Jack Parrish

Jack Parrish is the President and Founder of Parrish Aviation Flight Academy, an FAA Part 141 Career Program flight school at Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD) in Dallas, TX. A former airline pilot on the Boeing 767, Jack traded the cockpit jump seat for the owner’s desk in 2020 and built one of the most operationally distinctive flight schools in the country—one rooted in five generations of aviation heritage and driven by a commitment to instructor quality and student outcomes.

Professional Background

Jack’s aviation credentials span the full spectrum from primary instruction to major airline operations:

• ATP Certificate: Type-rated in the Boeing 757/767 and Embraer E170/E190
• Former Airline Pilot: Flew for Envoy Air before founding Parrish Aviation in 2020
• NAFI Master CFI: Recognized among the top 1% of all flight instructors in the United States
• FAA Part 141 Chief Flight Instructor: Leads the curriculum and quality standards at Parrish Aviation
• FASI Board Member: Serves on the board of the Flight School Association International (formerly FSANA)
• Five-Generation Aviation Family: Great-grandfather flew for a family dairy farm in Illinois; grandfather Roger commanded the USAF Thunderbirds (1973–74); father Brian flew F-16s and captains at American Airlines; brother Michael co-founded Parrish Aviation before moving to the majors

Building Parrish Aviation

Jack resigned from Envoy Air in 2020 and built Parrish Aviation from scratch into a recognized career-track flight school:

• Founded 2020: Launched the school at Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD)
• 12 Aircraft Fleet: Grew to 12 aircraft with nine more on order
• Second Location: Expanding with a second site built Part 141 from day one
• Glider-First Program: Unique training methodology that brings student solo times below 20 hours
• Family Legacy Aircraft: Keeps his grandfather’s Aeronca Champion at the school as a living piece of aviation history

Areas of Expertise

• Part 141 Operations: Deep expertise in building and running FAA Part 141 career-track programs
• Instructor Quality Standards: Strong focus on hiring, developing, and retaining high-quality CFIs
• Glider Training Integration: Pioneer in using glider training to accelerate primary student proficiency
• Flight School Growth: Proven playbook for scaling a flight school from zero to multi-location operations
• Aviation Career Pathways: Expert in preparing students for professional pilot careers at regional and major airlines

Philosophy

Jack’s approach to flight training centers on quality over volume—building an operation that instills discipline, professionalism, and safety from the first lesson. His background as a Master CFI and airline pilot shapes every aspect of the Parrish Aviation experience, from how instructors are trained to how students progress through the syllabus.