Instructors

Matt Moore CFI, CFII, MEI

Originally from El Dorado, AR. He attended college in Arkadelphia at Henderson State University and received a Bachelors of Science in Aviation. He also earned his Private, Instrument, and Commercial through the aviation department in Arkadelphia. Matt earned his CFI, CFII and MEI ratings with us at SkyVenture Aviation, Inc. Matt has been instructing with us since 2007. To contact Matt, please email MMoore@skyventureinc.com Matt works in our Jonesboro, AR office.

Adam Jones CFI, CFII, MEI

Originally from Fayetteville, AR. Adam is attending the University of Arkansas pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Business. Adam received his Private, Instrument, Commercial, CFI, CFII and MEI from SkyVenture Aviation and has been instructing since February of 2008. To contact Adam, please email AJones@skyventureinc.com. Adam instructs at our Fayetteville training base.

Scott Hode CFI, CFII, MEI

Scott Hode is originally from Crystal Lake, IL. He came to Fayetteville, AR to attend the University of Arkansas on a baseball scholarship. After playing baseball four years for the Razorbacks and graduating with a degree in Kinesiology, Scott was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and played one season in the minor leagues. Following that, he pursued another goal as a place kicker and has spent two seasons in arena football with the South Georgia Wildcats.

After graduating from the University of Arkansas, Scott started his flight training. He grew up with a love for flying. Scott's uncle is a captain for US Airways. Being around the airport all the time and taking many trips to just watch airplanes at Chicago O'Hare's International airport as a kid, he knew this was his career choice outside of sports. Scott completed his Commercial and Multi Engine ratings with SkyVenture and in December of 2007, earned his CFI and began instructing a short time after. Scott now holds CFI, CFII, and MEI certificates.

You may contact Scott Hode by email at: scott@skyventureinc.com  

Mark Frankum CFI, CFII, MEI, DPE

Originally from Toccoa, Georgia, Mark Frankum began flying in 1973. After graduating from Emmanuel College, he entered the U.S. Air Force where he served eight years of active duty as an Aviation Meteorologist. Upon leaving the Air Force in 1986, he took a position with Eastern Airlines as a Staff Meteorologist at Miami, FL. Within a year, Mark moved to Memphis, TN and became one of the founding members of the Federal Express Meteorology Department. He rose to the position of Senior Meteorologist for Federal Express in 1989. While living in Memphis, he acquired a part-time position at the CBS affiliate at Memphis as the Weekend On-Air Meteorologist while continuing his duties at Federal Express. In 1993, Frankum left Federal Express for full-time employment with WREG-TV as an On-air Meteorologist. 

Throughout the years in Memphis, Mark continued to fly regularly and earned his Flight Instructor Certificates. While working as a Television Meteorologist, he instructed on a part-time basis for flight schools such as Douglas Aviation at Olive Branch, MS. After relocating to a new TV station  at Little Rock, he instructed part-time at Central Flying Service. In the fall of 2000, Frankum accepted the Chief Meteorologist position at KAIT-TV in Jonesboro, AR. While instructing part-time for Sharp Aviation at Jonesboro, he met Kathy Moore. Ms. Moore had come to Sharp Aviation to earn her Private Pilot Certificate. Mark and Kathy purchased the flight school from Sharp Aviation and transformed it into an FAA Part 141 Approved Pilot School and a Cessna Pilot Center. The school was renamed “SkyVenture Aviation”. SkyVenture opened a second flight school at Jackson, TN in 2004. This school was relocated to Drake Field, Fayetteville, AR in May 2006. 

You may contact Mark Frankum by email: mark@skyventureinc.com

 

David Dye M.D., A.M.E., CFI

David brings a diverse background and over 25 years of aviation experience to the Skyventure team.  He began his aviation career in 1985 earning his private pilot certificate at Executive Beechcraft in Kansas City, Missouri while attending college and medical school at the University of Missouri.  He continued flying with Executive Beechcraft in Wichita, Kansas earning his instrument and multi-engine ratings while completing a family practice medicine residency.  After completing his residency training in 1990, he served 5 years in the United States Navy serving two tours assigned to Marine Corps aviation units, seeing combat action in Desert Storm where he served as a medevac physician flying in Northern Iraq.  After completing his military service, he moved home to the northeast Arkansas area where he has practiced medicine since 1996.  David is an FAA designated Aviation Medical Examiner and a graduate of the Continental Airlines Pilot Training Center in Houston, Texas having received training in the Boeing 737-800.  David instructs at the Jonesboro office and can be reached at david@skyventureinc.com

 

 

Jeff Williams CFI

Jeff Williams was born at Jonesboro, AR and has always lived in the area. He completed all of his flight training at SkyVenture Aviation over a period ranging from 2006-2009. Aside from flying, Jeff enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting and boating. Jeff is also a skilled farrier. A farrier is a “specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of a horse’s hoof and the placing of shoes to the horse’s foot”. In other words, he can shoe a horse! Another rare skill is Jeff’s qualifications as a Falconer, a hobby that began while still in high school. You may reach Jeff at: Jeff@skyventureinc.com

Tanner Farrar CFI, CFII, MEI

Originally from Kingfisher, OK, Tanner Farrar pursued his pilot certificates and ratings at Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology at Tulsa, OK (2008-2009). He attended and graduating from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 2007 with a Bachelors of Science in Health Science.  As an accomplished athlete, he played football (linebacker) while attending The University of St. Mary’s in Kansas and at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Tanner still enjoys playing sports, especially golf, in his free time.  In 2009 he competed at the national level in the National Intercollegiate Flying Association competition where he competed and placed in almost every flying event.  Before joining our team Tanner instructed at Clinton OK and relocated planes throughout the U.S. Tanner currently holds CFI/CFII/MEI/IGI ratings and instructs at our Fayetteville location at Drake Field.  To contact Tanner, please email him at tanner@skyventureinc.com.

David Vaughan. ATP, CFII, AGI, Pilot Examiner, A&P, IA

Assistant Chief Flight Instructor

David grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and learned to fly while stationed in Honolulu with the Coast Guard in 1965. Most of his time in the Coast Guard was spent on a Weather Ship in the North Pacific. Upon discharge He pursued a flying career attending flight schools in Nevada and California and doing occasional Ranch Work to supplement income. He moved to Arkansas in 1967 working as a Flight Instructor and Charter pilot for a small operator in North Little Rock and then Little Rock. After a brief period at Colorado Aero Tech to acquire skills for His A&P He moved to Jonesboro to fly corporate where He stayed for 33 years. He was active in many areas of the company including sales and marketing. David has always had his hand in Flight Training and continues to do so at Sky Venture. He’s been an examiner since 1992.

David enjoys Skiing, Sailing, Backpacking or just working at his new home in the hills when not flying

Kurt Jones, CFI, CFII

 

Kurt Jones originally grew up in Howell, Michigan with his parents, and an older brother and sister. Growing up, he enjoyed playing little league soccer. At age sixteen, he started and successfully owned and operated a snow removal and lawn care business. He graduated from Hartland High School in 2004, in Hartland, Michigan. Kurt went on to college to study aviation at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. While in college, he studied such courses as Aircraft Systems, Advance Aircraft Systems, Aviation Law, Part 121/135 Aircraft Dispatching, and Flight Management Systems, and eventually became certified as a flight dispatcher. While attending Rocky Mountain College, Kurt was employed by Northwest /Delta Airlines for over four years as a Ramp/Customer Service Agent. While working there, he learned aircraft towing and APU operations.

Kurt graduated from Rocky Mountain College in May, 2008, obtaining a Bachelor Degree in Aeronautical Science. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, especially trips to Italy, along with quick local rides on his motorcycle. Kurt occasionally enjoys an aggressive video game or two, watching movies, hitting golf balls around a challenging golf course, or just relaxing by the pool.

In addition to holding a flight dispatcher certificate, Kurt is currently holds both CFI and CFII certificates. You may contact Kurt at KJones@skyventureinc.com.