Meet the Team

Edgar has been dreaming of becoming a pilot for as long as he can remember. Growing up near the airport in Las Vegas his passion for aviation grew and eventually led him to get his Bachelors of Science in Aeronautics. After completing his flight training in Florida he moved to Van Nuys where he fell in love with teaching. Having instructed for over 2000 hours he enjoys being able to share his passion of aviation and seeks to help as many people as possible achieve their goal to fly. When he's not instructing or flying the Boeing 737 for the airlines Edgar enjoys going to concerts and attempting to surf.

Shane considers himself lucky that every day he gets to wake up and go to work at Van Nuys airport. He has extensive flight school management experience and brings years of aviation operations knowledge to First Take. As an active pilot himself, he will make sure that you know all that there is to know about flight training! A native Texan, Shane graduated with a degree from New York University and cut his teeth in management working in New York City politics for many years. When he’s not at the airport or out flying, he’s usually hiking, biking, or skiing the trails of beautiful California with his wife Sarah and three children, Elliott, Mira, and Archer.

Krishnan comes to First Take with a wide range of flying and teaching experience. As a musician, he has worked nationally and internationally with a variety of artists. As a music educator, he has over a decade of teaching experience. Having gotten almost all his certificates and ratings at Van Nuys, he brings to the table the extensive knowledge required to learn and fly in the challenging airspace that is Southern California. While he currently flies transport-category airplanes for an airline out of LAX, he is available primarily at First Take Aviation for Instrument Ratings, as well as other specialized instruction. With an ATP and Commercial certificates, and his CFI/CFI-I/MEI, he will make sure your learning process is focused and goal-oriented, while remaining fun and interesting.

Marc has had a passion for aviation since an early age, so he jumped at the chance to earn his private pilot license when he took a job near the Van Nuys Airport in 1999. He earned the license in 2001 and hasn’t looked back. Marc went on to earn his Commercial Multi Engine Instrument rating, and from there became a CFI-A/CFI-I. Marc has recently retired from his full time job supporting the Engineering Division of Aerojet Rocketdyne which is working on the RS-25 Rocket Engine. The RS-25 is a ‘souped-up’ version of the older Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), which is human- rated and is slated to power the new Space Launch System to explore deep space, and even Mars. The thrust provided by the RS-25 system could keep 8 Boeing 747’s aloft! Marc brings an enthusiastic wealth of aerospace and aviation knowledge to the table. He enjoys flight instructing and retired early to make it his full time career.

Giselle’s love of traveling has been a driving force throughout her flying career. She started her aviation journey in Long Beach, earning her pilot's certificates, including Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument (CFII), and Multi-Engine Instructor certificates. After completing her training, she made the move to Van Nuys to become a flight instructor. Giselle is passionate about aviation and committed to sharing her expertise with the next generation of pilots. The bustling aviation community and the dynamic atmosphere of Van Nuys Airport have added a new dimension to her career, and she looks forward to many more adventures. When she is not flying, you can usually find Giselle road-tripping or on the hunt for the best coffee shops.

Jorge was born in Mexico City and moved to the United States early on in his life. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles. His love for aviation started at a very young age, as he always noticed the airplanes flying the traffic pattern near the Van Nuys airport. This is where his career would start as a pilot! Jorge has dedicated his life to accomplishing his career as a professional pilot, a commercial pilot, a Certified Flight Instructor, and an Advanced Ground Instructor and Instrument Ground Instructor. Having many years of experience, he currently works as a professional pilot for a private firm flying airborne reporters at KFI and KNX radio, all over Southern California. Jorge is also a professional Flight Instructor at First Take Aviation in Van Nuys. Jorge has helped his local community and many student pilots to achieve their goals of becoming certificated pilots. Jorge likes to go above and beyond the minimum required knowledge to earn a certificate or rating, and he pushes his students to unlock their full potential while training. When he’s not out flying, he enjoys riding sport bikes, socializing and drinking coffee.

Emma comes from a long line of pilots and has grown up within the aviation community. Her parents met at a flight school at Van Nuys Airport and they have helped keep her love for aviation alive for her entire life. She took the leap into flight training in 2018 and has continued to fall in love with flying every day since. Emma graduated with a Bachelors in Spanish from Arizona State University and aims to use her aviation skills on the Boeing 777 at a legacy airline, just like her dad did. Her goal in flight training is to create a fun teaching environment, and hopes that her students develop the same love for aviation that she has. When Emma isn’t flying, you can find her reading or looking for the best cup of coffee.