**Please scroll down** to read CFI Hall of Fame references from members of Greg Brown’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook Group.
Greg Brown's Flying Carpet Blog
Greg Brown's Adventure of Flying!
Greg Brown's Flying Carpet Blog
Greg Brown's Adventure of Flying!
**Please scroll down** to read CFI Hall of Fame references from members of Greg Brown’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook Group.
Greg Brown has been an amazing mentor and counselor to all my aviation activities. Although he has never instructed me, the tips and advice he has given me has made me a much better pilot, and aircraft owner. He certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
As a new student pilot and throughout both my primary and instrument training, the community of encouragement, support, and advice that Greg created was a critical piece of my success and of my enjoyment of aviation. Greg himself has always been there with thoughtful, kind, and supportive wisdom, and his infectious love of general aviation and the endless learning it provides has made him the most influential instructor in my pilot “career,” despite having never flown with him.
Greg Brown, without a doubt, has inspired and cultivated a generation of aviators. Early on in my private pilot training, I joined his Facebook group. The group stood out from many other avenues with its supportive and non-judgmental nature, which Greg had a big role in maintaining. Out of all the groups I sought encouragement from, his was my go to. His group was not Greg’s only impact on my aviation career. His encouragement on my blog, which followed my training progress, kept me going during the times when many other student pilots quit.
Even as my sights changed from pilot to dispatcher, his book The Turbine’s Pilot Flight Manual took my aviation education to the next level. When I arrived at dispatch school, I was already well versed in how turbine engines worked thanks to Greg.
I moved onto a career in dispatch while flying when I could. The Facebook group kept me engaged and encouraged, even if I became more of a lurker than active participant. Years after obtaining my private pilot and into my dispatch career, Greg thought of me for an opportunity. I was touched he thought of me years later and help put me up for the opportunity.
All these experiences just shows how deeply dedicated and thoughtful Greg is towards the aviation community and developing the future generation. He isn’t an instructor who does his job and moves onto the next, he cares deeply about everyone’s continued success. He truly deserves a spot in the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame.
Greg Brown… Where to start…
As a student pilot and private Greg has been a mentor and advocate of aviation safety.
Altho I have never met Greg in person. He has offered help and guidance to me over the years making flight planning decisions from weather to resources.
I have seen his encouragement to others as well on the Greg Brown student pilot group.
If anyone is deserving of an aviation related award for mentoring or being a great ambassador to aviation, Greg Brown definitely meets and exceeds that qualification.
If you ever needed advise or encouragement related to aviation…. He has always been there for others and myself.
Thanks again for all your aupport Greg.
You deserve this.
Fellow Pilot and Friend,
Patrick Colwell
Greg Brown is truly one-of-a-kind.
In his social media group, he has created an amazing community of students, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts, that is unmatched by any others.
His ‘Flying Carpet’ column, now complemented by podcast, offers unique insight into this universe of flying. If you were ever asked: ‘what makes flying so special?’ and struggled to answer (really, truly answer) that question – the Flying Carpet manages to do just that.
And on a personal level, Greg has helped me navigate the world of airplane shopping, by offering his time, extensive knowledge, and wealth of contacts.
I could go on and on echoing the sentiments of others in these comments, but the bottom line is that I cannot think of anybody more deserving of a spot in the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame.
I first met Greg while obtaining my Private Pilot’s License. I was at a plateau in my training where I couldn’t get my landings down. I contacted Greg and found out that we lived in the same city. We met at the airport and he spent time with me helping with the finer points. He also pointed me to a number of resources to help me along the way.
Fast forward 15 years; Greg has been there all through my flying career. Helping me with questions that all pilots have once they start flying. I’m now a commercial pilot with my IFR and Greg has been an integral part of my success as a pilot.
His Student PIlot Pep Talk page is a constant source of information and inspiration. It has proven to be one of the Facebook boards that I read daily.
Through it all, we have become close friends. I count Greg among my best friends, and look forward to many more years of his tutelage and friendship.
I was first introduced to Greg Brown’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook group at a time when I was close to quitting flight training. Due to the nature of part 61 training, it was just me and the local instructor. When I hit some hurdles I felt alone and defeated. Greg’s Facebook page bridged the gap for me and provided a sense of community that was missing in my training. Not only did I get feedback and form friendships with other students, Greg himself provided direct mentorship and encouraged me to keep going and write about it in my flight blog. Greg’s love of flying and altruistic nature make him an excellent instructor and moderator in this forum. His continual effort to use technology and stay relevant in the flight training community are astounding. Most impressive is his time and effort to make himself accessible to all students in varying levels of training. I have not had the pleasure of having Greg instruct me personally, but his reach to student pilots through all forms of communication from his Podcast to mentorship and Facebook page have influenced the student pilot community at a greater scope than any other single instructor I have encountered. Greg Brown is the secret ingredient that keeps the attainability, allure, and sense of community alive in student flight training. Every student pilot deserves to walk down a Hall of Fame with such noteworthy instructors such as Greg Brown.
It is indisputable that Greg Brown has influenced thousands upon thousands of new aviators. We are so used to thinking of big names in the industry as untouchable people, but Greg has changed that. His kindness and knowledge and openness of addressing the tough parts of this industry make him an ideal Hall of Famer. I need not mention his fantastic Facebook group.. it is quite obvious that this new generation of pilots considers it a wealth of aviation knowledge. And let us not forget that he wrote a book on how to be a jet pilot!! (I would have been LOST without that Turbine Pilots Flight Manual, Greg.) I consider myself lucky to know one of the great influencers and educators in this generation’s aviation history.
Ben Franklin once wrote that ‘an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.’ If I had to pay interest on the knowledge Greg has imparted to me over the years, I would have no money left for flying!
I’ve known Greg for almost 20 years now. I was just embarking on my first few lessons of private pilot training in 2002 when I met Greg in a non-aviation connection through where I worked at the time.
Even though Greg was not my CFI for my private pilot training, every time I had a question, or needed another point of view to help with any aspect of my flying lessons, I could turn to Greg and he was (and still is) always willing to take time to listen, advise, and teach. Greg is friendly, always willing to help, and learning from him has produced a lifelong friend in whom I can not only trust for advice, but I know I can trust with my life in any flying situation.
After earning my Private Pilot Certificate in 2003, I had the opportunity to fly with Greg on a few occasions for some fun flying trips in his ‘Flying Carpet’. Each time, whether he was instructing or not (or whether he realized it or not), I learned something new from Greg that has helped make me a safer pilot and improved my skills.
Greg and I once made a flight in his ‘Flying Carpet’ Cessna 182 from Phoenix to Las Cruces, New Mexico to attend a car show. Not only did we see some cool aerial views, like the Chino Mine in southwestern New Mexico, I learned important tips about mountain flying and density altitude throughout our conversation on that trip that I still recall to this day almost 15 years later, when I’m presented with a similar flying scenario.
Greg is not only a superb flight instructor, he’s also a great ambassador for aviation, and a trusted mentor. Greg’s aviation books, his ‘Flying Carpet’ column in Flight Training magazine, his new ‘Flying Carpet’ Podcast, and his Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook Group, all showcase his passion for flying and teaching. All of these have inspired me to continue to work toward becoming a better pilot. And to top it off, throughout those flying experiences with Greg I’ve learned a few life lessons along the way.
Greg’s ability to teach, while not making it feel like I’m being instructed or lectured to, uniquely qualifies him for such an honor.
Greg Brown has had a positive influence on my aviation pursuits for many years. Although I didn’t realize it until years later, he is the author of one of the most influential books I have used—The Turbine Pilots Flight Manual. It was the best material I had when transitioning from piston to turbine aircraft. Believe it or not, I didn’t even know Greg was the same Greg Brown that authored the book until I had known him for years.
Greg is one of the best mentors I know. I watch him give positive advice and instruction to many pilots, students and seasoned pilots, through his FaceBook page, Greg Brown’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Group. Greg administers his FaceBook group like none other. He does not put up with negative comments or off topic discussion, which is rare for a Facebook group.
Not only is Greg a great instructor/mentor, HE CAN WRITE! I have enjoyed Greg’s writings through his monthly blog and his book, Flying Carpet, the Soul of an Airplane.
Of all the instructors and mentors I have known over the years no one deserves induction into Flight Instructor Hall of Fame as much as Greg does.
When I first began flight lessons in Prescott, Arizona, I met Greg online and I was discussing with him my rough day of training, particularly my botched landings in a Cessna 172SP. Greg said to give him a phone call and we continued our discussions over the phone. Then, to my amazement, Greg said he would fly down from Flagstaff the next day to meet me in Prescott to continue our discussions in person! We had a two-hour lunch at Love Field in Prescott and I was inspired to continue my flight training. Greg is a true inspiration.
Greg Brown has cemented himself as a legend in this industry. For the short time I’ve known him, he has made it his business to not only encourage and aid my journey as a flight instructor but has totally gone above-and-beyond in connecting me with others who are more than happy to help guide me along my path. No matter where a person is in their aviation story, we can all learn from Greg. He is a perfect encapsulation of what I love about being a pilot; he has a burning passion for all things flying, and shares that fire every single day with as many folks as he can. I’m honored to know Greg, and recommend him wholeheartedly for the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame. God knows he deserves it!
Bravo, Greg your inestimable contribution to flight training practices and literature has transcended national borders gaining a significant international following which finally deserves recognition.
Manny Peralta
CFI, Flight Examiner
Ballarat, Victoria, AUSTRLIA
I shared a story online about flying with my dad when I was a kid, and Greg invited me to join his Student Pilot Pep Talk Group. I’m not a student pilot, and didn’t think I had any business joining, but he DID invite me. I figured I could always leave pretty quickly. But his group was full of really nice people, all encouraging each other; Greg was giving lots of support as were other CFIs. And these people were all flying, which I missed so much since my dad stopped in the early ’90s. I started thinking maybe, someday… I started planning what I’d need to do to make that someday happen. Maybe I started talking about it more to my husband (apparently, I’ve been talking about flying to him the past 25 yrs!), but for my birthday, he got me flying lessons. I’m just beginning and have a long way to go, but I know that Greg and his wonderful community is there to support me. BTW, I do hold Greg responsible for kindling this dream that I, too, can learn to fly.
Greg Brown has been an inspiration and a mentor to me as a CFI, and now as a friend. When I was considering taking early retirement from my corporate job, I started corresponding with Greg on how to go about it, what resources he would recommend, and what to expect. I had read his book “The Savvy Flight Instructor”, and had so many more questions about whether I, as a 55 year old Private Pilot, could make a go of it. Greg was all you would want in a flight instructor, however 1500 miles away. Through his books, his articles, his website, his FB group, and his phone calls, Greg has helped me to become a successful flight instructor, and has introduced me to other instructors and pilots. It is interesting to read their endorsements on this page and to see how they too have been affected by Greg’s leadership. Greg has created a true Community of Aviation Lovers, connecting students,pilots and CFIs, to help and encourage each other.
Aviation is a tough business. Training is expensive and it takes money, dedication and persistence to achieve your dream. With only 0.19% of the U.S. population as pilots, we are a very small community that need to encourage each other. Greg realized that and has created a platform and a forum to help new and old pilots provide and receive support, suggestions, and scholarship. Greg Brown did this, and Greg is definitely deserving of induction into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame.
Greg Brown has been an inspiration to me since I started taking my private pilot flight lessons. Early on I was an AOPA member and his Flying Carpet column kept me aware of the joy and freedom I would find as a pilot. During those “learning plateaus” I encountered, I would read a column or two and be re-inspired to push on in my training. Thoughts of quitting evaporated when I read Greg’s columns.
After I completed my private pilot training I continued reading and joined Greg’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Group because it helped me realize I was not the only one with those problems or plateaus. We were able to share ideas. As I progressed to finally get my CFI I continued to engage in the forum, but now I not only still learn from everyone else, but am able to contribute ideas and techniques I have discovered for myself and students.
Greg has given me multiple opportunities to learn and helps me continue my learning even while I am giving back. I really have to place some blame on his writings for getting me to this point in my piloting career. I am not sure I would have made it as far as I have without the support system Greg has provided, I only regret not being able to take an actual flight lesson with him!
I got interested in aviation later than most with almost no knowledge of or connection to the aviation community. Thankfully, I stumbled across Greg’s Facebook Student Pilot Pep Talk group early in my training, and have benefited tremendously from the insights, the support, the encouragement and the sense of community it has provided. It is remarkable how active this group is and yet it stays positive and supportive. This is due to the very active role Greg plays administering the group and facilitating the discussions to make sure it stays a positive and supportive community for folks learn about aviation and improve their skills. I have come to this group several times in my student pilot journey seeking advice or encouragement, and often Greg himself has been one of the many responding directly with advice or links to resources. As a relatively new pilot, I stay active and hope over time I can help others through this group with the same advice and encouragement I have received. Thank you Greg for all you do through this forum and all the other content you create to help student pilots improve their knowledge and skills and find a welcoming community in aviation!
After many years of being an instrument rated private pilot, Greg Brown pushed me to become a CFI. Thanks to him for the firm nudge in that direction. It’s been 20+ years since we first became acquainted via one of the early flight training websites in the 90s. I still need to get to FLG to pay him a visit! Thanks to Greg Brown for being a mentor, friend, enthusiastic cheerleader for student pilots and promoter of general aviation.
I cannot think of a more deserving person than Greg Brown for The Instructor Hall of Fame. His passion for aviation, teaching, and people have touched people all over the world. Greg gives of himself, his knowledge, and fosters a community of inclusion and sharing. I personally have
known Greg for many years and am a member of his infamous FaceBook Student Pilot Pep Talk Group. Greg has mentored me pre-Private Pilot Certificate, through commercial, and beyond. I appreciate Greg as a human being, a pilot, and a teacher.
-Theresa Farley
Greg has been an incredible and important part of my aviation journey, despite being on the other side of the world. The tips and advice that I’ve received thanks to my association with Greg have all but certainly made me safer in the sky, and more confident and composed as a pilot. His book, Flying Carpet was one of the biggest inspirations in me learning to fly, and it will be forever engrained in my memory of aviation. The Student Pilot Pep Talk that Greg has created is an incredible forum for both students and seasoned pilots to discuss, learn and exchange knowledge about their experiences in the industry. If anyone deserves to be listed in the Hall of Fame, it’s Greg, for sure.
Greg was the first person I flew with after receiving my flight instructor certification. He gave me the confidence of believing I would be good at my chosen career!
I discovered Greg’s Facebook group right as I was finishing my private and starting my instrument training. I fly for fun and have benefited so much from the shared, collective wisdom of the group. Greg offers thoughtful suggestions to any and all, while other members of the group weigh in with encouragement, advice and, when necessary, commiseration. It’s one of the few places out there you can ask any question with no risk of sarcasm – there are no dumb questions. Everyone is there to learn and share.
I also love Greg’s flying carpet podcast. His tales are engaging and exciting. I’ve already told my wife to plan for a cross-country to Sedona and all around Arizona to see the beautiful sights Greg describes so vividly, you may not even need to see his gorgeous photos except to confirm what he says is out there is real!
I met Greg through a letter I wrote to the editor of AOPA Pilot regarding an article he’d written about flying in Eastern Canada. We began an email correspondence that eventually led to us meeting in Flagstaff in early 2018.
When I told Greg my “retirement career”, after a 39 year Canadian naval engineering career, was to become a flight instructor, his eyes lit up. I bought his book “The Savvy Flight Instructor” and devoured it. As my instructor training progressed in Canada, Greg was there when I had the occasional question and he totally encouraged me to pursue my goal.
His Facebook page is one of the few where anyone can participate in any thread without fear of ridicule, regardless of their level of experience. His podcasts also stoke the fires of aviation passion in all of us. It is too bad that AOPA chose to discontinue his column.
Greg is totally passionate about all things aviation – especially flight instruction, and is totally deserving of induction into Flight Instructor Hall of Fame.
Sincerely
Darren Rich, CD
Commander (retired) RCN
I met Greg years ago, decades in fact as an engineering student attending Purdue University, but as someone who had a passion to fly. Thinking about it, I believe Greg was a recommendation to me as an instructor who could get me moving along the continuum of a desired career in commercial aviation, while studying something totally different that September of 1980.
In my time at West Lafayette, Greg successfully guided me through my commercial license, with multi-engine and instrument ratings. I had already achieved my A&P license and while I was not very interested in obtaining instructor ratings, looking back through time, it would have been awesome to learn from the master.
My career has been anything but easy, but I can proudly say that I am going to complete my aviation career as a Captain at Delta Air Lines, presently on the B-737. However, this does not mean that I still do not enjoy every aspect of flying GA and one of the main reasons why is the spirit of safety and consistency that Greg instilled in me as a fledgling young private pilot, all those years ago.
Greg and I lost touch around my second or third airline job, but as a Northwest Airlines pilot, lo and behold, after having established contact with one Greg Brown again based on an article I read in AOPA Air Safety I think it was, I happened to have a Phoenix overnight and Greg and I were joyfully reunited in person. I pen this story early this morning because the memory of that reunion sits with me as happily and firmly in my memory as my first flight of dual with Greg all those years ago. We met up, climbed into his Magic Carpet and flew up to Sedona for a wonderful lunch as two old friends and as if no time had passed.
Greg never lost a beat in all those years and I reflect on this the most from that day. He was still the same old Greg, practicing excellence in flying every inch of the way, from preflight to shutdown and everything in between. We arrived in the pattern at Sedona Airport and I recall it being like a pattern full of angry Hornets as traffic was here, there and everywhere. But, here was Greg Brown, practicing the exact same adherence to safety and consistency that he had taught to me oh so many years ago. A consistency and adherence to details and safe operating practices that I still practice as a Captain on the B-737. It never goes away when a good foundation is laid and Greg did so with me and with flying colors, “pun intended”.
I eventually joined Greg Brown’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook site just to peruse it while in the background, but yet again, here was Greg laying solid foundation for hundreds of new pilots. Only instead of rubber rolling across concrete or asphalt, he was doing it with bits and bytes of data communication at light speed from participating pilots across the USA.
I purposely read no other reviews so I could create a nomination letter all my own and have in fact mulled over how I would express myself this morning for a couple of days. All the instructors I have had over the years, including commercial simulator instructors, Greg is the standout for me personally. He truly practices what he preaches, as if no time has passed and his career as an aviation author is admirable. This kind of consistency is a blessing in our safety oriented love affair for floating amongst the clouds, or as my daughters used to state years ago, “Daddy draws lines in the sky”.
I can think of no better instructor for induction into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame than Greg Brown.
Thomas Burgan
B-737 Captain, Delta Air Lines
Greg and I have never met in person but I have used his wisdom many times as I furthered my aviation career. Greg is an asset to the flying community and I would love to see him be awarded into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame!
I would like to add my recommendation for Greg to be inducted into the flight instructor Hall of Fame. I’ve known Greg for several years and even done a little proof reading for some reprints on his books. Actually learned a few things doing that. He is the epitome of professional as he answers and explains things on his group face book page. I can’t think of any instructor more deserving.
Keith Lamb
Gold Seal CFII
Captain Boeing 787
I can not say enough good things about Greg. I was introduced to his flying group on Facebook back when I was training. There was no better place then there to ask questions and get real helpful answers, and not just from Greg. He created an amazing community of students, pilots, and instructors where no question was a stupid one, even if it had been asked 1000 times before. For that I am incredibly grateful. The positivity encouraged me to contribute and help in the same manor.
I remember a time when I had a question and Greg called me through Facebook personally to chat about the answer. First off, I was a little star struck because the man himself was calling me, but the advice he gave me stuck with me and help me out more than he even knew. Since then we’ve become friends, worked on projects together, and he has always been an incredible resource for me in all things aviation.
THANK YOU GREG!
Carl Hancock
Fly With The Guys – YouTube Content Creator
I earned my private certificate in 2010. Greg’s book, “Flying Carpet – The Soul of an Airplane” was the first book I read post check ride. I was thrilled to find someone else who’s spirit soars on metal wings as my spirit learned to do. Later, as I was learning how to become a CFI I read The Saavy Flight Instructor – which primed me for a successful CFI career. Around this time I stumbled upon Greg’s Student Pilot Pep Talk group on Facebook. The group he created and carefully maintains is absolutely the best resource for pilots from pre-solo to post airline retirement to share stories, ask questions, inspire and support each other. Once in that group Greg mentored me personally in my fight to save my home airport and my continuing flying career. I picked up and read a copy of Greg’s Turbine Pilot’s Flight Manual as I prepared for my airline interviews and found it to be an incredible resource. Even today Greg is always just a phone call or message away. His never ending enthusiasm for aviation and learning (not to mention his incredible arial photography) have been an inspiration to me for years now. I just hope I get to meet him in person some day!
Greg is the epitome of what a flight instructor should be. Honest, kind, humble, professional, knowledgable, inspiring, and skilled. He creates better pilots and better instructors with every action he takes. He inspires the best in all of us. Greg Brown absolutely belongs in the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame!
Anissa Mohler
CFI and CRJ First Officer