About Me
Chase Franzen
FAA GOLD SEAL CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI
Hi, I’m Chase. I took a bit of an unconventional route to becoming a certificated flight instructor. This isn’t my job – it’s a passion I want to share with others.
I lead an IT Security team for a living. My background is scattered – I went to school for Economics and Political Science. Grad school for Business and Finance. I’ve taught as a college professor, own a restaurant, worked in management consulting, and renovate and own real estate investments. I also sail, rock climb, do ultra endurance races, snowboard, and scuba drive. Absolutely obsessed with traveling the world.
So how did I become a pilot? As a young kid, my uncle (a decorated Air Force pilot) invited me to fly with him. I was hooked. I knew, one day, I’d become a pilot as well. A few years later, he took me on a fishing trip to Alaska. While we were up there, we flew a C180 on floats. Fast forward 20 or so years later, I took a job across from Montgomery Airport in San Diego. Walked over one day at lunch, and signed up for the Plus One Flyers club.
I became a private pilot – saying I’d never go further. I lived in San Diego – why would I ever want to fly on anything but a perfect day? Then one day I got stuck, unable to return home, because of that pesky marine layer of clouds – thus, I now needed the instrument rating. Then a commercial rating because I thought I may want to fly for a skydiving company for fun. My instructor (Travis) told me that I needed to become a flight instructor having the instruction/teaching background already – and now the rest is history.
I have two vintage fabric taildraggers – co-owner in a 1941 Taylorcraft BL-65, own a 1959 Piper Pacer. The former has no electronics, a wood prop, does about 75mph, 12 gallons of gas, no flaps – the truest form of flying. The latter (pictured right) is an IFR and backcountry powerhouse in an old frame that I’ve flown to the Arctic Cirlce in Alaska and back. They are both incredibly machines that I get to be the caretaker for – and have touched both coasts in both of the airplanes (flown them both coast-to-coast).
I also own an experimental project airplane that I’m building – aided by being in A&P School at Miramar College part-time. Lastly, have an experimental aerobatic biplane – a 1982 Stolp Acroduster Too – sort of a knock-off of a Pitts S2B. You can see I’m a bit of a tailwheel junkie.
Being a flight instructor allows me to merge my love of flying with my passion for teaching. I’ll be a life-long, part-time flight instructor. I’ve taught more than 2,000 hours of dual given, recognized as an FAA Gold Seal CFI (the top population of all flight instructors), and have created countless pilots. Teaching tailwheel, multi-engine, instrument, and mountain/bush flying are my jams – and those are the primary focuses of my instruction. If it sounds like we’d gel or if you have questions – let’s talk!
