ROB SPORRER has been flying paragliders since 1995, and teaching since 1998. Rob holds an Advanced Paragliding Rating, Advanced Instructor Rating, Tandem Instructor Rating, and is both a Tandem Administrator and Instructor Administrator. Rob was awarded the United States 2002 Instructor of the Year Award from the United States Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association. Rob is also a certified EMT, and a member of the Sheriff Department's Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue Team.
KEVIN McGINLEY has been working with Eagle for a numbers of years. He has helped coach pilots who participate on our tours, and brought people to their knees with his cooking on these trips. Kevin started flying and teaching in Telluride, and has spent many days flying and teaching at the Point of the Mountain in Utah. He holds an Advanced Paragliding Rating, Advanced Instructor Rating, and Tandem Instructor Rating. He has received rave reviews from students and pilots who have worked with him at Elings Park and our Mountain sites on the South Coast.
TY SPORRER first flew on a paraglider in 1996, but really only became a full time pilot in 2005. He joined the Eagle Staff in the Spring of 2008. He is instructing frequently at Elings Park. Ty has also made huge contributions to the Eagle web site and store. He has paragliding in his blood and you can look for Ty to be teaching and flying with the Eagle Team as long as the sun is shining.
ANTONIO CARDENAS is his given name, but we all know and love him as Kabir. He came through Eagle's program, and was a perfect fit to become an instructor. Kabir has experience with the distinguished National Outdoor Leadership School. He has been putting in lots of time as a Basic Paragliding Instructor at Elings Park getting many people up in the air on their first flights. He lives on the ridge line close to the Alternator Launch so be sure to call him for a condition report in the mountains. He enjoys surfing, spending time with his wife Corey, his daughter Talulah and his son Mateo.
BRAD GUNNUSCIO is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the best all around pilot in the United States. He is the #1 ranked pilot in U.S. Cross Country Competition flying, and is one of the best Acro pilots in the United States. Brad does all the radio coaching at our SIV/Maneuvers Clinics. He has made a name for himself with is maneuvers coaching skills, and the way he takes each individual student through a custom progression which matches their experience. He also travels with us on tours all over the world, and helps out at the training hill, and with tandems when he is in Santa Barbara.
LEE KAHN is quite an accomplished pilot and instructor. Lee is a captain for Skywest Airlines, and he flies both paragliders and hang gliders. He has been teaching windsurfing for years, but now prefers to rip it kite surfing. Lee came from a hang gliding background so he picked up on paragliding rather quickly. He has been teaching quite a bit at Elings Park getting students up in the air. Lee always seems to be the last one to land when we are flying in the mountains. How does he do that?
JOHNNY DRESSER first began flying paragliders in 1993, and started paragliding again when he moved to Santa Barbara in 2000. Johnny has his Advanced Paragliding Rating, Basic Instructor Rating, and Tandem Instructor Rating. Johnny loves mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, and just about anything to do with the outdoors. Students really respond to JD's calm cool nature.
PETE GIFFORD is the only other pilot on the Eagle staff to be biwingual. That's right, he is a hang glider and paraglider pilot. Pete has been flying hang gliders since 1997 and paragliders since 1998. He holds an Advanced Paragliding Rating, Basic Instructor Rating, and Tandem Instructor Rating. Pete is quite an athlete, and enjoys anything to do with the outdoors. Pete has been in quite a few theatre productions, television commercials, and even had an appearance on ER.
CHIP HILDEBRAND does most of his summertime teaching in his hometown of Jackson, Wyoming. If you're ever headed out there for some paragliding, Chip is the guy to call. Chip has been working on our tours to Mexico and beyond for years. He is an accomplished competition and acro pilot. Chip seems to be a favorite for tandem flights on our tours, and his good nature makes him fun to be around. He teaches in Santa Barbara with us in the fall and winter. Be sure to look for him at the Burning Man festival every year sharing good music an experiences with everyone.
NICK GREECE is a top ranked US pilot, who also teaches and works with us on our tours. He has risen to be one of the very best US pilots in a short period of time. He spends time in Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, or any place the flying is on. Nick has also written loads of articles in the paragliding magazines. He stops through Santa Barbara from time to time, and does a great job promoting the sport, and our team. He first started teaching at Torrey Pines in San Diego.
MARTY DeVIETTI is playing husband and daddy now, but that doesn't mean he will miss out on flying completely. Marty's list of accomplishments as instructor is quite long. His biggest award was the 2000 USHPA Instructor of the Year Award. He worked side by side with Dixon White for years. Marty will likely be seen at our local mountains sites offering advice and one heck of a tandem experience to those lucky enough to get to fly with him. Be sure to check the web site for updates on Marty and his family.
