About Emily

Emily Pagano

I’m a commercial pilot and flight instructor teaching in the Phoenix area, and I split my time between Glendale, Arizona and Hilo, Hawaii.

My earliest airplane memories are of visiting my dad at work and watching him work on the giant jet engines of the 747. That love for aviation never left.

As a mother, I’ve found that the skills I use at home carry over well to the cockpit: multitasking, detailed planning and keeping safety first. That overlap is at the heart of how I teach. I help students use and build on the skills they already have from everyday life, and show them how to apply those skills on the flight deck.

I teach at several airports around Phoenix in single-engine, multi-engine, light-sport and technically advanced aircraft, and I also teach in a full-motion simulator through a high school dual-enrollment program.

I’m a Civil Air Patrol senior member and an active member of WAI, the Phoenix Ninety-Nines, NGPA, OBAP, LPA and AOPA. When I’m not flying, I’m outdoors with my kids in the mountains, the sea or the sky, diving, surfing and hiking.