2023/24 Board Members
Nicholas Kellogg — Captain
Nicholas "Nick" Kellogg is a private pilot with 225 hours of flight experience, currently training for his instrument and commercial ratings in Oxford, Maryland. As the Captain of the team, he is dedicated to leading and fostering growth. Outside of flying, Nick enjoys sailing, off-roading, cars, camping and exploring the outdoors. With a passion for aviation and adventure, Nick aims to compete among top collegiate aviators and fly for Tradewind Aviation, also aspiring to participate in prestigious events like the America's Cup.
Hoyong Lee — First Officer
Hoyong Lee is the First Officer on the Eagles Flight Team. He is part of Computer Accuracy. Hoyong is from Suwon, South Korea. He is currently a senior, double majoring in Aeronautical Science and Computational Mathematics with a minor in Aviation Safety. Additionally, he is a Flight Instructor at Embry-Riddle with 350 hours. Hoyong likes to work on home projects and enjoys traveling. His favorite part about the team is its unity and goal-driven attitude of individuals. His goal is to win Compacc at Nationals, contributing to the ultimate goal of the team winning the National Championship.
Emma Kirschenheiter — Second Officer
Emma Kirschenheiter is the Second Officer on the Eagles Flight Team. She is a part of many events on the team, such as Computer Accuracy, Message Drop, Traditional Navigation and Precision Landings. Emma is from Long Island, New York, and she is a junior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University majoring in Aeronautical Science. Emma is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating and has accumulated just over 300 flight hours. After college, Emma intends to work for the airlines. Emma holds a Master 100 Ton Captain’s License that she puts to good use during the summer months, as she works as a Captain on ferry boats, transporting up to 275 passengers from Long Island to Fire Island.
Garrett Koch — Chief Pilot
Garrett Koch, from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, is a senior at Embry-Riddle majoring in Aeronautical Science. Garrett has 800 hours of flight experience and is a Certificated Flight Instructor currently working on his commercial multi-engine add-on. He serves as the Chief Pilot on the Eagles Flight Team and competes in SCAN, Ground Trainer, Power Off/Short Field Landings and Navigation. Garrett appreciates the connections he has made within the team and enjoys sharing passions in aviation with his teammates. Outside of aviation, he enjoys baseball, hockey, traveling and camping. Following graduation, his goal is to start out flying for a regional airline.
Jacob Sparks — Assistant Chief Pilot
Jacob Sparks is the Assistant Chief Pilot on the Eagles Flight Team. He is from Charleston, South Carolina, and is a junior studying Aeronautical Science. Jacob has 950 flight hours and has his CSEL. On the team, he competes in Power On/Off Landings, Navigation, CRM, SCAN and Message Drop. His favorite part of the team is getting to compete against other schools and meeting some great friends along the way. Post-graduation, his goal is to get a job with an airline, as well as flying fighters for the Air National Guard.
Connor Fraught — Safety Coordinator
Connor Faught is a senior at Embry-Riddle studying Aeronautical Science. He is from Rockford, Illinois. He has 860 flight hours and has his CSEL with a multi-engine add-on. On the team, Connor is the Safety Coordinator as well as a competitor in SCAN, Power On/Off Landings, Navigation and CRM. Connor enjoys competing at the various locations of Regionals and Nationals, as well as learning valuable information about aviation day in and day out. Connor has a job offer with Frontier Airlines, so he hopes to go there. Later on, he hopes to go fly fighter jets for an Air National Guard unit.
Coaches
James Hanover — Head Coach
James Hanover manages the Private Pilot Program at Embry-Riddle and oversees the operation of the Eagles Flight Team as Head Coach. He is a commercial pilot with over 1,500 hours and several thousand landings, as he was a previous competitor on the Flight Team. James grew up on the water — sailing, building and restoring boats. He learned to fly in his hometown in Southern California while in high school. His favorite part of the Flight Team is the competition; he thrives on the competitive atmosphere and drive to be the absolute best. He graduated with his B.S. in Spaceflight Operations and is currently working on his MBA.
Matt Schnappauf — Assistant Coach
Matt Schnappauf is a Certificated Flight Instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has 650 flight hours. He is originally from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. As an Assistant Coach specializing in Logistics and Flight Instruction, he values the camaraderie and friendship within the team. Beyond aviation, Matt finds joy in golfing, cooking and exploring new destinations.
Saiful Jihard — Assistant Coach/Aircraft Recognition Coach
Saiful Jihad is a flight instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and acts as the team's Assistant and Aircraft Recognition Coach. He is from Jakarta, Indonesia, and has been part of the team since 2016. He has accumulated 1,800 flight hours and competed in several events, including Aircraft Recognition, Ground Trainer, Message Drop and Power-Off Landings. Jihad's favorite part of the team is the ability to connect and share the passion of aviation with aspiring and professional aviators in the industry. Outside of aviation, Jihad enjoys playing soccer and computer games, cooking, and traveling. He aims to help the team achieve a national championship.