TIMOTHY PALCHO

Timothy L. Palcho has spent over two decades training and evaluating pilots at the Kent State University Airport (1G3) in Stow, Ohio, where he conducts practical tests for private pilot, commercial pilot, instrument rating, and flight instructor (CFI) candidates in single- and multi-engine land airplanes. As the Chief Flight Instructor at Kent State and an instructor at the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, he has mentored more than 2,500 students in flight, simulator, and academic settings. His career at the university began in 1992 as a student in the Theory of Flight Instruction course, leading to a part-time flight instructor role in 1998 and a full-time position in 2000. Palcho has accumulated over 5,000 total flight hours, with his primary airframe experience consisting of more than 1,000 hours of multi-engine instruction in the Piper Seminole. Outside of checkrides and flight training, he serves as the Head Coach of the Kent State Precision Flight Team, guiding competitors in NIFA SAFECON events. He earned a Bachelor of General Studies from Kent State University in 2006 and a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership from Mountain State University in 2009. His work in aviation education was recognized with the College of Aeronautics and Engineering's Outstanding Faculty Award in 2024. He is married to Kris Palcho, a fellow Kent State alumnus and aviation safety professional, and they have one son.