatives, servants, employees, successors, and/or assigns (individually or in any group, “Affiliates” and collectively with the Company, the “Releasees”), whether acting on behalf of the Company, or individually, from any and all liability, claims, losses, payments, harm, damages, costs, demands, claims and expenses of every nature whatsoever (collectively, “Damages”), whether in contract or in tort or under any other legal theory, arising out of my participation in the Activity and/or any Associated Activities. Releasor further agrees not to make any claim against, sue, or attach the property of anyone or more Releasees for any bodily injury, death, loss, or damage to personal property, or other damages, including those resulting in whole or in part from the negligence of the Releasees or other acts or omissions of the Releasees resulting from my participation in any Activity and/or Associated Activities.

2. ASSUMPTION OF RISK. I am not required to participate in the Activity or any Associated Activities. I freely and voluntarily choose to assume all of the risks inherent in the Activity and the Associated Activities, including, but not limited to, risks of negligent conduct of others, equipment or aircraft malfunction, improper or negligent operation of Aircraft, including those risks resulting in whole or in part from the Releasees’ own negligence or unintentional acts, but excluding gross negligence or willful misconduct.

3. INDEMNITY AGAINST CLAIMS. Releasor agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Releasees against any and all losses, judgments, or damages, arising out of any claims, demands actions, causes of action, and/or proceedings of every nature whatsoever (collectively, “Claims”), including but not limited to attorney and legal fees at trial and appellate levels, which may be presented or initiated by any person or entity, arising out of my participation in any activity and/or Associated Activities, and/or concerning the enforcement of or legal challenge to this Release.

4. LEGAL. This Release is governed under Minnesota law, without regard to conflict of law principles. The exclusive venue for any action arising hereunder shall be in the state and federal courts located in Washington County, Minnesota, and the parties hereby consent to the jurisdiction of such courts. In any action relating to this Release, Releasor hereby WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.

Lake Elmo Aero