Meet the Team

Jim Pitman

Jim started flying in 1992 and has been a flight instructor since 1997. He currently serves as a CRJ captain at SkyWest Airlines and as an active FAA Designated Pilot Examiner. He has a lifelong passion for flying, teaching, and helping pilots develop habits that reflect his philosophy: “Train how you fly, and fly how you train.” In early 2026, Jim founded Go-Arounds Are Awesome! to promote safer decision-making and foster a more positive culture around go-arounds, bringing together a team of aviation professionals to help advance that mission.

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Ikaika Olsen

Ikaika has been a flight instructor since 2005, an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) since 2023, and currently flies the Citation Longitude for NetJets. He genuinely enjoys mentoring pilots and helping them develop the judgment and confidence needed to make safe stopped viewing a go-around as a missed landing and began seeing it for what it really is: a sound aeronautical decision. He hopes more pilots will come to see it the same way.

Carl Hancock

Carl created his YouTube channel to inspire new pilots and help them along the way, with safety and good aeronautical decision-making at the heart of what he does. After nearly losing his life in a botched go-around, he came away with a deep appreciation for just how important this skill is. He believes go-arounds should be practiced, refined, and treated as a normal part of flying. Today, when landing his J-3 Cub, he approaches every landing as a potential go-around until everything comes together and the airplane is safely on the ground.

YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram: @FlyWithTheGuys

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Brian Schiff

Brian is a highly experienced airline captain, flight instructor, and aviation educator with a lifelong passion for general aviation. Over the course of his flying career, he has accumulated more than 21,000 hours of flight time and flown more than 100 different types of aircraft. Brian is widely known for sharing his experience with other pilots and helping them develop the knowledge, judgment, and practical skills that contribute to safer flying.

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Mike Jesch

Mike is an airline pilot, FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), and flight instructor who has spent his career helping pilots become safer, more capable aviators. He was also the 2026 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year. Mike's experience spans both professional airline operations and general aviation, giving him a broad perspective on the judgment and discipline required for safe flying. He is a strong advocate for sound aeronautical decision-making and for treating the go-around as a normal, positive, and professional part of flying.

Sam Darghous

Sam is an aviation professional, entrepreneur, and owner of G-Force Aviation, with a passion for general aviation, flight training, and helping pilots become more confident, capable, and safety-focused aviators. His background includes extensive experience in general aviation, flight instruction, high-performance and pressurized aircraft, and commercial airline operations. He brings a practical, real-world approach to training that emphasizes sound judgment, proficiency, and confidence in the cockpit. Sam believes effective flight training should prepare pilots for the realities of flying—not simply for passing a checkride.

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