Nick Zak

Chief Flight Instructor

Ratings: Airline Transport Pilot MEL, Commercial SEL, CFI, CFII, MEI

Nick’s love for aviation started in 1990 during his first flight on a DC-10 bound for Florida when he was 10. He grew up in Lakeville, MN and worked in his family’s autobody business throughout high school. In 2001, he moved to Grand Forks, ND to attend the University of North Dakota’s Aviation Program. Graduating in 2004, Nick kept flying and stayed current while still working in the family’s autobody shop. In 2018, Nick joined the AV8 team as one of our CFI/CFII’s. As a first-generation pilot, and father of two, he also enjoys snowmobiling, camping, coaching his son’s baseball team, his daughter’s softball team, running a Boy Scout Troop and a Girl Scout Troop. He also loves seeing students succeed and reach their dreams in aviation. Nick’s family has always supported him and remind him, in the words of the awesome band Journey, “Don’t Stop Believing!”