Our Instructors
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Michael Trudell is a Southern California–based rotorcraft instructor and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) specializing in helicopter insurance compliance training and make-and-model transition training. His background as a senior gyroplane instructor provides a strong technical foundation in rotor system behavior, airflow management, energy control, and low-speed/low-margin flight regimes, competencies that translate directly to disciplined helicopter operations. Mike supports initial, recurrent, and transition training to meet common insurance underwriter and broker requirements, including transitions into complex and turbine helicopters such as the AW109 and AW169. His training emphasizes aircraft familiarization, SOP alignment, automation awareness, power and energy management, normal and emergency procedures, and operational risk mitigation, tailored to the experience level and operational profile of owner-operators and professional pilots. As a Designated Pilot Examiner, Mike brings a structured, standards-based perspective to training, with a clear understanding of FAA practical test standards, proficiency benchmarks, and documentation expectations. He is known for a methodical, safety-driven instructional style, scenario-based training, and clear training records suitable for insurance files and operational audits. While not a media-profile aviator, he is respected within the rotorcraft community for producing insurance-ready pilots with strong hands-on aircraft control, sound judgment, and a professional operational mindset.
Certifications
With more than four decades immersed in aviation, Rick is a respected leader, instructor, and examiner in the helicopter industry. He currently serves as the Training and Standardization Commander for the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department Air Rescue Bureau, where he oversees pilot training, operational standardization, and safety for one of the nation’s most demanding public-service aviation units. In addition, he is a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) with the South Florida Flight Standards District Office, responsible for evaluating and certifying helicopter pilots. For over 21 years, Rick has also owned and operated Helicopter Partners Inc., providing aviation services and expertise across the industry. Rick’s passion for flight began early. Growing up around Fort Rucker, Alabama, helicopters were a constant presence, shaping aviation from a curiosity into a calling. He formally began his flying career in 1982 after being selected for the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Flight Training Program, graduating from the demanding Flight Class 83-43-1 as one of just nine pilots from an initial class of 35. After six years of active duty, he transitioned to civilian flying in 1988, operating AS350 AStars for International Helicopter Service, a company specializing in aerial filming and motion picture work. Throughout his career, teaching and standardization have remained central themes. Rick is driven by a commitment to developing professional, disciplined pilots and believes that strong fundamentals and sound judgment are the cornerstones of safe operations. That philosophy was reinforced by firsthand experience, including surviving a catastrophic engine failure over the Atlantic Ocean, where he successfully autorotated into heavy seas and was rescued 17 hours later. The experience continues to shape his approach to safety, risk management, and instruction. Rick considers his family his greatest support system and personal success. Today, after decades in the cockpit and classroom, he remains deeply committed to advancing professionalism, safety, and excellence in the helicopter industry.
Certifications
Roberto began his aviation career in 1987 in California, quickly establishing himself as a skilled and adaptable helicopter pilot. Early in his career, he worked as a flight instructor in Puerto Rico, where he gained extensive experience operating in the Caribbean environment, developing strong foundations in tropical weather, island operations, and overwater flying. He later relocated to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where his career progressed into leadership roles, culminating in his appointment as Chief Pilot for an operator flying under contract with the United States Navy. Over more than a decade of government contract flying, Roberto built deep experience in complex operations, regulatory compliance, and mission-critical aviation. After returning to the mainland United States, Roberto joined American Eurocopter, where he served for many years as both an Instructor Pilot and Production Test Pilot. In this role, he was directly involved in pilot training, aircraft acceptance, and post-maintenance flight testing, further strengthening his technical expertise and operational judgment. Roberto subsequently transitioned into EMS operations, flying the Sikorsky S-76 in support of Dallas Children’s Hospital, combining precision flying with the demands of time-critical medical transport. During this period, he co-founded EuroSafety International, helping establish what became a highly respected helicopter training organization. Building on that success, he later founded EuroSafety Legacy International, with a unique focus on supporting legacy airframes no longer actively backed by OEMs, while continuing advanced training on modern Airbus platforms such as the H135 and H145. Today, Roberto balances his time between family, his leadership role at EuroSafety Legacy International, and flying a corporate H145 in support of overseas yacht operations. His career spans more than three decades and reflects broad experience across flight instruction, production and test flying, EMS, government contracts, and high-end corporate aviation. Roberto currently provides instruction on the AS350 (all variants), EC120B, EC135 / H135, H145, and NVG operations, continuing to mentor pilots while maintaining active line-flying proficiency. His career is defined by technical depth, operational versatility, and a long-standing commitment to safety, training, and professionalism in rotary-wing aviation.
Certifications
Luca began his aviation career in Italy in 1990, flying helicopters and earning his EASA Commercial Pilot License. Early exposure to European aviation standards and operations provided a strong technical foundation, which he later expanded by relocating to the United States. There, Luca obtained his FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate along with his Certified Flight Instructor–Instrument (CFII) rating, allowing him to operate and instruct seamlessly under both EASA and FAA regulatory frameworks. At the outset of his U.S. career, Luca worked with Part 61 and Part 141 flight schools, providing primary and advanced flight instruction. These early roles allowed him to develop a disciplined, methodical instructional style focused on strong fundamentals, aeronautical decision-making, and standardized procedures. Over time, his reputation as a precise and effective instructor led to expanded responsibilities within Part 135 operations, where he has served for more than two decades as an instructor and check airman, supporting both VFR and IFR training programs. In parallel with his instructional work, Luca has built an exceptionally diverse operational flying background. His experience spans high-end corporate aviation, aerial tours, electronic news gathering (ENG), offshore operations, emergency medical services (EMS), search and rescue (SAR), law enforcement, and dedicated IFR operations. He has also accumulated extensive mountain flying and international flight experience, operating in demanding environments that require advanced aircraft handling skills, situational awareness, and sound risk management. Luca’s technical versatility is further reflected in the wide range of helicopter types he has flown throughout his career. His experience includes aircraft from Robinson, Bell, Airbus, Leonardo, MD Helicopters, and Sikorsky, giving him a broad perspective on differing aircraft philosophies, systems, and operational envelopes. This depth of exposure enables him to tailor training to both the aircraft and the operational mission, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. In 2007, Luca joined EuroSafety, where he has played a key role in delivering advanced, mission-focused helicopter training. Today, he provides instruction on the AS350, BO105, A109, and S-76, as well as specialized courses in IFR, NVG, and mountain flying. His instruction is conducted both domestically and internationally, supporting operators and pilots across a wide range of regulatory and operational environments. Luca’s career reflects more than three decades of commitment to professionalism, standardization, and operational excellence. Whether instructing new pilots, evaluating experienced crews, or operating in complex real-world missions, he brings a balanced approach rooted in technical precision, practical experience, and a deep respect for the responsibilities of helicopter aviation.
Certifications