Dale Gillispie

President/Chief Instructor

ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI

Dale has been flying for the past couple decades. He has thousands of hours flying and instructing, with the majority of his hours flying jets. Dale has experience in just about every facet of aviation including airlines, corporate, management, aircraft sales, charter brokership, flight training, charter, you name it. Dale has over 10 years experience in the airlines as a Captain for Comair and many years in corporate aviation. He currently flies a Bombardier Lear 40 out of Lexington. Dale is also serving as the Director of Operations for NexGen Aviation, LLC. Most of all, Dale enjoys the thrill of teaching new aviators and passing on his advice and experience to aspiring pilots. He wanted to start a flight school in his hometown of Lexington, KY to offer the best, most affordable flight training as an alternative to other part 61 flight schools in the area.

Brandon Morton

Vice President

ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI

Brandon grew up with a profound interest in aviation from going to air shows throughout his life. It was not until 2005 when he began his training and journey to becoming a professional pilot. After training, he became a flight instructor in Louisville, KY for a year until he landed his first career opportunity flying a Cessna Citation. He has been flying the Phenom, Citation, King Air, and Pilatus PC-12 for the past 15 years, but has kept his love of flying alive by teaching and passing along his experience to eager students. He moved back into the Lexington Area where he previously attended the University of Kentucky before transferring to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, to complete his Bachelors in Professional Aeronautics and minor in management. This move has allowed him to reunite with a friend and former co-pilot to start NexGen Aviation. Brandon has over 9000 hours of flying including 5000 hours of jet and turbo-prop time. He has been a flight instructor for fourteen years and has logged over 3500 hours of flight instruction.

Victor Mathieu

Asst. Chief Flight Instructor

Commercial, CFI, CFI-I

Victor was raised in a small town in Eastern KY called Louisa. After high school I attended Morehead State University and earned a Bachelors of Science. The plan in college was to finish my degree and continue education with Physical Therapy School. While working in physical therapy during college as an Physical Therapy Technician, I knew that I liked it alright, but it was not my passion. Having my dad as an instrument rated pilot and an uncle that is a corporate pilot, I decided to start taking lessons myself my senior year of college. After my first flight lesson, I knew I had to figure out how I was going to make this my career. I love teaching new pilots, and helping them reach the milestones in their flight training. I have seen more of the country in the last year than I did in my entire life before coming a pilot. I love sharing with students, what is possible with aviation and all of the different career paths that a pilot can take. Starting flight training was the best decision I have ever made, and I get excited when new students come in with the same aviation bug I had on my first lesson.

Tyler Conn

Flight Check Instructor, Lexington

Commercial, CFI, CFI-I

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Tyler was born and raised in Lexington.  He caught the flying bug when his parents gave him a discovery flight as a birthday gift and immediately knew that flying was his passion.  Tyler started his training when he was 17 and has been flying ever since.  He is currently finishing up his studies in Business Management at the University of Kentucky and projected to graduate in May 2020.  Tyler completed all his flight training at Nexgen.  He worked in Louisville as a Flight instructor for a semester and is excited to be instructing at Nexgen.

Kelli Gillispie

Director of Office Operations

Kelli grew up in Bowling Green KY and moved to Lexington in 2004. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration from Midway University. She has 12 years’ experience in all areas of office management from accounts payable and receivable, credit and collections, customer service, account management and marketing. “Making the change from healthcare to aviation has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding career moves for me, no day is the same and I love that”.

Landen Easley

Flight Instructor

Commercial, CFI, CFI-I

Landen was raised on an Angus cattle farm in Stamping Ground, KY. At a young age, he and his brother were gifted Microsoft Flight Simulator just to play around with. Hundreds of video game flying hours later, they both decided that flying for a living is what they wanted to do with their lives. After Landen finished his academic and athletic career at Scott County High School, he finally got the opportunity to begin his flight training at 18 years old with NexGen. Fast forward two years later and he is now a Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument for NexGen and is working towards an online bachelor’s degree in “Professional Pilot” through Utah Valley University. Landen is loving every step of the journey and is hopeful for a longtime career in aviation.

Michael Negaard

Flight Instructor, Lexington

Commercial, CFI

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Originally from Danville Kentucky, I had a love for aviation from a young age, spending many an hour playing around with flight simulators in my free time. I attended college at Auburn University as a chemistry major until an offer of “free pizza” led me to join Alpha Eta Rho Aviation Fraternity, and eventually switch to Aviation Management. Upon graduation in 2012, I obtained my FAA dispatcher’s license and worked first as a flight scheduler for Alltech Inc, and then as charter sales director for Nexgen Aviation. After work hours, I spent time working on my private pilot license. After a year of duty in Eastern Europe with the Army Reserve, I came back ready for a career change, completing my instrument rating, commercial rating, and CFI.

Neal Young

Flight Instructor, Lexington

Commercial, CFI

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Neal initially received his private pilot certificate in 1999 while still in high school and prior to joining the United States Army.  Since 2001 he has served as an Active Duty service member, he has served four combat tours between Afghanistan and Iraq and currently works on Fort Knox. Over the past 18 years Neal has lead, coached, taught, and mentored hundreds of Soldiers, completed his bachelor’s degree with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Professional Aeronautics with minors in Security & Intelligence and Management.  In 2018 he decided to get back into the cockpit completing his Instrument, Commercial, and Flight Instructor certificates with Nexgen Aviation, LLC.  Neal currently works part-time with us at Nexgen Aviation, LLC and truly enjoys teaching others to fly.

Austin Schaffer

Flight Instructor, Lexington

Commercial, CFI, CFI-I

Born and raised in north Alabama.  I fell in love with aviation in my youth flying back and forth between California and Alabama to visit family on the west coast.  On my 16th birthday I received a discovery flight as a birthday present and knew at that point, what I wanted to do as a professional.  I then went to school at Auburn University, where I continued to pursue my dream to become a professional aviator.  Being a competitive wake boarder at the time, I worked at a wakeboard school in Louisiana in the summer months as a wakeboard/waterski coach and developed a passion for coaching/teaching.  I then graduated from AU with a degree in Aviation Management.  After graduation I went to work on completing my Commercial Pilot’s License as well as receiving Certified Flight Instructor’s License.  I came to NexGen Aviation in December of 2016 to begin flight instructing.

Jim Donaldson

Flight Instructor, Lexington

ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI

Jim has had a long and illustrious career in aviation. He’s flown over 22,000 hours and many aircraft throughout his career including the Lear 24 and 35, Citations, King Airs, Barons, and many more. He was also the former Chief Pilot for Air Lexington.

Jordan Klunk

Flight Instructor, Lexington

Commercial, CFI, CFI-I, MEI, ATP

Jordan Klunk is a native of Louisville, KY and has over 5,000 hours of total time. Jordan caught the flying bug during a discovery flight in the Shawnee High School Aviation Program in 2008 and finished his training at Aviation Training Academy in Fort Pierce, FL. He currently holds type ratings in the CE-500, LR-JEt, LR-60, CL-604 and G-V. 

Caleb Durham

Flight Instructor, Lexington

Commercial, CFI

Caleb is a native of Pickens, SC and recently finished his flight training through NexGen. He joined the Air Force reserves at 17 and was promoted through the ranks to supervisory positions in aircraft maintenance, education and training while earning two associate's degrees. He s currently finishing his Bachelor's Degree from Liberty University and earning additional flight ratings so that he can pursue his ultimate dream of becoming a professional pilot.