About Us

A Great Place to Fly

Aviation is more than a hobby or career — it’s a lifestyle propelled by passion. We work very hard to help every one of our customers cultivate this shared passion with our professional team of aviation experts focused on delivering exceptional experiences that are safe and fun. As a critical component of this effort, we provide an ultramodern, first-rate fleet of both airplanes and helicopters that is ideal for charter, training, or renting.

Premium Air Charters — We offer VIP-caliber air charter service in a variety of safe, versatile, modern, and comfortable aircraft.
World-Class Flight Training — Aspiring pilots excel in our professional flight school thanks to the aid of our state-of-the-art fleet and our incredibly experienced and knowledgeable team of flight instructors.
Superior Aircraft Service — Our maintenance and detailing team is committed to serving our clients with a laser focus on attention to detail, keeping our clients feeling great about their aircraft — both inside and out!

Our Mission

At Sweet Aviation, our customers’ success and satisfaction are at the core of why we do what we do. Our mission is to help customers achieve their ambitions of flight by providing a fun, safe, and memorable experience that accomplishes their aviation goals and exceeds expectations.

Sweet Aviation accomplishes this mission by “Doing the Right Thing!”

Events

The aviation community is a group of like-minded, fun, and passionate individuals, and we try to find and create as many opportunities as possible to bring everyone together. We’d love to see you at one of our upcoming events or classes! We’ll be updating this list monthly, so be sure to check back often or get on our mailing list. If there’s an aviation event or meeting you’d like to schedule at Sweet Aviation, get in touch with us.

Upcoming Events

View All Events

Careers

We’re always on the lookout for aviation enthusiasts as passionate about customer service as we are! If you are interested in joining the Sweet Aviation team here in Fort Wayne, feel free to submit your résumé and cover letter. We’ll keep them on file, and if you seem like the right fit for one of our openings, we’ll give you a call.

Current Openings

Hangar Talk

Welcome to Hangar Talk! If you’re looking to learn more about aircraft and flying or simply want to gain a little insight into pilot life, Hangar Talk has it all!

Current Articles

Our Team

Welcome to Sweet Aviation! Flying is more than a hobby or career — it’s a lifestyle propelled by passion. We work very hard to help every one of our customers cultivate that passion by providing an ultramodern, first-rate fleet, ideal for training, chartering, or renting, along with a professional, highly trained staff who love aviation as much as our customers!

Chuck Surack, Owner

You may recognize Chuck Surack as the Founder of Sweetwater Sound, as the owner of luxury car dealership SweetCars, or as a community leader, serving on the boards of many local non-profit organizations.

What you might not know is that Chuck is a helicopter pilot and aircraft enthusiast. Inspired by his aviator father, Chuck has loved flying since childhood, even keeping his Boy Scouts Aviation merit badge to this day. His first flying experiences were in his dad’s Aeronca Chief based right here at Smith Field. Chuck would go on to own many other airplanes and helicopters, such as the Cessna 414, Cessna Citations, and the Eurocopter EC130, just to name a few. He loves flying and can often be found at the helm of a helicopter. He and his wife, Lisa, have two sons and a daughter.

Joel Pierce, General Manager & Chief Flight Instructor

A fan of flight ever since childhood, Joel earned his private pilot certificate in September 2002.

In 2003, he attended the International ALERT Academy, where he obtained his instrument rating along with his commercial and flight instructor certificates. After graduating, he joined the ALERT faculty as a flight instructor and an assistant department manager. During this time, Joel met his wife, Laura. They married in 2006 and now have two children. In 2008, Joel became the flight operations director for Smith Field Air Service and now leads the staff at Sweet Aviation. Joel has over 5,000 hours of flight instruction and is driven by a passion for helping customers achieve their dreams. Joel is type rated in Sweet Aviation’s Cirrus Vision Jet, certified to fly a customer’s T-28, able to fly some aerobatic maneuvers in the Super Decathlon, and on top of all this, he gets to share his intense passion for flying with so many other aviation enthusiasts in the Fort Wayne area.

Michael Neese, Operations Manager & Certified Helicopter Flight Instructor

Michael is originally from the small Hoosier town of Cloverdale.

After graduating from Manchester University, he relocated to the Indianapolis area, working for an international logistics ompany for six years. He changed career paths abruptly after a helicopter tour around the San Francisco Bay Area. Michael was immediately hooked on aviation. Upon moving to Fort Wayne, Michael began helicopter flight training at Sweet Aviation where he has obtained his fixed-wing private pilot certificate and helicopter CFI rating. In addition to his helicopter instruction duties, Michael also operates a non-profit sports foundation and several other ventures, while aviation remains his passion.

Charter

Andrew Herman, Chief Pilot

Andrew is from Bryan, Ohio, and has flown charters across the country for the last six years based out of Akron and Milwaukee. After getting a taste for flight in seventh grade, Andrew earned his aviation degree from Bowling Green State University and did his flight training in Ohio, Connecticut, and North Dakota. Andrew has flight time and ratings in a multitude of aircraft, and in addition to his charter experience, he has 1,200 hours of flight instruction. He enjoys helping aspiring and current pilots improve their knowledge and skills by sharing his varied experiences, personal knowledge, and passion for flying. Andrew lives in Fort Wayne with his wife and daughter.

Lorin Kaney, Charter Pilot & Certified Flight Instructor

Lorin grew up in Northwest Indiana and has long had a passion for flying.

He started flying at the International ALERT Academy in Big Sandy, Texas, in 2003. Over the next several years, he obtained his private pilot license, his instrument rating, and his airframe and powerplant license. After finishing up his CFI and CFII, he continued on as an instructor at ALERT. He and his wife met at school there and were married in 2011. In June of 2012, he moved to the Fort Wayne area and began working as an instructor at Sweet Aviation. He really enjoys sharing the joy of flying with his students and guiding them to become safe and proficient pilots.

Steven Sparks, Charter Pilot

Steve, originally from Holland, Michigan, is responsible for the operational oversight of the company’s fixed-wing charter aircraft fleet. Steve’s most recent experience was with CIRRUS Aircraft as their director of flight standards in Knoxville, Tennessee. Outside of flying, Steve enjoys reading, landscaping, and playing golf with his family and friends.

Rachel Cheng, Charter Operations Specialist & Maintenance Administrative Assistant

Rachel brings over 15 years of customer service experience to Sweet Aviation.

She is a Fort Wayne native and graduate of Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne, where she obtained a BA in psychology. Rachel joined Sweet Aviation as a customer service representative in 2015 and hopes to join the ranks of being a pilot someday soon!

Instructors

Paul Wilhelmson, Flight Training Manager

Paul grew up in Bolivia flying in mission aviation airplanes and has had a passion for flight ever since.

He earned his private, instrument, commercial, and A&P certificates at the School of Missionary Aviation Technology in Michigan. He then spent a few years working in the mission aviation community as a pilot and A&P in both Indonesia and Bolivia. In 2011, he married his wife, Jami, and they now have four children. Paul spent the last few years working as an A&P/IA in Indianapolis while adding his multi-engine commercial and certified flight instructor ratings. Paul enjoys sharing his unique experience and passion for aviation with others, and he is always ready to help you achieve your aviation goals.

Tyson Whitner, Lead Flight Instructor

Tyson grew up in Fort Wayne and got into flying after his first flight with the Young Eagles at Smith Field.

While attending North Side High School he participated in the Anthis Program, and during his junior and senior years he worked toward his A&P license. After graduation, he attended Indiana State University to pursue a degree in professional flight technologies while also playing football for the Sycamores. Indiana State is where Tyson received his private, instrument, commercial, CFI, and CFII certificates. Tyson is eager to share his passion for flying with the community.

Christopher Houser, Certified Helicopter Flight Instructor

Chris has earned private pilot ratings for both fixed-wing and helicopters and went on to continue his training to earn his helicopter instrument instructor rating.

As a certified helicopter flight instructor, Chris has experience in flying several different makes and models of helicopters, including Bell, Robinson, Eurocopter, Enstrom, and Guimbal. He is also a certified drone operator. Chris is a third-generation pilot and enjoys sharing his passion for flying with the instruction of everyone from first-time flyers to experienced pilots. Chris has a bachelor’s degree in law and society from Purdue University and is an active police officer, having graduated from Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.

Bob Schmelz, Certified Flight Instructor

Bob Schmelz has been an instructor in the Fort Wayne area since March of 1987 and finds aviation to be a wonderful family hobby and career path.

He volunteers with all three aviation programs available to young men, young ladies, and adults: EAA Young Eagles, Scouting’s Aviation Explorers, and the Civil Air Patrol, a United States Air Force Auxiliary. Bob is rated for single-engine land with instrument and commercial privileges, plus glider and multi-engine endorsements.

Carl Dole, Certified Flight Instructor

Carl Dole became interested in aviation at an early age, starting with his first ride in a Cessna 182 piloted by his uncle.

Carl was able to take the controls for part of that flight and caught the aviation bug, eventually working his way to CFI. He has experience in various single-engine aircraft, including being the sole owner of a PA-16 tailwheel aircraft. Carl has taught many college courses as an adjunct instructor and enjoys applying his teaching skills to flight training with Sweet Aviation. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Jonah Cooper, Certified Flight Instructor

Jonah grew up in Central Indiana and has had a passion for aviation ever since taking his first ride in an airliner.

He spent the summer of 2012 at the EAA Air Academy in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he first got to take the controls of an aircraft. He went on to do the rest of his training at Purdue University, where he graduated with a BS in professional flight with a minor in organizational leadership. Jonah attributes much of his love for aviation to his grandfather, who was a surviving crew member of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress during World War II.

Brett Uecker, Certified Flight Instructor

Brett grew up in Churubusco, Ind. and is a graduate of Churubusco High School. He attended Purdue University where he attained a bachelors of science in professional flight technology. His took his first introductory flight at Purdue and it’s one of his most memorable flights to this day. While at Purdue, he received his private, instrument, and commercial pilots license in single and multi-engine aircraft. He also received training in Purdue’s Phenom 100 business jet. He earned his CFI at Sweet Aviation and joined the team of instructors shortly after. He enjoys being able to share his knowledge with new pilots but also learning new things and growing as a pilot himself.

Tony Gongaware, Certified Flight Instructor

Tony grew up in the Chicago area and attended Olivet Nazarene University. After 3 years in full-time youth ministry, he began working as a college baseball coach. Following stops in Illinois, Missouri, and Florida he and his family settled in Fort Wayne. After taking a discovery flight he was immediately ‘all-in’ on pursuing a career in aviation. He is passionate about helping others learn and can’t wait to pass on his enthusiasm for flight with future pilots!

Corey Bonbrake, Certified Flight Instructor

Growing up in Huntington, Indiana, Cory has been fascinated by airplanes since his childhood. At 16 years old, Cory took a discovery flight at the Huntington Municipal Airport and has been flying ever since.

After earning his private pilot certificate and completing high school at Huntington North, Cory attended Purdue University to study professional flight technology. There, he also obtained his commercial pilot’s license for single-engine and multi-engine aircraft, instrument rating, and his flight instructing certificate. Cory loves sharing his passion for aviation and is continually looking for new ways to learn and grow as an instructor and pilot.

Dylan Mast, Certified Flight Instructor

Dylan’s journey in aviation began during his high school summer while loading crop dusters in Shipshewana, Indiana. After graduating from Westview High School, he studied professional flight technology at Purdue University where he earned his instrument rating, commercial ASEL and AMEL certificates, and became a certified flight instructor. Like his mentors did for him, Dylan hopes to instill a love of flying in others through his work.

Rick Knight, Certified Flight Instructor

Rick Knight has been flying for nearly 50 years. His early days were spent at Smith Field where he was a private pilot and flight instructor. Always impressed by military fighters, Rick later entered Air Force pilot training, learning to fly the T-37 and T-38. After graduating, he was assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, where he spent six months training in the F-100 Super Sabre. He then returned to the Fort Wayne Air National Guard, where he spent the next 15 years flying the F-100, F-4C, and F-4E. In 1976, he began working for American Airlines; he flew the 727, S80, 737, 757, and 767. His airline career spanned over 35 years and allowed him to travel the world. In 2000, he became an instructor, or “check airman,” for the airline in the S80 and later in the 737, training pilots in both the simulator and the aircraft. He expanded his check airman role in 2002 when he became part of the Human Factors team and later the Human Factors lead check airman and developer of programs. When US Airways purchased American Airlines in early 2013, Rick was part of the team involved in merging the two training programs. He retired from American Airlines in 2015 and has come back to Smith Field to help with developing and teaching ground school.

Keith Phillips, Certified Flight Instructor

Keith grew up in Holland, Michigan, and graduated from Hamilton High School. After high school, Keith attended Kellogg Community College, where he competed on the Bruins’ baseball team. Keith continued his academic and athletic career at Concordia University Ann Arbor where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. He then attended flight school in Fort Myers, Florida, where he earned his PPL, Instrument, Commercial ASEL and AMEL as well as his CFI, CFII, and MEI certificates. While Keith’s passion is aviation, which stems from flying with his father at a young age, he also enjoys the outdoors and is an avid golfer, hunter, and fisherman. Keith is excited to share his passion for aviation and is always seeking new ways to grow and learn as a pilot.

Josh Huber, Certified Flight Instructor

Josh is a Certified Flight Instructor.

Maintenance

Sean Barr, Director of Maintenance & Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Sean is originally from the Detroit, Michigan, area.

After graduating with honors from the US Air Force Academy with a BS in political science and a German language minor, he went on to serve 11 years on active duty as an Air Force special operations pilot. During that time, he logged over 2,100 hours of flight time, including over 1,000 hours of combat time over Iraq and Afghanistan. He flew C-130, AC-130, and PC-12 aircraft and earned a Bronze Star and 11 Air Medals. He later earned an MA in theological studies from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and spent two years pastoring a small church in Lynchburg, Virginia, while attending A&P school. After graduating first in his class from Liberty University’s aviation maintenance technician program, he earned A&P inspector authorization through self-study. Sean has four daughters, and in addition to his flight and theological interests, he also enjoys traveling, camping, hunting, and spending time with his family.

Austin Scheiderer, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Austin is a Certified Aircraft Mechanic.

Darrin Schwartz, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Darrin is a Certified Aircraft Mechanic.

Miguel Palma, Aircraft Detailer

Miguel is an Aircraft Detailer.

Customer Service

Taylor Brennan, Lead Customer Service Representative

Taylor grew up in Arizona and received her bachelor of science degree in psychology from ASU. She spent the next several years working in education and playing locally in her band. After taking discovery flights in both a Robinson R44 and a Cherokee 180 and then a tour in Hawaii in an EC130, she was determined to become part of the aviation industry. She is not a certified pilot yet, but she has since relocated to Fort Wayne and is excited to work closely with those who share a passion for aircraft to learn more each day about the world of aviation.

Scotty Hepler, Pilot & Customer Service Representative

Scotty works as a corporate recruiter for Buchanan Hauling and Rigging. He became a private pilot in 1986 and retired from the Air National Guard as an air traffic controller after 22 years. He also retired as a volunteer firefighter and EMT after 22 years of service. He is a member of Central Church in Fort Wayne.

Michael Brewer, Pilot & Customer Service Representative

Michael attended Vincennes University in the aviation flight program.

There, he received private, commercial, and instrument flight training. He only recently returned to the aviation industry after an exciting 18-year adventure in the live music industry. Now, being a part of the “Sweet Family” of businesses, he gets to enjoy his passion for both music and flying.

Tim Ormsby, Pilot & Customer Service Representative

Tim has a longtime love for flying, obtaining his private pilot license in 1987 right here at Smith Field Airport.

Tim incorporated flying into the truck sales business he owned until 2017. He has owned several different single and twin-engine airplanes and has logged over 3,450 hours of total flight time. Tim is a mission pilot with the Civil Air Patrol and enjoys doing Young Eagle flights and flying rescue dogs to new foster homes for Pilots ‘n Paws.

Brandon Graber, Pilot & Customer Service Representative

Born in Nebraska, Brandon has called Fort Wayne home since 2004. His passion for helicopters began after he graduated from Indiana University when an Army officer training battalion arranged for UH-60 Blackhawks to give students in military leadership courses an aerial view of the Bloomington campus. In an instant, his desired career path changed to focus on becoming a pilot. As a Sweet Aviation customer since 2017, Brandon obtained his private helicopter certificate in 2019. He is working toward his commercial rating and hopes to be a CFI for Sweet Aviation and an ATP-rated helicopter pilot.

Taylor Fear, Customer Service Representative

Taylor was born and raised in Northeast Indiana. After graduating high school from Bluffton, he attended IPFW and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Shortly after graduating from IPFW (now PFW), Taylor took his first Discovery Flight at Sweet Aviation and was instantly hooked and now plans to pursue flight training to become a pilot. When he is not busy studying for his MBA, he enjoys helping others start their aviation journey.

Hannah Allred, Accounting

A lifelong resident of the Fort Wayne area, Hannah joined Sweet Aviation in June of 2014.

She is not a pilot (yet), but she does enjoy the aviation community and looks forward to her annual trips to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.