Jeffrey Vincent Kling

Jeffrey Vincent Kling is a highly accomplished FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) and Master Flight Instructor based in Friendswood, Texas. With an aviation career spanning over four decades, Kling has accumulated more than 13,000 flight hours, including over 10,000 hours of dual instruction. Before pivoting to full-time flight training and evaluation, he spent 25 years in the United States space program as a Space Shuttle flight controller in Mission Control and held several management roles for the International Space Station. This extensive background in aerospace engineering and mission-critical operations deeply informs his methodical and safety-centric approach to pilot certification.

Kling holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with ratings for single-engine land, multi-engine land, and single-engine sea aircraft. He is also a certified Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic and an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor. Since 2002, he has owned and operated Kling Aviation, Inc., specializing in mentoring new instructors and providing advanced training for all fixed-wing certificates. As a DPE for the Houston FSDO and a FAASTeam Representative, Kling is widely recognized for his high standards and commitment to proficiency. His career is marked by an exemplary safety record and a dedication to cultivating a lifetime of accident-free flying for his students.