Gene is not only a hilarious and awesome guy, but an amazing instructor. A few months ago I attended ground school and flight training for Mokulele Airlines. I am a Spanish native speaker and haven't flown on the right seat before I went to Hawaii. I was strugling with 'call outs' and handling the airplane before my checkride. Gene gave me about 10hrs of flight training and a few of ground, but I have to say that he went above and beyond with his efforts to help me pass my tests. Now I am living the dream in this paradise. Thank you Gene! PD: He is good at what he does, so he is busy sometimes. Schedule with time and work on your own in what he suggests. You will be successful, I promise. read more

Oh my! Gene is an awesome instructor! When Gene was recommended to me by one of his students I was ready to give up.... Nothing made sense to me and I felt like I was throwing away money. Well after one lesson with Gene I was ready to give flying another chance! When the instructor believes in you more than you believe in yourself you know you are at the right place... I am a senior citizen, in my sixties and I honestly believe I will solo very soon! I never thought I would understand the traffic pattern! I am telling you, hear my words....If he can teach me...who had ZERO background just imagine what you will accomplish! read more

Gene of Direct Aviation is the flight instructor I wish I had trained with from the beginning of my piloting career! His knowledge and actual professional experience of the aviation world, patience, and very personable personality makes him the best instructor out there! He takes upon himself the responsibility of instructing and making you, as his student, feel confident in your own skills and knowledge from basic flying to your future career as a pilot! I was fortunate he spared me the time to train me one-on-one all day long, an approach unheard of with other instructors. The result: you learn a lot more and can reach your flying goals much faster! He personally tailored my training to my needs. Upon completion of my training with him, and due to me living out of state, he offered his help to me at any time via email and Skype with any questions that I may have in the future about anything; absolutely above and beyond a typical instructor! His airplanes and facilities are well kept, conveniently located at the Hayward Airport, and has everything you need! Stop looking for a flight instructor; you have found Gene!! read more

I started with Direct Aviation a little over seven months ago, and was introduced to this wonderful flight school from a colleague. Since I was a young child, I've always wanted to learn to fly. Right after I completed my studies at my university, I thought it would be a great idea to allocate my free time to flight training and earn a private pilot certificate at the least. I decided I wanted to train out of the Cessna 172. So, I took up on my colleague's recommendation to try out Direct Aviation. I have met with the CFI there named Gene. Gene has an amazing personality. He is full of joy and laughter at every corner. He made flying a great experience for me. Before I started my flight lesson, I had spent some time working on ground instructions with Gene. He will walk you through every single scenario until you fully understand the concept of the topic. When it came to the flight training portion, at first it felt as if I was learning how to drive a car again and having your best friend with you showing you the ropes, tip and tricks in becoming a safe and skilled driver. Gene is exactly that! His training are not just only fun, but he preps you to become the safest skilled pilot out there. He will make sure you understand what it means to fly a plane and how to use the instrument on the aircraft properly. His work is straight from the heart. Very passionate about flying and never gets tried of teaching. He is very knowledgeable and will provide you with the best of information you need to become a successful and safe pilot for the years to come. When it came to check ride preparation, Gene will ensure you are 100% ready for the practical test. During my preparation, he was very thorough and will ensure every aspect is 100% before you take your test. Because of Gene, I completed my practical test on 03/01/2017 and passed! I am officially a certificated private pilot! I plan to continue my training at Direct Aviation and look forward to earning my instrument rating and other ratings in the near future. I would highly recommend this amazing flight school and it truly was a great opportunity and pleasure being there! read more

Gene is an amazing instructor. He has gone above and beyond as an instructor for me. He really cares about his students and I couldn't recommend him more. read more

Best place to quickly and efficiently complete any flight training needs and also if youre interested in aviation. Gene is such an awesome character and can break anything you don't understand down to a language you understand. Direct aviation is very fair when it comes to costs and the aircraft he has access to is very safe and nice (very meticulous maintenance records). If youre thinking about becoming a pilot, stop thinking and just call Gene! Also he will help you with anything that you need to get a rating or license in the quickest and most efficient way possible. He always treated me with respect as I did with him and is an amazing instructor. read more