About Wings Over L.A.
Welcome to Wings Over L.A. Aviation! Located at the Prop Park VNY of the world-famous Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, we are the premiere flight school and air tour operator in Southern California. If you have ever looked to the skies and dreamed of learning to fly, we are here to help make your dream a reality!
With an utmost focus on safety, our clean, comfortable and highly maintained fleet includes both analog as well as state-of-the-art Garmin G1000 avionics. No matter your training preference, Wings Over L.A. has you covered. We utilize the fully integrated Cessna Flight Training system ground and flight training curriculum, so your instruction is standardized following a syllabus with student progress tracking features.
Please give us a call or stop by our facility; our knowledgeable and experienced staff would love to show you around our operations and answer any questions you might have regarding learning to fly. You can also take that first step into aviation and schedule an introductory flight to experience the exhilarating feeling of flying a plane over sunny Los Angeles with Wings Over L.A. We’d love to fly with you!
Testimonials
Meet Our Team

Jess Fernandez
Owner-Chief Pilot
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AJ Campisi
Operations Manager
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Greg Oates
Flight Instructor
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Jess Fernandez:
I have had a life-long passion for aviation. As a child,
I remember my dad taking me to the airport to
watch planes take off and land and I was fascinated by
them. I consider myself very fortunate to have
been able to turn my love for aviation into a career.
I
have been involved in aviation at Van Nuys,
Burbank and Whiteman airports for the past 30 years and
currently hold a multiengine Airline Transport
Pilot certificate with approximately 7,000 hrs. of
flight time and continue to fly commercially. During all
these years, I have established many contacts within the
aviation industry that have helped pave the
way for our commercial students to get jobs after
obtaining their certificates and logging their required
hours.
As background, I began managing and leasing back
airplanes to flight schools at Van Nuys in
2007. In 2020, I decided it was time to start my own
flight school and formed Wings Over L.A. Aviation,
LLC which I actively run with a group
of highly qualified instructors.
Our goal at
Wings Over L.A. is to provide a range of clean, well
maintained airplanes, top professional instructors
and comfortable facilities at very competitive rates in
a friendly environment. We are the only flight
school at Van Nuys that can take a student from private
pilot to multi-engine commercial and ATP.
I
hope you come visit us and give us a chance to show you
around.
AJ Campisi:
Coming Soon!
Greg Oates:
Coming soon!

Alex Sze
Flight Instructor
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Michelle Yu
Flight Instructor
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Preston Fischler
Flight Instructor
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Alex Sze:
Born and raised in Los Angeles. He has always dreamt of flying since he was a kid but
did not have the opportunity to do so until later on in his life.
Alex’s aviation career started when he began flying RC airplanes with an elderly neighbor. This
led to researching flight schools and ultimately beginning flight training which led to him
earning his CFI and CFII certificates.
Alex earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University Los
Angeles after returning from his combat deployment while in the United States Marine Corps.
Alex volunteers some of his time with Pilots N Paws and Angel Flight West.
He is eager to help guide learners to become the best they can be in aviation, and in life.
Michelle Yu:
I have always had passion for being a pilot. I decided to become a pilot after my first
discovery flight back in 2015. While at the same time, I obtained two associate degrees in
Commercial Pilot and Aviation Science from Mt. San Antonio College, and I obtained a bachelor
degree in Aviation Business Administration from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
Preston Fischler:
Preston is an LA original! Growing up in Culver City, Preston would spend his time watching the
planes land at the Santa Monica Airport and the seed was planted. After 6 years in the Air Force
Preston pursued his dream of becoming a Pilot. When Preston isn’t flying he is working on a
degree in Anthropology or riding his motorcycle through the canyons around LA.

Daniel Kass
Flight Instructor
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Derek Iudica
Flight Instructor
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Natalie Mitchell
Flight Instructor
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Daniel Kass:
Coming soon!
Derek Iudica:
Born and raised in Los Angeles I’ve had a fascination with aviation from a very young age. Taking every opportunity to surround myself with the field, from participating in youth programs to working line service while earning my certificates; it is my goal to share this experience.
Natalie Mitchell:
Coming soon!

Richard Cassel
Flight Instructor
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Richard Cassel:
Richard Cassel has wanted to fly as far back as he can remember. With over 1000 hours
instructing he truly enjoys teaching others how to master the skies. Richard says that while
good pilots are always learning, good instructors are always learning from their students. He
believes that the confidence to make safe, smart aeronautical decisions is the best asset
instructors can give their students.