Instructor John Kutsuzawa, CFI, CFII
“Flight instructing is a great way to pass on to others the joy, fun, and ease of flying,” says John Kutsuzawa, CFI and CFII. “And by teaching others how to fly, I also become a better pilot.”
Unlike many pilots, however, John never harbored a life-long interest in aviation. In fact, he didn’t give flying a second thought – until a friend started taking flight lessons. For nearly two years, John heard all about his friend’s flying experiences.
“Flying sounded great,” John recalls. “I just didn’t know how to get started.” He was looking for a new pursuit that would take the edge off another of his hobbies, playing in highly competitive volleyball leagues. It was consuming too much of his free time.
An intro flight in the summer of 1998 ignited his desire to fly. “Once I was back down on the ground, I knew this was something I could accomplish - so I signed up for my first lesson,” he remembers. Within the next year, John earned his Private certificate.
At that point, John wanted more aviation challenges, and “suddenly felt the urge to become a CFI.” Teaching is not foreign to John: He tutored mathematics and computer languages while at Columbia University, where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
With his newly minted private pilot certificate in hand, he set off for North American Institute of Aviation in Conway, S.C., where he learned his Instrument and Commercial ratings, as well as his CFI and CFII certificates in 2000. He also picked up his high performance and tail dragger sign-offs. He returned to northern New Jersey in August, 2000 and began teaching at the same school where he first had his first intro flight - Aero Safety Training.
In his spare time, John still plays volleyball, and he also skis during the winter months when snow prevents flying.
