This site is under construction. Please check back soon for updates.
Take to the Skies with Expert Flight Instruction
Learn to fly with the best instructors in the industry.
About West Nyack Aviation
Our Story
After years of free-lance flight instruction, Robert Kittine decided that it was time for him to provide a more structure approach to flight training at all levels. The result was the formation, of West Nyack Aviation, which took place in 1985. His goal was to make flight training, more accessible to as many aspiring pilots as possible. And after 4 decades since its inception, WNA continues to uphold that mission today. Today WNA continues to provide Top Notch Flight Training and Pilot Support, both directly and through its strategic partnerships.
Our History
In 1959, at the ripe old age of 11, Robert peddled his bicycle to Dutchess County Airport in Wappinger’s Falls, New York and with the aid of the $3.00 of allowance he had saved over a 6-week period, took his first flight lesson. When he got home he told his dad he wanted to learn how to fly. His dad responded, "I will put food on the table, cloths on your back, a roof over your head and when you are ready to go to college I will pay for it, but if you want to learn how to fly, you will have to figure out how to pay for it." Not to be deterred, Robert started cutting neighbors lawns and doing odd jobs for cash. He got a paper route and also started selling Boy Scott Magazine Subscriptions and Christmas Cards during the holidays, and every weekend you could find him at the airport, again cutting grass, painting or even cleaning up airplanes when passengers got sick, all in a way of bartering for flying lessons. It was his start to a career in aviation
WNA evolved over the next 60 plus years to what it is today. His intense training started at the Aerospace Technological Institute in Melbourne, Florida, which would become the Professional Flight Department of FIT (Florida Institute of Technology). Air Force service and a stint in FAR Part 121 Commercial Aviation, was cut short by a tragic loss of his first-class medical certificate, but after years in the private sector, Robert returned to flying and instructing on a part time basis.
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:21%25,w:57.99%25,h:100%25/rs=w:851,h:1135,cg:true)
Early Years
Free-Lance part time flight instruction was replaced in 1985 by the formation of WNA and the purchases of Robert’s first factory new airplane. N98772, today based at Solberg Airport in Solberg, New Jersey was as advanced as a Cessna 172 could be at that time and was one of the earliest trainers equipped with a panel mounted intercom, a DME and an autopilot. With its dual NAV/COMs, Glide Slope Receiver, Marker Beacon Receiver and ADF, it was exactly what a full range trainer should be. Although Robert continued to instruct on a part time basis and fly FAR Part 135 Charter flights, he collaborated with a group of flight instructors that provided instruction in some 30 plus airplanes operated by TAG Aviation. WNA remained based at Ramapo Valley Airport, N24, until it closed in 1986 and along with a change in Robert’s employment, WNA followed him to Chicago, where WNA continued to operate at Clow International Airport. There WNA grew to include 11 planes, an ASK-21 Glider and a Robinson R-22b Helicopter Instrument Trainer. Since WNA was part time, it moved when Robert moved throughout his rise in the ranks of the corporate world. WNA operated in Monroe, Louisiana, Nashville, Tennessee, back to Chicago and finally to its headquarters on the East end of Long Island, in Sag Harbor, New York. Today its main training facility and pilot shop are at Orange County Airport, KMGJ, in Montgomery, New York
Our Approach
At West Nyack Aviation, we believe that hands-on experience is the best way to learn. That being said, we know that based on time constraints and a student’s
budget, the training regime may have to be flexible and custom tailored. While we emphasize practical, real world training coupled with additional classroom instructions, we can supply self-study material and online courses
through our pilot shop suppliers. Or we can suggest other options that may fit your needs best. In all cases, our curriculum and advice is designed to prepare you for success in any aviation career you may choose.
Our Instructors
Our instructors are experienced pilots with a passion for teaching and sharing their wealth of knowledge and expertise. Although we all had to start somewhere,
many of today’s flight instructors are focused on the shortages of pilots in the Airline Industry and building hours to qualify to move up to a regional carrier and
than on to the big times with a major airline. This unfortunately can lead to lapses in training as an instructor moves on in his or her career. We try to have instructors that “Have Been There / Done That” and will be with you from start to finish. That generally coupled with more flight hours, more instruction given and a long history of experiences, is what we strive for. Below is a Gallery of our instructors. Their profiles are listed for your review.
Looking for a position as a Flight Instructor?
Send your resume to:
Our Services
We provide Private Pilot Through CFI and CFII instruction with Spin Training Provided by an Affiliate.
Multi-Engine, MEI and ATP training provided by an affiliate as well. While we can provide Tailwheel and Seaplane Ratings at other locations we service as well as through affiliates.
Endorsements available include High Performance, Complex, Hi Altitude, Tailwheel and TAA.
Some Provided by one more of your affiliates.
Training can also be done in aircraft owned by our students. Flight Reviews and Instrument Proficiency Cheeks (IPCs) are often done this way.
We are currently looking for a solid multi-engine aircraft so that we can again provide multi-engine training.
At the moment, we have a non-FAA certified Flight Simulator for both VFR and IFR Practice. We are in the process of upgrading to a FAA Certified Flight Simulator that will allow practice and logging of flight time for simulator use.
Read more about our pilot shop in The Pilot Shop section.
More about us - Locations
Welcome to West Nyack Aviation Flight Instruction
WNA has it’s main headquarters in Manhattan in an area known as the West Village and in the Village Of Sag Harbor, on the East end of
Long Island, in an area known as “The Hamptons”. The flight center is located at Hangar 8 in the T-2 Unit at Orange County Airport KMGJ. The address is: 500 Dunn Road, Montgomery, New York 12549.
Robert and some of the other instructors listed, also can provide Free Lance Instruction at the East Hampton Town Airport, KJPX. Robert can be found at the Executive Terminall at 50 Industrial Road, Wainscott, New York 11975.
Time and Dates are flexible depending on both the availability of one of our
instructors and the scheduling of one of our aircraft.
To schedule, please call 631-374-9652
Any one of our instructors from time to time instruct at
- East Hampton, Airport in Wainscott, Long Island, New York
- Brook Haven Airport in Shirley, Long Island, New York
- Republic Airport in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York
- Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, New York
- Orange County Airport in Montgomery, New York
- Warwick Municipal Airport in Warwick, New York
- Resnick Airport in Ellenville, New York
- Warwick Municipal Airport N72 in Warwick, New York
- Randell Airport in Middletown, New York
- Sussex County Airport in Sussex, New Jersey
- Seaplane and some Tailwheel instruction is given at August Field on Griffin Island. The island has both a grass runway and a seaplane channel and is located in the Norhtern Hudson Valley on the Hudson River.
- Any many other Airports in the North East.
Instruction is also available in customers own aircraft, and it is not uncommon for our instructors to travel the width and breath of the Northeast to provide tailored flight instruction. Robert has traveled throughout the whole country to provide minimum insurance required instruction time for many specific makes and models of aircraft.
For more information on our broad instructional options contact us through the
link at the bottom of the web site.
Below are pictures of the Airports listed above.
Experience the Thrill of Flying with West Nyack Aviation: A Captivating Gallery of Aviation Images
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0.08%25,w:99.84%25,h:100%25/rs=w:370,h:278.1954887218045,cg:true)
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:9.66%25,w:80.68%25,h:100%25/rs=w:370,h:278.1954887218045,cg:true)
More CAPTIVATING IMAGES to come
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:4.7%25,w:90.61%25,h:100%25/rs=w:370,h:278.1954887218045,cg:true)
.jpeg/:/rs=w:370,h:278.1954887218045,cg:true,m/cr=w:370,h:278.1954887218045)
.jpeg/:/cr=t:10.54%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:78.92%25/rs=w:370,h:278.1954887218045,cg:true)
.jpeg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:3.66%25,w:92.68%25,h:100%25/rs=w:370,h:278.1954887218045,cg:true)
Meet our instructors
.jpg/:/rs=w:370,cg:true,m)
Meet some of our students
.jpeg/:/cr=t:3.13%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:93.75%25/rs=w:370,h:493.3333333333333,cg:true)
Our Aircraft
At this time, we offer training mainly in Cessna’s while our affiliates offer training in various single and multi-engine aircraft. We are interested in increasing our fleet of training aircraft. If you have an underutilized well-maintained aircraft and are interested in generating some income from it, give us a call about our Lease Back Program. Which is available at the Orange County Facility.
Discover the Beauty of Flight with West Nyack Aviation: A Visual Tour of the Skies
Ground School
Although most new students choose to study for the written knowledge exam utilizing on-line training courses, one on one ground school is also available at any of the locations were we provide training. If there is enough interest, we can set up a group training program that would have scheduled group sessions, most likely once a week in the evening. There are also accelerated weekend ground school programs available through American Fliers and others, that also allow the written exam to be taken upon completion of the weekend course.
The pilot shop
Our Pilot Shop is located at our Hangar at Orange County Airport. There we have an inventory of Flight Training Materials including manuals, On Line Courses, Knee Boards, Charts and other things needed for training. We also are building an inventory of Pilot Supplies as well as supplies for aircraft, like CheckMate Check Lists, FAR/AIM manuals, fuel strainers, slap on Sun Shields, Carbon Monoxide Detectors, Ram Mounting Parts, Camera Mounts and other misc. items. We carry Faro, ASA and Sigtronics Headsets as well as Yaesu Airband Radios. Need an Antenna for your hangar or home, we have those too. Give us a call or send us a note with your needs and we can either order it for you or bring it from our inventory to wherever we are providing you instruction.
We continue to ad vendors and our inventory increases each week.
Simulator Training
Simulator Training Sunshine Flight Aviation
Although it is still our intention to eventually purchase and operate an FAA Approved BATD (Basic Aviation Training Device - Flight Simulator) the response up to this time, does not support the investment. For that reason we will still offer a non-FAA approved flight simulator for practice, but that will not allow the user to log the time toward any rating or currency. This simulator uses X-Plane 12, actually a newer version of X-Plane that is currently used in other FAA approved Simulators. It is located near East Hampton Airport.
In order to provide our students with Loggable simulator time we have aligned with Sunshine Flight Aviation in Center Moriches, New York. Their Gleim Simulator, pictured, is available at a rate of $50.00 per hour plus instructor costs and provides a way for those that need to have their simulator time count towards certain ratings and recurrency.
Robert Kittine can provide supervised use and dual on this simulator as can Kevin Gilbert, the CFII local to it.
For additional information, please call or e-mail us.