Love of aviation and desire to share that leads couple to start new ground school

After spending their whole careers in aviation and even getting married at Kitty Hawk, it’s perhaps not a surprise that Teresa and Kirby Ortega are opening a school to help future pilots get their start.

The first classes at Ortega Aviation Services start in November at 1922 Midfield Road, a block north of the DoubleTree at the Wichita Eisenhower Airport.

“What we’re calling it is a live learning experience,” Teresa Ortega says.

There will be several components to the business. The main focus will be an aviation ground school that prepares students for the FAA written exam to get a pilot’s license. Participants will receive certificates that allow them to take the test.

“The way that a lot of training is done right now is online,” Kirby Ortega says.

He says it’s quite technical, though, and a lot of people “lose interest trying to do it themselves.”

He says an “old school” education makes more sense.

Teresa Ortega says it’s helpful to be around others who have questions and to hear answers from longtime Textron Aviation pilots and entrepreneurs from the community. She says the idea is to give students a deeper experience.

“It’s going to make safer pilots as well.”

Teresa Ortega says a lot of other courses are simply about memorization.

“They’re not teaching you how to fly an airplane.”

In addition to the ground school, the Ortegas will have simulators for flight training. They have two already and will have a third by the end of the year that’s an approved Aviation Training Device, meaning students can log flight hours that count toward their certification requirements.

The business, which Teresa Ortega says is the only one of its kind in the region, also will offer drone certification for first responders and others.

Teachers also can receive training related to STEM teaching.

“We will basically train the teachers to teach the STEM program as it applies to aviation,” Ortega says.

The teachers also can train on the simulators and learn how to teach basic ground classes as well.

The Ortegas also will offer consulting services for jet maintenance.

Teresa Ortega was at Textron for 25 years. She left a year ago as a sales director for the maintenance program for jets.

Kirby Ortega, who is in the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame, was at Textron as a chief pilot for 29 years. He left five years ago to work at Yingling Aviation.

“We’re both very passionate about aviation,” Teresa Ortega says.

She says they want to help others feel the marvel of flight from the pilot’s seat.

“More people than not want to feel that feeling,” Ortega says.

“Teaching people to fly is just going to be a real neat deal.”

This story was originally published September 25, 2019 at 5:00 AM.