Who we are..

Harborside Aviation is a Cessna Pilot Center providing a wide variety of services to the general aviation community. Cessna Pilot Centers have been teaching the world to fly for many years. We have the latest in aircraft, equipment and interactive computer based ground training. Our instructors are all professional and certified by the FAA.

Jean Lewis, CFII, MEI


Jean Lewis was previously the owner and manager of a flight school in N.J. called Lewis Flying Service. Jean and her family are all pilots. Her father was an instructor in the Army Air Corp in World War II and her brothers areboth airline pilots. Her sister and nephews are also pilots as well as herhusband John.

Jean and John moved to Florida in 2003 after her husband took an early retirement from Mobil/Exxon Oil Co. They had visited Florida many times in their Cessna 210 when on vacation and decided that Punta Gorda and the airport were perfect for them. In Sept 2003 Jean started instructing in Punta Gorda and eventually she and her husband bought the flight school from the previous owners and renamed it Harborside Aviation. Jean has over 12,000 hours flight time and 27 years as a flight instructor.


John Sockwell

John Sockwell is Jean’s husband and partner in Harborside Aviation. He started flying in 1991 and has a private and commercial pilot's rating. John's father also flew as a pilot during World War II. Jean and John took many vacation trips to Florida and the Bahamas in their Cessna 210 looking for their perfect place to move to someday. When John took an early retirement package from Mobil/Exxon Co.(he was a lab technician) the timing was right and they moved to SW Florida. John has over 600 hours flight time and enjoys spending time at the airport.


Ed Leffingwell, CFI
Ed Leffingwell is a flight instructor and multi-engine pilot. He has over1500 hours flying time and owns his own Grumman Cougar twin engine airplane. Ed began flying years ago up North where he previously owned a Cessna 182.Ed is retired from General Electric.





Cary Hallinan, CFII

Cary Hallinan is a flight instructor that relocated to Florida 2007 from Massachusetts. She has an instrument instructor rating and a multi-engine rating. She has over 1100 hours. She previously owned a 1978 Skyhawk and later owned a 1979 Piper Warrior with her husband Chris who is also a pilot. She is a real estate broker associate in Punta Gorda as well.





Bob Anderson, CFII
Bob Anderson is a flight instructor and instrument instructor with over 8000 hours. Bob decided to semi-retire and still does some instructing as long as it doesn't conflict with his sailing and vacations. He previously owned a flight school here along with his wife Joyce. He also has a Sea plane rating.






Robby Robinson, CFII, MEI

Robby is the newest member of our flight training staff. He has over 1200 hours and also has a Multi-engine Instructor Rating.






 
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