Certificates
Aircraft Categories
Daniel Gene Benton, commonly known as Dan Benton, grew up in Simi Valley, California, where he was inspired to pursue aviation by riding his bicycle to a local airport to watch planes take off and land. Based in Torrance, California, he has served as an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner since at least 2010, conducting helicopter practical tests for Private, Commercial, Instrument, ATP, and Flight Instructor certificates. He is also specifically qualified under SFAR 73 to administer evaluations in Robinson R-22 and R-44 helicopters.
Benton has spent much of his career at the Robinson Helicopter Company at Torrance Airport, beginning as a factory instructor in 1997 and transitioning to a factory test pilot by 2008. He now serves as the company's Chief Production Flight Test Pilot and has extensive experience flying both piston-engine and turbine-engine helicopters. In September 2025, he piloted a retro Reagan Ranch-branded Robinson R22 to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, landing on the South Lawn to deliver the helicopter for a historical exhibition.