About Us

The vision of Instrument Flight Solutions is to produce high quality, competent instrument pilots. We believe that focused, full time training, combined with dedicated top notch instructors, produces the safest, most competent instrument pilots. Our goal is to provide our customers with not only the best training, but the best value for their training dollar.

Andrew Watkins, President, ATP, CFII, MEI

Andrew Watkins Andrew has been flying since 1992, and instructing since 1996. He has over 6000 hours, with over 2000 hours of instruction given. He is an airline captain with a large regional airline flying the EMB-120 Brasilia. He has done extensive flying throughout the west coast, and a bit of flying in Brazil. The part he enjoys most about teaching is watching students when they achieve their goals. Andrew has the unusual ability to adapt his training methods to fit the learning style of each individual. When not instructing, Andrew likes to travel to far off places like Greece or Brazil, or spend time locally enjoying all the activities of the monterey bay area.

Brad Madeira, CFII

Brad Madeira Brad has been flying since 2001, and started instructing with IFS in 2008. Brad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts. Brad worked in the corporate aviation world as a dispatcher and business manager prior to acquiring his ratings and instructor credentials. Brad has also been on both sides of the airplane with Instrument Flight Solutions going through our accelerated program back in 2007. Brad remembers what it is like to be new to all of this and that enables him to break down instrument procedures into very methodical steps. When he s not instructing, Brad likes spending time with his wife working on his house or throwing tennis balls for his yellow lab puppy.

Tony Barnes, CFII, MEI

Tony Barnes Tony has been flying since 1999 and instructing since 2005. Prior to earning his flight instructor certificate, Tony served as an intelligence analyst and Korean linguist for the U.S. Army, later attending the University of California at Santa Cruz and receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Science (Geology). Tony has been on both sides of the airplane with Instrument Flight Solutions; initially as one of our first customers in 2001, and now as the most recent addition to our instruction team. Tony combines enthusiasm and an eye for detail in the cockpit with a background steeped in intensive training processes to create the best possible atmosphere for learning with every client. When he's not working, Tony spends as much time as possible with his family, and squeezes in a few taildragger flights when he can.