INSTRUCTORS
Sophia Wells
Sophia came to the Club in 2009 after completing the Mount Royal Aviation program and then working for a year at the Calgary Flying Club. Sophia became the CFI in August of 2012 and also flies part time on a Piper Navajo and a Cessna Citation for a local construction company. She is originally from the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. In 2018, Sophia was named to Wings magazine’s Top 20 Under 40: Agent of Change. In 2019, she was honored with Mount Royal University’s Outstanding Alumni Award.
Justin Bailey
Multi Engine Examiner
Justin was born on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. He spent 20 years in Ontario, completing his flight training at WWFC at the Kitchener / Waterloo airport (CYKF). He later obtained his seaplane rating and time on floats at Lake St. John (CNV6).
Now flying as captain on the Beech 1900 for Central Mountain Air, Justin continues with EFC as a part-time instructor and multi engine examiner.
Amanda Lippitt
Robbie Benusic
Robbie has returned to his flight instructing roots after a 22-year break where he was, and still is, an Air Traffic Controller. He is currently working at training the new CYQF Control Tower, but also spent time in CYEG CYZF and CYXD Towers. Robbie originally did all his flight training at the Edmonton Flying Club and graduated from the first class of the Edmonton Flight College in 1994. He flight instructed for 3 years in Dawson Creek and Port McNeill (north end of Vancouver Island), and also did a 6 month tour in Resolute Bay working for Kenn Borek on Twin Otters.
Allen Atefi
A University of Waterloo engineering graduate working in Alberta’s oil and gas sector, Allen had to patiently wait a few decades until he and his wife raised their two daughters before being able to pursue his passion for aviation and further advance his flight training. A member of EFC since 2016, Allen joined the EFC flight instructor team in the Fall of 2021. In his spare time, you will find Allen flying his plane with his wife to various interesting destinations in Canada and the US.
Radwan Hoche
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy conducted his PPL and CPL with EFC at the parkland airport (CPL6). During his time building, he travelled to Pitt Meadows (CYPK) and Waterloo International (CYKF) to observe other operations and airspaces.
Jimmy is originally from New Brunswick, but moved to Edmonton at a young age. He loves long walks on the beach, Piña colada’s, and getting caught in the rain.
Mohamad Mahfouz
A locally born, raised, and trained pilot, Mohamad began flying after obtaining an electrical Engineering degree from the University of Alberta. His passion for flight instruction stems from the countless hours flying cross-country around North America with friends and family – subconsciously passing on the joys and thrills of flying. He joined EFC in April 2019, and in December that year he joined the instructor ranks. He is also multi-instrument rated, multilingual, and circumnavigated the globe multiple times. Always setting his sights on the next challenge, an aerobatic rating is his next venture.
Trevor Spaulding
Trevor is an Alumni of the Edmonton Flying Club. He has been flying since 1988 when he began his private license. Since then he’s instructed in Las Vegas, flown tours in the Grand Canyon, and flew Night cargo. Then it was off to Thunder Bay Ontario to fly charters and Bearskin Airlines. Now Trevor is a Captain on the Boeing 737 at WestJet Airlines. Trevor is married with 4 children.
Fadhl AbuGhanem
Fadhl started his flight training in 2018 at the Namao Flying Club after completing the Victimology Program at Algonquin College. His passion for flying stems from his time spent in Air Cadets as a young youth. He joined EFC in 2019 to complete his Multi-Engine Rating, Group 1, and the Flight Instructor Rating. He joined the instructor ranks in May of 2022.
Fadhl is originally from Ottawa and moved to Edmonton in 2016 for his current role as a Peace Officer with the City of Edmonton. Fadhl enjoys spending time with family and staying active in the gym.
Martin Edwards
Marty was bitten by the aviation bug early in life when his father (Retired RAF pilot) would take him flying in his ultralight from farm strips in England where he is originally from. He completed his PPL & CPL in Squamish BC, before moving to Edmonton to become a flight instructor.
Marty loves everything that flies and has had some truly memorable experiences flying a Tiger Moth, Super Decathlon, ultralights and para-motors.
When not flying, Marty can be found on the local ski slopes with his wife and children… or watching Star Trek.
Hannah McKay
Event Sponsorship Coordinator
Hannah started her aviation journey in 2018 as a Flight Attendant. She realized she was on the wrong side of the flight deck door and began flight training in 2020. Hannah came to the Edmonton Flying Club in 2021 to complete her Commercial license, Multi engine rating, and more recently her Flight Instructor rating.
When she is not flying at EFC, Hannah works as the Membership and Community Outreach Coordinator with Elevate Aviation. She loves giving back to the community when she can and inspiring the next generation of pilots. Outside of aviation, she can be found on her snowboard in the winter and mountain bike in the summer enjoying nature with her family.
Bill Dimmer
Bill has been an EFC Club member since 1987. He was a dispatcher before earning his Commercial License and eventually his Instructor Rating. Bill has also been a long time member of the CASARA group.
Rhodielyn Padilla
I have been interested in aviation since I was 6 years old. When I was 12, I joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Force and was selected to complete my Glider Pilot License through their scholarship. The endeavor of becoming a pilot was not easy for me. I wasn’t the most talented flyer but these struggles only motivated me further to prove to myself that being a pilot was important to me.
I completed the rest of my training in Springbank and now excited to join the Edmonton Flying Club as a Class 2 instructor with endeavors to pursue my Class 1.
Outside of aviation, I’m a Yoga Instructor, a certified Holistic Nutritionist, and am a gymnast with NorGlen Rhythmic Gymnastics Club. I hope to share more of my story and to connect with you all soon.
