Andrew Herman ,
Chief Pilot
Originally from Bryan, Ohio, Andrew got his first taste of flight back in the seventh grade and hasn’t slowed down since. He went on to earn his aviation degree from Bowling Green – Milwaukee and completed his flight training in Ohio, Connecticut, and North Dakota.
Andrew’s flight time and ratings are in a multitude of aircraft resulting in over 1,200 hours of flight instruction and charter experience.
Joel Pierce ,
General Manager, Chief Flight Instructor & Charter Pilot
With well over 20 years of flight experience, Joel’s passion for flight knows no bounds. In 2002 Joel earned his private pilot certificate, later attending the International Air Land Emergency Resource Team (ALERT) Academy where he obtained his instrument rating along with his commercial and flight instructor certificates.
At over 5,000 hours of flight instruction, Joel now leads the staff at Sweet Aviation and passionately assists the aviation enthusiasts of Fort Wayne with reaching their dreams of flight. He is type rated in Sweet Aviation’s Cirrus Vision Jet, certified to fly client’s T-28, as well as highly skilled in aerobatic maneuvers in the Super Decathlon.
Steven Sparks ,
Charter Pilot
Head of operational oversight of Sweet Aviation’s fixed-wing charter aircraft fleet, Steven originally hails from Holland, Michigan. Before joining the team, Steven was in Knoxville, Tennessee where he was the Director of Flight Standards with CIRRUS Aircraft.
In his down-time, Steven enjoys playing golf, working on his landscaping, and reading.
Tyler Beachy ,
Charter Pilot
From the Army National Guard to Envoy Air, Tyler has had his head in the clouds from a young age. Born in Goshen, Indiana, Tyler graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Professional Flight Technology.
A Learjet 35, Falcon 20 aircraft, CRJ 700, and ERJ 175 are just a few of the aircraft that Tyler has flown along with the Pilatus PC-12 he currently operates.
Tyler is back in his hometown of Goshen with his wife, Tiffany, and their two daughters.
Lorin Kaney ,
Charter Pilot & Certified Flight Instructor
Lorin began his journey in aviation in 2003 at the ALERT Academy in Texas, eventually obtaining his private pilot license, instrument rating, A&P license, and CFI/CFII.
Born in Northwest Indiana, Lorin moved to Fort Wayne with his wife and what he enjoys most about Sweet Aviation is the opportunity to share in the joy of flight with his students as well as guide them to becoming safe and proficient pilots.
Tyson Whitner ,
Lead Flight Instructor & Charter Pilot
A Fort Wayne native, Tyson first got his taste of flying at Smith Field with the Young Eagles. He followed that passion through high school, participating in programs that led him towards his A&P license. He later graduated from Indiana State University with a degree in Professional Flight Technology while playing football for the Sycamores.
Tyson also has his private, instrument, commercial, and CFI/CFII certificates and is eager to share his passion for flying with the Fort Wayne community.
Rachel Cheng ,
Charter Operations Specialist & Maintenance Administrative Assistant
Originally from Fort Wayne, Rachel joined the Sweet Aviation family in 2015 and has over fifteen years of customer service experience. She is a graduate of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne with a bachelor’s in psychology and is looking forward to becoming a pilot herself soon.