Zenda Alma Liess

Zenda Alma Liess is a highly accomplished Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) based in Stoneville, North Carolina, serving the broader Greensboro and Piedmont Triad aviation communities. Her path to the cockpit began after a prestigious career as a professional tennis player on the WTA Tour, where she achieved a career-high world ranking of 32 and reached the quarterfinals of the 1976 US Open. Following her athletic retirement and a brief tenure in public accounting—having earned a Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Florida—Liess transitioned to professional aviation in the early 1990s.

Liess holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and is a Gold Seal Flight Instructor (CFI, CFII, MEI) with over three decades of flight experience, including time as a commercial pilot for Atlantic Southeast Airlines. Since her appointment as a DPE in 1998, she has conducted thousands of practical tests across a wide spectrum of ratings, ranging from Light Sport and Private Pilot to ATP and multi-engine certifications. Known for her thorough yet fair examination style, Liess maintains an impeccable safety record and a professional reputation built on a disciplined, high-performance mindset. Her expertise is particularly sought after for initial checkrides, instrument ratings, and CFI renewals.