Instructors

Hello!  My name is Matthew and my childhood dream was to be a military pilot and around my senior year of high school I decided to join the Army just not as a pilot.  In 2023 I decided to get out of the military and pursue my aviation career.  After earning all of my ratings I joined the team here at Race City and can’t wait to meet you all and help you achieve your aviation goals!!

Hey, I’m John! I grew up around here and spent my summers out on Lake Norman, now I get to fly over it.I graduated from NC State in 2019 and worked for a little while to take a break from school before going back to get my Master’s to pursue a career in teaching. When the pandemic hit and all schools went virtual I decided to take a step back and reevaluate. I tried my hand in healthcare but ultimately decided it may not be the best fit for me. In 2022 I went on a Discovery Flight and was immediately hooked, I was “bit by the bug”. I’ve since change my career to aviation and haven’t looked back once. It’s such privilege to now get to teach people about the joys of the skies that I fell in love with. 

Hello! My name is Dylan, and I was born and raised in Mooresville, NC. Growing up, I wasn’t quite sure what my ultimate career goal was. That changed in May of 2023, just before I graduated high school, when an instructor from Race City offered to take me up for a discovery flight. It was truly eye-opening—and from that moment on, I was bitten by the flying bug. That flight lit a fire in me, and I became fully committed to pursuing a career in aviation. I completed my training at Race City in February of 2025, and I’m proud to say I’ve now come full circle: I’ve been given the opportunity to be an instructor at the very same school that helped turn me from zero to hero. I’m excited to pass along the knowledge and skills I’ve gained at Race City, and I look forward to helping shape the next generation of safe, responsible pilots!

Hello, my name is Merritt Metzler! I always knew I wanted to be a pilot, the first one in my family, but never knew how to get started. After graduating from ECU, my business management degree wasn’t giving me the excitement I hoped for. That’s when I decided to take the leap of faith and make my dream a reality. I took my discovery flight and completed all my training and certifications with Race City. I’m excited now to be able to share my passion for aviation with student pilots, where it all began for me. I can’t wait to share the plane and the skies with you!

Hello, I’m Alexis! I grew up in the Lake Norman area, not really sure of what I wanted to do “when I grow up”. In 2020, I followed in my mom’s footsteps and started grooming dogs. While I love working with animals, I eventually realized it was not a career I wanted to pursue long-term. In 2023, I was introduced to aviation after a family friend started flying and also getting to see Life Flight helicopters fly while a family member was in the hospital. After the idea of learning to fly peaked my interest, I came to Race City for a discovery flight. I instantly knew I had found what I wanted to do! I’ve been flying ever since, earning all my certificates and ratings here at Race City. Now, I’m doing what I love everyday and enjoying every moment of it. I’m excited to see where this adventure takes me, and I can’t wait to help others do the same along the way! 

Hey, I'm Jack! I'm a 2nd generation pilot, and have been absolutely obsessed with aviation, planes, and flying since I was a young child! I had originally spent my life working towards my goal of joining Marine Corps aviation, just like my dad. Ultimately, I pivoted to general aviation. I took a discovery flight in 2021, and starting in 2022 I worked through every single one of my certificates and ratings right here at Race City Flight Ops! Even now, more than ever, I find sharpening my skills and jockeying aircraft to be the greatest part of my life. Now, I get to share my passion by helping others discover their wings and master the skies. I'm looking forward to meeting you!

Hey, my name is Charlie! I grew up on Lake Norman and I’ve been around aviation in one way or another for pretty much my entire life. After high school I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pursue as career until my dad suggested I consider flying. I’m not sure why it took me as long as it did to land on the idea but I couldn’t be happier that I did. I love all types of flying but my favorite would have to be grass strip hopping in the ole Piper Cub. I completed all of my ratings here at Race City and couldn’t be more excited to continue my career here as an instructor. My goal is to follow in my grandfather and father’s footsteps and become a third generation airline pilot.

Hello ! My name is Sam. I was born a raised in Connecticut and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after I graduated from high school. While I was stationed at Williams AFB in Arizona, I started taking flying lessons to fulfill  my lifelong dream to become an airline pilot.I earned my Private and Commercial while I was in Arizona and when I was discharged, I returned to Connecticut and completed all my ratings through CFI, CFII, & CFIME.I then worked as a CFI for a few flight schools until I was hired by Southern Jersey Airways Allegany Commuter in 1983. Over a period of about 15 years, I also flew for Paradise Island Airlines, Pan Am Express and Piedmont airlines. While at the commuters I flew the Twin Otter, BA-3100 Jetstream, Dash 7 and Dash 8.  I’ve also worked at FlightSafety International in Toronto Canada as the Dash 7 Program Manager while I was on one of my 5 furloughs throughout my career!In 1999 I was hired by my dream job, US Airways and flew the A-320, B-737, and the FK-100 until I was furloughed due to the events of 9/11.In 2003 US Airways started the Embraer 170 division and I was selected as an Initial Cadre check airman and spent two years in Montreal Canada developing the program and training the pilots.In 2006 US Airways transitioned to the Embraer 190 and I continued to work as a check airman and Aircrew Program Designee (APD) until my retirement in 2021.I have a passion for flight training and curriculum development. I was involved in training and checking everywhere I worked!I have a master’s degree in human Factors from Embry-Riddle and a MBA from Thomas Edison State University.I’m thrilled to be joining Race City to help to train the next generation of airline pilots!

Hey, I’m Steve! I’ve always been interested in flying but never really knew where to get started. After I graduated from AppState in 2020 with a Criminal Justice degree, I worked as a Paralegal for several years. I decided that the office wasn’t for me and took a discovery flight at a nearby airport - and that single flight changed my life. 

Since then, I’ve attended several flight schools, learning some of the ins and outs of aviation and gaining valuable experience along the way. Eventually, I found RCFO, where everything finally clicked. The training environment, instructors, and community all felt like the perfect fit, and it’s where I’ve grown into the pilot I am today.

What started as a curiosity has turned into a lifelong pursuit. I’ve earned my Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot License, and I’m now continuing to build experience as a Flight Instructor, helping others discover the same joy of flight that first inspired me.

Hi! I grew up in Raleigh and have been absolutely in love with aviation ever since my dad got me a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator when I was 11 years old. I got my Private pilot’s license in high school and then put flying on pause during college and a 3-year stint working in corporate finance. I decided to take the leap to full time flying in early 2025 and have loved every moment since. I really love witnessing those “ah-ha” moments as a flight instructor when things click for my students. Look forward to flying with you!

Hey there, My name is Kyle! I was born and raised in New Jersey. While in New Jersey, I was in the Marine Corps Reserves and worked as a 911 operator. In 2021, I moved to Mooresville with my parents and reached a point where I was reconsidering my career. Up until this point, most of my life was driving towards a career in law enforcement and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Ultimately, I landed on wanting to become a pilot due to my desire for responsibility and adventure. At the time, I had ZERO connections to anything with aviation, so I looked into flight schools near me. I found Race City Flight Ops and scheduled my discovery flight on May 22, 2024. Ever since that flight, I have loved every single moment and now have a second family with aviation. I have always loved teaching people and the reward of seeing people succeed is what makes me love it even more. In 2025, I became an Advanced Ground Instructor. Through the use of the VR motion simulator, I have been helping people learn and explore aviation in a way that allows for a more immersive training experience. I am very excited to introduce you to the aviation world that I love and to help you achieve all your aviation dreams!