Mike Piampiano
Certificated Flight Instructor, CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP
michael.piampiano@harmonyair.com For as long as I can remember, my dream has been to become an airline pilot. I took my first flying lesson in May of 1971 at the age of 13 and earned my Private Pilot certificate in June of 1976. By March of 1978, I had completed the remainder of my flying certificates; Instrument, Commercial, Certified Flight Instructor – Airplane, Instrument Instructor, and Multi-Engine rating. I was a flight instructor and flew FAA Part 135 charter in Piper Aztec, Beech 18, Aero Commander 580, and Piper Navajo based in western New York.
In January of 1979, I was offered a job flying for a regional airline headquartered in Jamestown, NY, to fly Beech 99s. All of this occurred by the ripe old age of 20! I had to wait until I was 23 to upgrade to Captain, the minimum age to acquire the ATP rating. I received my ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) rating with the airline in July 1981. Shortly after that, I received my first of what would amount to 10 type ratings on the Short 3-30. With some incredible timing, good luck on my part, and a couple of mergers, I finished my airline career accumulating 37 years with United Airlines, of which the last 14 was flying the B-777. I was a Line Check Airman instructor, also known as an (LCA) my last 12 years. I was very much involved in the training arena. The last 8 years I instructed both new B777 pilots and new Line Check Airman. I was an FAA designated ILI and I performed initial Captain observation rides for the airline in lieu of an actual FAA inspector. My particular area of specialty was the Middle East/Russia.
Overall I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had such a great airline career. It doesn’t always work out that way. As I have said on many occasions, I pinch myself daily.
I have accumulated over 32,600+ flight hours, including type ratings in the mighty B-17 affectionately known as the “Movie Memphis Belle” and Whiskey 7 a C-47. I own and fly a 2002 Cessna 182T that the previous owner converted to a TAA (Technically Advanced Airplane), and it now sports a modern glass panel suite of instrumentation.
I live in the Spring Hill area with my awesome wife of 33 years.
I look forward to supporting Harmony Air as Nashville’s premier flight school and charter operator.
