About Benz Aviation
Benz Aviation was built with a strong passion of aviation and one true goal in mind: to raise the standard of pilot training in General Aviation. We do not offer discovery flights or routine primary instruction -- we focus exclusively in advanced, specialized disciplines: Tailwheel instruction, Upset Prevention & Recovery Training (UPRT), and Aerobatic instruction.
Every Course we teach is grounded in genuine passion for aviation safety and a belief that the best pilots are built through deliberate, demanding, and properly structured training. Our tailwheel syllabus was developed using FAA materials as well as supplemental independently sourced information to ensure our customers get the best knowledge possible. Our UPRT curriculum is developed in compliance with the FAA's Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid and the applicable Advisory Circulars -- because the standard matters.
Instructors
Patrick is the Chief Instructor Pilot for Benz Aviation. Patrick's path in aviation started early. He began flying gliders at 15 and soloed at 16. By the time he earned his Private Pilot Certificate, he had already been training in aerobatics consistently, building the stick and rudder foundation that defines his approach to instruction today.
What sets Patrick apart from most instructors is how he learned to fly. He did extensive UPRT training with only 6 hours logged in powered aircraft and went on to complete his primary ASEL training in the Super Decathlon. He took his Private, Commercial, and CFI checkrides in the Super Decathlon, flying tailwheel from the beginning, resulting in a depth of experience that is not common today.
Patrick holds a B.S. from the University of Colorado and brings the same analytical rigor he developed there to every lesson he teaches. He is an Accredited Primary Instructor (API) through the Upset Prevention and Recovery Training Network (UPRTN), a credential that reflects his commitment to structured, standards-based UPRT instruction. As the sole instructor at Benz Aviation, every student works directly with Patrick from day one -- no hand-offs, no varying standards, just focused and consistent instruction built on years of experience in the areas he teaches.
Our Aircraft
American Champion Aircraft Super Decathlon (8KCAB). The Super Decathlon is the gold standard for basic aerobatic airplanes. Our 2024 model has 180 horsepower with an inverted fuel and oil system and is rated to +6/-5 G. giving it a large range of aerobatic maneuvers. Its honest, responsive handling makes it an exceptional tailwheel trainer.
N95PB has a state of the art instrument panel, it is equipped with a 10-inch Garmin G3X PFD with synthetic vision paired with a Garmin GNX375 GPS. These instruments are not too common in training aircraft and building proficiency with them is a great step forward in anyones aviation career.
Having a full glass cockpit a great feature that helps reinforce situational awareness by allowing the pilot to have an intuitive instrument flow, synthetic vision, and it is not a common feature of training aircraft in this field. Synthetic vision gives the pilot a continuous, real-time 3D depiction of aircraft attitude, terrain, and spatial orientation -- all information that becomes especially valuable when learning new maneuvers or learning to recognize and recover from unusual attitudes. In a traditional steam gauge cockpit, students do not have the intuitive relationship between the instruments and what they see out the window which can slow the process to develop a keen sense of aircraft attitude and ultimately effect their performance with upset recovery.
For aerobatic training, the G3X reinforces situational awareness throughout every maneuver -- giving students the tools to understand not just now to fly a loop or roll, but exactly what the airplane is doing at every point in it.
Get N95PB's Pilot Operating Manual here!