Flight Instructors
Adam Valencic
Adam started flying with his Uncle in 1992. At the age of 19 Adam began taking flying lessons and earned his Private Pilots License in July of 2005. Adam came to Orlando FL to attend the University of Central Florida, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Finance. While at UCF Adam began plans for First Landings Aviation, earned his Flight Instructors certificate, and now focuses on sport pilot instruction. His outlook on flying is simple...have fun and show the students the safe way to fly in an airplane. He is dedicated to sharing his love of aviation with others through affordable, quality flight training, which was the driving force behind First Landings.
Aside from teaching people to become Sport Pilots, he is also a rated Light Sport Repairman with a Maintenance Rating and enjoys working on the planes that he flys. Adam is also an Eagle Scout and in his spare time, he enjoys flying around the country in his Turbo Executive Mooney, playing racquetball, golfing, hiking, camping, and the occasional Pentathlons.
Chris Esposito
Chris began flying at the age of 15, soloing a Bell 47 helicopter on his 16th birthday, and after earning his helicopter certificates began flying airplanes. A Pennsylvania native , Chris moved to Florida to attend the University of Central Florida in 2002. Upon graduating in 2006, Chris worked as an aviation insurance agent and a helicopter flight instructor prior to co-founding First Landings Aviation. With over 600 hours of flight instruction experience, Chris played a major part in designing First Landing’s unique formalized ground school program. For Chris, flying is as important as breathing, and he shares this passion for aviation with his students.
Jaki Riu
Jaki’s passion for flying started at a young age when her father used to take her to the local airport for lunch to watch the planes take-off and land. She started pursuing her dream in 2006 in Massachusetts. After receiving her private pilot’s certificate, she continued her training at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science. She is multi-engine rated and a single-engine CFI and CFII. Jaki has flown over 20 different types of aircraft and eventually would like to compete in aerobatic competitions as a hobby.
Jaki recently completed an internship with a company in Orlando flying a C208B Caravan to and from the Bahamas. She is the newest addition to the First Landings team and we look forward to having her with us.
