Stefan Kleinke serves as a faculty member in the College of Aviation, bringing more than 15 years of military aviation experience to the classroom. He served with both the German Navy and German Air Force as a pilot and instructor on Tornado and T-38 jet aircraft, accumulating more than 3,000 flight hours before leaving military service in 2012. He was later selected as a flight examiner for the multinational Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, a role that represented the culmination of his long-term involvement in flight training, standardization and evaluation.
Alongside his military career, Kleinke pursued a broad range of civilian aviation qualifications. He holds Airline Transport Pilot certificates, commercial pilot ratings in helicopter and seaplane and certifications as an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic and Aircraft Electrical Technician. He is also an FAA-certified flight instructor and advanced ground instructor with instrument privileges. Kleinke is a member of the National Technical Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa.
Outside the classroom and cockpit, Kleinke enjoys tackling audiovisual projects behind a camera or microphone or at his computer. When weather allows, he can often be found outdoors introducing his young son to nature.
Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Education: E-Learning, Northcentral University
M.A.S. - Master of Aeronautical Science in Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
B.S. - Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science, Carl-Friedrich-Gauss-Gymnasium
A.A.S. - Associate of Applied Science in Aviation Maintenance Technology, Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
Flight Instructor - Federal Aviation Administration
Remote Pilot Instructor - Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)
Volunteer Leader - Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)
Remote Pilot - Federal Aviation Administration
Ground Instructor - Federal Aviation Administration
Airline Transport Pilot - Federal Aviation Administration
Mechanic - Federal Aviation Administration
Aircraft Electronics Technician - National Center for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies (NCATT)
Flight School Security Awareness - Department of Homeland Security
Commercial Pilot - Federal Aviation Administration