Meet Tyler Koonce, our First Officer – Ground. Tyler organizes our practices & study sessions for ground events. He previously served as team Secretary & was part of the Traditional Navigation duo which finished 2nd at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) Region IX competition, the top flight event finish in school history. He is also a member of the Polk State Aerospace Safety Team.
A career changer who always wanted to be an airline pilot, Tyler enrolled at Polk State in 2021. His interest in our program was inspired by listening to our Coach Carl Valeri’s Aviation Careers Podcast. Previously, Tyler worked in the front office of professional & college sports teams, a Fortune 500 company & leading national engineering firm.
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, he is a huge Chiefs football fan. An instrument rated pilot currently pursuing his commercial pilot certificate, Tyler will graduate in May with a degree in Professional Pilot Science. He also earned a bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University.
Our team is accepting donations to help fund our trip to nationals at Ohio State University in May. To donate, visit www.polkstateflightteam.com/donate.