Get To Know Us
THE EXECUTIVE TEAM
TOM SMITH
Co-Founder
The late Tom Smith was the Co-founder of Centennial Flyers and a retired Legacy Airline Captain. Tom was also a recipient of the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. This award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots and requires more then 50 years of professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise.
SCOTT SMITH
Owner / DO
Scott is a current Boeing 777 Pilot for a major airline and Owner/Director of Operations at Centennial Flyers.
DEBI SMITH
Secretary / Treasurer
Debi is a practicing registered nurse, by trade, since 1985, and the gal behind the scenes. Debi assists with many of the daily management tasks required for day -to -day operations.
PILOT LEADERSHIP TEAM
PAUL SCIERA
Chief Pilot
Paul is a retired Continental Pilot with extensive domestic and international experience. Over 32 years of flying as Captain and First Officer on B737, B757, B767 & Flight Engineer on B727, A300. He is also a flight instructor in general aviation for over 50 years with CFI, CFII, MEI, 3000+ hrs of instruction given and 33,000+ total flight time. Paul is also the recipient of the prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award!
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Paul Sciera
303-881-9301
BRANDON T.
Senior Safety Pilot
Brandon is a former Naval Aviator,Aerospace Engineer, and now Program Manager & part-time MEI/CFI. He is a hybrid instructor pilot educated through military and civilian flight programs, including the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and FAA Part 61, with 20 years’ flying experience.
Brandon offers integrated flight instruction, from discovery/intro flights, single and multi-engine training, to military jet aviators transitioning to general aviation. As a part-time FAA instructor pilot since 2006, he is generally available weekends, early morning/late afternoon weekdays, and potentially other times with sufficient planning.
Brandon.Thompson_USNA@outlook.com
678.360.0484
ROB HILL
Asst. Chief Pilot
BILL DUNN
Asst. Chief Pilot
Rob is a native Denverite and soloed at Centennial on his 16th birthday and got his private on his 17th birthday. He has a BSE from Princeton University in Management Systems and a minor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He played on the professional squash tour for ten years, retired and worked for Prince Sports and then ran tech startups. He and his family lived in Madrid, Spain for 13 years before returning to Colorado in 2012. Rob has flown small planes from Alaska to Hawaii, Canada to Spain and has many hours in the Colorado mountains has over 1,300 total hours.
His focus in teaching is on understanding the plane, the airspace, communications and each person’s unique characteristics. If you want to get your Private, Commercial, Multiengine or need a checkout for High Performance, Complex or Mountain Flying, I am available to get you there. I can work with you on flying better and safer...in Colorado we have a lot of challenges given the altitude, weather, and the hot summers. Cessnas, Beechcraft, Pipers are my sweet spot. Teaching is my love along with flying!
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Rob Hill
+1.720.469.8069 cell
SKYPE: robhill84
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Native to Colorado, Bill grew up in a ‘flying family’ learning to fly in the Colorado mountains with his father, a natural resources pilot. In his youth, Bill gained hands-on experience in number of different aircraft. On his 16th birthday in Montrose, CO, he soloed planes including a 1947 Bonanza, a Piper PA18 Super Cub, and a PA28. Bill spent his career in aviation, and recently retired from Denver TRACON (Approach Control/FAA ATC) after 40 years in combined work different air traffic control facilities. In addition to flight instruction, he now works developing IFR procedures, and as a Flight Validation Pilot, for RNAV PBN procedures.
Bill holds ATP (ME Land), COMM (SE Land & Sea) and CFII/SE&ME certificates and ratings, with over 36 years of CFI experience. Bill specializes in high-elevation and mountain flight training, and is an assistant Mountain Flying Chairman with the Colorado Pilot’s Association.
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3032467758
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ED OLIVETT
Asst. Chief Pilot
Maintenance Director
Ed is a Colorado native and has been flying for over 10 years. First and foremost, he is a husband to Marie and a father to Lydia. Ed loves to fly, watch movies, spend time outside, and travel. He has aspirations of becoming a bush pilot overseas and loves flying tailwheel airplanes.
Ed earned his private certificate in Gainesville, Georgia in 2014 and hasn't stopped achieving ratings since! He holds Commercial single- and multi-engine ratings with instrument as well as CFI/CFII/MEI. Ed obtained his A&P (Airframe & Powerplant) rating in 2020 and also holds his Inspection Authorization (IA). He works part-time at a shop to maintain his mechanic skills and currency.
Ed has experience in over 30 different models of airplanes from Beechcraft, Cessna, Cirrus, Diamond, Helio, Luscombe, Maule, Pilatus, Piper, Zenair, and more! Ed primarily spends his time doing aircraft checkouts for new and current members as well as CFI checkouts. He also does a bit of contract flying and ferrying. Don't hesitate to reach out to see if Ed is a good fit for you and what you're looking to accomplish in your flight training!​
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