Head of Operations & Gold Seal Flight Instructor
Moe Tarakji
Moe leads day-to-day operations at The Flight Academy of California and is an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY).
FAA Certified Flight Instructors & A&P Maintenance · Van Nuys (KVNY)
Meet Our FAA Certified Flight Instructors & Team at KVNY
Train 1-on-1 with passionate educators, career mentors, and in-house FAA A&P maintenance professionals at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles.
The Flight Academy of California is team of eight at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) in Los Angeles: Head of Operations & Gold Seal Flight Instructor Moe Tarakji, Co-Founder & Airline Pilot Sam Tarakji, Head of Maintenance Zaven Pehlevanian, Gold Seal Chief Flight Instructor Nirvan Raymond, Assistant Chief Flight Instructor Lo Decibel, Flight Instructor Dillain, Aviation Inspector Lee Forshee, and A&P Mechanic Julie.
LeadershipMoe Tarakji (Head of Operations, Gold Seal CFI) & Sam Tarakji (Co-Founder, CFI & Airline Pilot)
Instructional StaffNirvan Raymond (Gold Seal Chief CFI), Lo Decibel (Assistant Chief CFI), Dillain (CFI)
Maintenance OversightZaven Pehlevanian (Head of Maintenance), Julie (A&P Mechanic), Lee Forshee (Aviation Inspector)
Student Rating4.9 ★ on Google (89 Verified Student & Pilot Reviews)
Instructors, Leadership & Maintenance Team
Co-Founder, Flight Instructor & Airline Pilot
Sam Tarakji
Sam co-founded The Flight Academy of California. He is a flight instructor and an airline pilot.
Head of Maintenance & Lawyer
Zaven Pehlevanian
Zaven heads maintenance for the academy's Van Nuys fleet and is also a lawyer.
Gold Seal Chief Flight Instructor
Nirvan Raymond
Nirvan is the academy's Chief Flight Instructor and an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor.
Assistant Chief Flight Instructor
Laurien (Lo) Decibel
Lo is the academy's Assistant Chief Flight Instructor at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY).
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Flight Instructor
Dillain
Dillain is a flight instructor at The Flight Academy of California.
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Aviation Inspector
Lee Forshee
Lee is an aviation inspector with The Flight Academy of California team.
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Airplane Mechanic (A&P)
Julie
Julie is an A&P airplane mechanic who helps keep the academy's fleet maintained.
Flight Instructors & Mentorship at KVNY — FAQs
Will I fly with the same Certified Flight Instructor throughout my training?
Yes. We pair you with a primary CFI who matches your schedule and learning style so you have consistent 1-on-1 mentorship, clear milestone tracking, and periodic stage checks with our Chief or Assistant Chief Instructor.
Do your instructors have real airline, tailwheel, and aerobatic experience?
Yes! Our team includes airline pilot mentorship (Embraer 175 regional airline operations), thousands of hours of Southern California dual instruction, tailwheel mastery in the J3 Cub, and aerobatic/spin expertise in the Pitts S-2B.
How can I meet an instructor before enrolling?
Call us at 818-516-8010 to schedule a free hangar visit at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) or book a Discovery Flight to fly 1-on-1 with one of our instructors.
4.9 ★ Rated Los Angeles Flight School
4.9 ★ on Google from 89 Student & Renter Pilot Reviews
★★★★★“More than a flight school; great owners and people that are caring.”
★★★★★“This was my first time ever being in a small prop plane like this, let alone flying one. An AirBnB Experience called "Fly an Airplane over LA" popped up and caught my interest, and I'm glad I checked it out. It was a great one-hour experience that was part sight-seeing flight, part introductory flight lesson. Nirvan at The Flight Academy was my copilot/instructor, and did a great job explaining everything and guiding me through the controls and the process. It didn't actually take long to feel pretty comfortable with controlling the yoke to ascend, descend, and bank/turn. The weather was great and the whole thing felt very safe and comfortable. Highly recommended!”
★★★★★“I finished my multi-engine instrument commercial license in a Piper Seneca at The Flight Academy with Moe. I highly recommend the school. Moe is an amazing instructor, professional and extremely knowledgeable. He was so much fun to fly with and I truly enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you so much!”
Talk to an Instructor
Match With an FAA Certified Flight Instructor at KVNY
Speak directly with our FAA Certified Flight Instructors at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) or call 818-516-8010. Want to book a discovery flight online? Book on Fly LA Experience, run by our sister company, Fly Over LA.