ABOUT CASEY AVIATION

Our Team

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Joe Casey

Founder/Chief Pilot/DPE/CPIIMHG/ATP

My aviation story began in 1990 with my first flight near Nacogdoches, TX in a Cessna 172.  From lift-off, I knew I’d have a lifetime passion flying just about anything that will leave the ground…I was completely hooked.  Along with being an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), I’m also an ATP/CFI-AHMG and Commercial Rotorcraft/Glider Pilot, seaplane pilot, and a recently-retired UH-60/AH-64 Pilot-in-Command/Instructor/Examiner Pilot in the US Army Reserves, but my passion for the last 20+ years has been the PA-46 , Socata TBM, Beechcraft King Air series of airplanes and those that fly these wonderful machines. I’ve amassed over 12,000 hours in these various airframes and believe them to be one of the finest flying machines available for the serious cross-country pilot with an eye for efficiency.

Now, I’ve flown more than 17,000 hours of flight time in just about every imaginable environment.  Whether providing initial/recurrent training in the PA-46’s, TBM’s or King Air realm, giving a check ride to someone moving up in credentialing, flying an airplane to the other side of the world, giving tailwheel endorsements, or taking kids flying for the first time, I simply love flying machines and the people who fly them.

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Deanna Casey

Gold Seal CFI/CFII/MEI

My aviation career began in 1997 when I learned to fly the summer before my senior year of high school, near my hometown in northwest Georgia. After starting, there was no keeping me out the sky and no other career path considered. All additional ratings and certificates were earned in conjunction with a Bachelor of Aviation Management from Auburn University and I later added a Master of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

My career path, spanning almost 25 years and over 11,000 flight hours thus far, has taken me from being a flight instructor at Auburn University, through a brief stint as a pre-9/11 airline First Officer, then into the corporate aviation world I chose to settle in. I have flown and instructed in more than 50 distinct aircraft types, hold Gold Seal CFI/CFII/MEI certificates, and instruct in all PA46 piston & turbine variants. I also fly & mentor in all King Air variants and ferry aircraft worldwide.

As a career instructor, I love sharing my love of flying with others, with an emphasis on safety, currency, and competency for owner/pilots of high performance aircraft.

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Eric Earle

Aviation Sales
My journey into aviation is a young one.  I have recently completed 7 years on active duty in the U.S. Army and my family is settling in our hometown of Jacksonville, TX.  My lovely wife, Lena, and I are the parents of two wonderful children.  During my time in the Army, I have been fortunate to be around quite a bit of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft through training and during my time as part of the Airborne community and have always found the concept of flight to be fascinating.  While in the Army, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to become Jumpmaster and Ranger qualified, completing a total of 39 static line jumps.  I am currently working towards my private pilots license and am greatly looking forward to every adventure along the way.
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Matt Courtney

Aircraft Broker / CFI
Aviation has always been a part of my life, though not always by choice, I will forever be grateful that it has.  As a third generation pilot, I was fortunate enough to grow up in all types of airplanes.  My grandfather was a corporate pilot for the majority of his career.  In his spare time he flew his RV8, and still flies right seat to this day.  My father has been a professional pilot his entire career.  He flew corporate for Lufkin Industries in King Airs and Citations until retirement, and now flies a slew of aircraft as a commercial contract pilot.  When I was young, it was very common for us to use aircraft as a mode of transportation, so the allure of flight and the unique situation that I was born into never fully set in until later in life.  Once the formal training with my father started, and the hope of my first solo came into view, I was “hooked”.  I received my private pilot license in 2015 and went full throttle into aviation from there.  I went to Addison, TX to complete my Instrument, Commercial, and CFI.  Afterwards, I moved my family back to Lufkin, TX and started a small flight school with a Cessna 172 training students in primary instruction.
Fast forward to present day, aviation has become a way of life for my family.  Whether for work, helping train fellow pilots with instruction, or hauling my wife and daughter around the state for sports tournaments, I am fortunate to blend my passion for flight with the needs of my family and friends.
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Marc Slocum

CFI / CFII

Born and raised in East Texas, my aviation story began at the age of 16, with a discovery flight at the Nacogdoches airport.  Like most,  I was instantly hooked, and always looked forward to my next flight.  While attending LeTourneau University, studying Aeronautical Science, the events of September 11th took place and compelled me to join the Air Force.  While in the Air Force I served as a C-130 Loadmaster, amassing over 1,000 hours as an aircrew member. 

After my enlistment, I moved back home and became a Texas State Trooper. I served the great state of Texas for 10 years and during that time hit several milestones. I met and married my wife, Kendall, I have three beautiful children and all the while, I was able to build flight hours and earn my CFI/CFII.  In 2019, the Lord opened a door for me to transition out of law-enforcement to flying professionally as a pipeline patrol pilot.  I just recently joined the Casey Aviation team and I am excited to be part of such a great company.  In total, I have amassed over 5,500 flight hours in a variety of airframes, of which 1,700 are in tailwheel aircraft.  

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Stephanie Rasmussen

Office Manager

Bio coming soon!

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Kendall Slocum

Social Media Manager

Bio coming soon!

Clint Goff

Digital Manager

Hello, I’m Clint, and I’m thrilled to be the newest addition to the Casey Aviation team. My journey in aviation began over two decades ago, and for the majority of that time, I served as the Airport Manager at the Cherokee County Airport (KJSO). Holding a commercial pilot license with an instrument rating, I am deeply passionate about flying and am currently pursuing my CFI to further contribute to the aviation community.

Beyond the cockpit, I have a profound love for photography and videography. Over the past 15 years, I’ve honed my skills in capturing moments and telling stories through visuals. This passion for visual storytelling led me to Casey Aviation, where I now leverage my expertise to enhance our digital presence and communicate our brand’s narrative effectively.

In addition to my professional pursuits, I am blessed with a wonderful family – my wife Denise and our three children. They are my source of inspiration and support in all endeavors.

Faith plays a central role in my life, and I am a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. It’s this foundation that guides my values and shapes my interactions both personally and professionally.

I am excited to embark on this new chapter with Casey Aviation, where I look forward to combining my love for aviation, creativity in digital media, and commitment to excellence to contribute to our team’s success.

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Mark Dunn

CFI / CFII

Before moving to Lufkin at the age of 10, my family spent some time in San Antonio, Texas where my dad worked on B52s at Kelly field.  The community there was filled with aviation and had me always looking skyward.  After attending college at Sam Houston State, I finally got the chance to dip my toes into the waters of flight by taking lessons and soloing at the local airport.   However, I soon had to weigh out whether to continue spending money on flying or buying a ring for my girlfriend.  I made the right decision as I have been happily married to my beautiful wife Shawn for almost 33 years. 

Flight came back around after building a successful commercial construction firm and having two wonderful children.  After many years of private flight, I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up, a flight instructor.  Now, I just have to grow up.  For me, flying is always fun.  Whether it is helping achieve one’s dream of flight through instruction; assisting a patient to get to a medical treatment a little sooner; flying a kid for the first time; or facilitating the purchase of one’s dream aircraft after years of chasing… I am grinning from ear to ear.  The structure and discipline of flight instruction blended with the freedom and pure joy of flight has me waking up every day with excitement to help others find that same passion.

Chad Fortenberry

Chad Fortenberry

CFI/CFII/MEI

As a Dallas area native, professional pilot, and flight instructor, I have been doing work for Casey Aviation for the past five years. I’ve logged over 9,500 hours in the sky as a professional pilot while always actively teaching in aircraft. I also have over 4,200 hours of dual given in the Cessna 400 (COL-4), PA46 series aircraft as well as the TBM 7, 8, and 9 series aircraft. I conduct both owner and professional training in Aircraft as well as in avionics. My passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm for teaching/flight instructing has made Casey Aviation a perfect fit for me.

I’m based in Dallas, at Addison Airport, which is also where I learned to fly. My full-time job is flying a Challenger 350 and Citation X. My resume includes ATP SEL, ATP MEL, CFI, CFII, MEI and I hold PIC Type Ratings in the BE-300, CE-680, CE-750, and the CL30, and an SIC rating in the CE-525 series aircraft.

Outside aviation, I enjoy running, lifting weights, snow skiing, and bass fishing. One of my favorite shows is Deadliest Catch. I enjoy watching these guys in the wheelhouse Captain their ships in weather I wouldn’t even dream about flying in. I find it simply amazing.

Darwin Haines

CFI/CFII/MEI

I always knew I wanted to fly. Growing up in northwest Wisconsin, we had a small airport near our home. It was at this little airport, where I took the first flying lessons as a teenager and earned a private pilot certificate just a few days before leaving for the US Military Academy at West Point.

 

After graduating from West Point, my decade-plus long career in the Army took me all over the US and to Europe, where I flew attack, scout, and small assault helicopters, including along the now-defunct East-West German border. Once back in the US, I traded my flight suit for a business suit. After receiving an MBA from the University of Chicago, I spent the next twenty years leading technical and business teams in a variety of industries, and ultimately running the international division of a Midwest-based IT equipment manufacturer. While extremely interesting and rewarding, my international travel schedule left very little time for flying on my own.

In 2019, after serving as Chief Operating Officer of the West Point Association of Graduates for two years, I retired and returned to my passion of flying airplanes. I bought a PA46 Mirage and I became a CFI/CFII to pass along my love of flying and knowledge to others. The PA46 has been an amazing machine.

My wife, Jana, and I have five grown boys and a granddaughter. We split our time between Southwest Michigan and St Petersburg, FL. Whenever possible, we ski, scuba dive and travel internationally.

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Ferenc Csatlos

CFI/CFII/AGI

Growing up in Hungary (Eastern Europe) I always dreamed about flying airplanes; however we did not have the infrastructure and means to be around airplanes. In 1997, after graduating high school, I moved to the United States to study and play competitive hockey. 

In the early 2000’s I finally took a discovery flight at a local airport, the second we lifted off into the 3D world I was ‘hooked’. 

After earning my private, instrument and commercial certificates we purchased our first family airplane, Piper Cherokee Six; a few years later transitioned to our current PA46 Malibu. Combining my passion for teaching (knowledge transfer) and flying I earned my flight instructor ratings. I’ve flown over 2,300 hours of which over 1,000 is in the PA46 airplanes. 

My goal is to pass on the knowledge and experiences I gained over the years and make you a better, confident and safe pilot.  

Our family resides in Des Moines IA , a convenient location for midwest clients.  

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, playing hockey, mountain biking, and skiing. 

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