Birmingham Flight Center
Our Team
Among the top reasons our students decide to enroll with us is our professional staff, who are involved in their educational process every step of the way. Get to know more about each of our team members below.
BFC Management
(Capability and ambition delivered)
Steven Pickett
Chief Executive Officer
Born and raised in South Florida, Steven grew up flying with his father, Harley Pickett. After high school, he came to Alabama in 1983 to join the united states air force, where he was in the security forces. After serving for 3 years at Incirlik air base, turkey, he returned to Alabama to attend Troy university. His college plans at Troy were put on hold when his daughter was born, so he began pursuing maintenance certification and eventually obtained his A&P certification while serving the Army national guard as a flight engineer for CH47-D. He later transferred to the Air national guard to serve as a Pneudrolics mechanic. During that time, he applied for and passed the selection process to become a boom operator on the KC-135. While serving as a boom operator, he shifted gears in his aviation career by pursuing his pilot license. Starting with a Cessna 172 (that eventually grew into an entire flight school) he earned all of his certifications up to ATP certification. He then worked full time in a corporate aviation department while serving part time in the Guard.
Credentials
All certification up to APT
Type Ratings: BE-300;BE-400;CE-525s;CE-560XL;CE-650; CE-680; MU-300
with sic privileges in the G-1159 and the G-IV.
Greg Floyd
Director of Operations
Born and raised near Albuquerque New Mexico, Greg always had a passion for aviation. He grew up flying sailplanes on the weekends, achieving his Private Sailplane certification at age 17. After graduating High school, he first attempted to join the Air Force academy. Not making the final cut, he decided to go with the competition and attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (AZ) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science with a minor in Aviation Safety. In June 2010, he moved to Birmingham to start working at BFC, and progressed steadily through the ranks of line instructor, Chief instructor, and presently is the Director of Operations. Though most often in meetings or corporate flights, he has a deep passion for teaching and regularly flies with the students at BFC.
Credentials
CFI,CFII,MEI,AGI,IGI, ATP, CSIP
Type Ratings: BE-300;BE-400;CE-525s;CE-560XL;CE-650;CE-680;MU-300 with sic in LR-45.
Wade Cleckler
Chief Instructor
Wade grew up in Mobile but moved to Birmingham to pursue a career in aviation through a local 141 program. After a year and a half he left that program to train at the Birmingham Flight Center. During this time Wade fueled aircraft for Atlantic aviation where he eventually worked his way up to a management position. While training with us, Wade acquired all his ratings through CFII and Multi-Commercial and is continuing to both train and be trained. If he is not instructing or flying for our owners, he is likely playing golf in his spare time. He plans to stay with the Birmingham Flight center and has no interest going to the airlines. He enjoys teaching people how to do the thing he loves and help them pursue their dreams.
Credentials
CFI, CFII
Type Ratings: CE-525s, SIC in CE-560XL, SIC in CE-650, CE-680
Maintenance Professionals (Quality leading safety)
Chris Vanbuskirk
Director of Maintenance
Born in Indiana, Chris recalls fondly his grandfather taking him to watch aircraft depart and land at KIND. He credits these early memories towards his love of aviation. After high school, he attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University where he began his work towards becoming a pilot as well as discovering a deep interest in maintenance studies. He took the interest in maintenance even further, and after graduating college, he enrolled at Redstone Maintenance College in Denver CO. This prepared him for the challenging field of aircraft maintenance, and he excelled at his first major in the care and upkeep of the Mighty CH-47 Chinook for a major cargo operator. He remained in service to the cargo operator and the chinooks from 2013 to 2019, gaining invaluable skills and experience in dynamic environments and complex systems. Now he is focused on settling down and growing a wonderful family in the beautiful south while honing those skills to keep up BFC’s ever growing fleet of training and management aircraft. In his free time, he likes to watch football (Go Dolphins!), read, play video games, and restore classic firearms.
Credentials
A&P, I.A.
Staff Instructors (Professionalism delivered)
Dalton Derr
Instructor
Dalton is a Birmingham native and a first generation pilot. He went to Auburn University graduating Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Aviation Management in 2018. After graduating, Dalton pursued flight training full time at a flight school located south of Atlanta before returning home to finish his Certified Flight Instructor Training at the Birmingham Flight Center
Credentials
CFI, CFII
Spencer Lundy
Instructor
Born and raised in rural Northwest Georgia, Spencer is a first generation pilot and is excited to be instructing with Birmingham Flight Center. Since his first flight, Spencer knew he needed to pursue his dream of being a professional pilot. He attended Auburn University obtaining a degree in Aviation Management and minor in Business Administration. Upon completion of his undergraduate degree, he attended ATP flight school at the DeKalb-Peachtree airport in Atlanta, Georgia to become a certified flight instructor. In his spare time, Spencer enjoys tennis, theater, and jamming to his favorite bands on guitar. He looks forward to sharing the knowledge he has gained in aviation to aspiring aviators.
Credentials
CFI, CFII, MEI
Seth Keahey
Instructor
Seth is from Trussville, AL. He is a first generation pilot and has always been interested in aviation but after watching a movie about a rescue pilot he decided to make a career out of it. Seth attended Auburn University and earned a degree in Aviation Management with a minor in Business Administration. After graduation, he moved to Atlanta where he began flight training full time to earn his certificates and ratings. He is now a Certified Flight Instructor, along with CFII and MEI. Seth is happy to be back in Birmingham where he will be closer to family and friends and be able to share his passion for flying.
Credentials
CFI, CFII, MEI
Dawsen Di Pietro
Instructor
Born and raised in Reno Nevada, He was gifted a discovery flight at the age of 13 that changed his life forever. After high school, Dawsen transfered to Auburn University to train in aviation and pursure a lifelong dream. He would like to continue to grow as an aviator and has aspirations of one day flying for FedEx!
Credentials
CFI, CFII, MEI
Kaivalya Bhagat
Instructor
Born and raised in Surat India, KV always had a passion for flying! He worked hard and got accepted to Auburn university as a transfer student in Professional aviation Studies. He achieved his PPL rating, and then went on to ATP to get all the other qualifications. He then flew in Pensacola, but always wanted to work and live in the great state of ALABAMA! War Eagle! In his free time he loves hanging out with friends and a great football game! He aspires to be a space shuttle pilot one day!
Credentials
CFI, CFII, MEI
Customer Service Representatives (Front office professionals)
Rebekah Smith
CSR
Rebekah was born and raised in Birmingham Alabama, and is a proud Mom to 5 amazing kids. Outdoors oriented, she loves hiking, fishing, kayaking, and pretty much anything fun and outdoors! Also a big music fan, you can usually catch her at the next big concert or music festival. She is a tremendous asset to BFC, and is always ready to help you handle the accounting side of flight training. She helps make sure that the paperwork is always a breeze!
Hannah Bryant
CSR, CFI in training
Hannah was born and raised in Birmingham Alabama, and has had a lifelong goal to be a pilot at FedEx with her dad. This drive has carried her through numerous ratings at BFC, and she is a success story here with our team! When not focused on flying, you can often catch her helping with the front office work, and using her earned expertise to mentor new students at BFC, or helping Rebekah process paperwork and schedules.
Credentials
CFI, (very soon!)
PVT, IFR, CSEL
Part time Instructors (Full time dedication)
Col. (Ret.) Scott Grant
Part time Instructor
Born and raised in West Virginia, Scott attended West Virginia University and graduated in 1987, as a USAF 2Lt. In USAF pilot training, he flew T-37 and T-38 aircraft at Columbus AFB, MS. Scott was selected to fly KC-135 tanker aircraft being stationed at Griffiss AFB, NY and Dyess AFB, TX achieving instructor and evaluator pilot status. In 1994, Scott came to Birmingham, AL as a functional test flight pilot on the KC-135 at Pemco Aeroplex . In 1996, he left the active duty Air Force and joined the AL Air National Guard as a part-time KC-135 Instructor Pilot and also became an FAA Aviation Inspector (ASI) at the Birmingham FSDO. In 1998, Scott left the FAA and entered full time employment with the 117 th Air Refueling Wing where he elevated to the rank of Colonel and served his last 2 ½ years as the Wing Commander. In August, Scott retired after 33 years of flying service in the KC-135. In addition to his flying at BFC, Scott is a part-time KC-135 simulator instructor for CAE at Altus AFB, OK.
CFI, CFII, MEI. ATP, FE turbojet
Type Ratings: B-707/720, CE-560XL; SIC in CE-650, CE-525, CE-680
Credentials
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cliff Hindman
Part time Instructor
Cliff is from Childersburg, AL and graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1982. His first USAF assignment was instructing advanced pilot training in the T-38 Talon. He went on to fly the A-10 Warthog in Europe and then as an instructor in Tucson, AZ. He finished his military career flying the KC-135 for the Alabama Air National Guard here in Birmingham. Cliff, call sign "Buster," enjoys teaching tailwheel, aerobatics, and formation, as well as competition sailplane flying.
CFI, CFII, MEI. ATP, FE turbojet
Type Ratings: B-707/720
Credentials