LETCHER COLLINS

Letcher Collins, widely known in the aviation industry as Captain Lee Collins, is an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) based in Punta Gorda, Florida. His aviation career spans decades, beginning with early work as a flight instructor and owner of an FAA Part 141 Flight Training Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Collins later flew as an international and domestic airline captain for United Parcel Service (UPS) Airlines for 20 years before his retirement.

In addition to his piloting career, Collins has held significant leadership roles. He served as the Chairman of Government and Legislative Affairs for the Independent Pilots Association (IPA) and is a founding member of the IPA Foundation. He also served as Executive Vice President, Secretary, and President of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA), representing over 30,000 professional pilots in regulatory and safety matters. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, History, and Classical Languages from the University of Kentucky, and a Master of Divinity from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Currently, Collins is the Senior Vice President of Industry and Government Affairs for Paragon Flight Training and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA). In his role with the NFTA, he lobbies in Washington, D.C., co-established a satellite office at the Punta Gorda Airport, and serves on the FAA Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee. Beyond aviation, Collins has more than 30 years of maritime experience, holding a USCG OUPV captain’s license and working as a sailing instructor. As an active Southwest Florida DPE, his testing authority covers Private, Commercial, Instrument, and CFI practical tests for Airplane Single Engine Land (ASEL).