Ciao, I'm Tizi -

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- and I'm a Flight Instructor in the Greater Savannah Area. I currently fly with Savannah Aviation out of Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (KSAV). 

 

I was trained at Florida Tech, Garmin in the midwest, and Savannah Aviation. I hold CFI/CFII, CPL SEL/MEL, Cirrus Training Center Instructor (TCI), and IGI ratings. I am FAA Gold Seal instructor and hold NAFI accreditation as a Master Flight Instructor. My main area of expertise is advanced instrument training, but I also have experience in formation flying and aerobatics. ​At Savannah Aviation, one of the best flight schools in the southeast, we offer training for primary, instrument, commercial, and instructor ratings. 

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I am very passionate about education. I strive to provide a more in-depth and technical training. A graduate of Florida Tech, I hold degrees in aerospace engineering (B.S.), flight test engineering (M.S.), and cognitive engineering (Ph.D.), as well as a postgraduate masters in Anti-Mafia from the University of Pisa, Italy. My flight test training, doctoral research, and expertise are focused on flight operations, avionics systems design & evaluation, and cognitive engineering. I was privileged to be trained and mentored by giants in the fields of aerospace, flight test, human factors, and cognitive science such as Dr. Ralph D. Kimberlin, Dr. Dan R. Kirk, Dr. Guy A. Boy, Dr. A. Lucas Stephane, Jason Hewes, and Dr. Bill A. Tuccio. All of them have shown me what it means to be a great mentor and educator, and the awesome responsibility that comes with it.
 
As an experimental flight test engineer, I am specialized in aircraft systems, human factors, and avionics. I was formally trained in avionics design, integration, evaluation, and validation at the Human-Centered Design Institute (HCDi). I furthered my professional profile during my tenure as an Aviation Human Factors Engineer at Garmin and at Gulfstream Flight Test. To support aviation safety, I work for the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) as a Representative in the Savannah area under the Atlanta FSDO.
 
Although my primary work is in industry, I continue to serve academia as a Professor of Human Factors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide (ERAU), and a guest lecturer in both Italy and the United States. I teach graduate level human factors, complexity analysis, complex socio-technical systems, cognitive engineering, flight deck design, automation, and more. All of these fields are fertile ground to shape the future of aerospace and make our students the architects of that future. To me, sharing knowledge is fundamental for a healthy society. I keep instructing as a vocation to accomplish just that - do my part for the next generation of pilots, aerospace engineers, and human factors engineers, upholding the highest standards that define the great American aviation tradition. If you wish to read more on my views on education, see my Professorial Teaching Philosophy here.

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In 2025 and 2026, I was honored by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) as the Best National Flight Instructor. That's however not a reflection of me - it's an achievement that belongs to the real stars of the show: my students.

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @FlyWithTizi and YouTube!
 

Alma Mater:​

• Florida Tech, United States (2015, 2016, 2018)

• University of Pisa, Italy (2025)

• International School of Trieste, Italy (2011)

 

Affiliations:

• Senior Member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

• Senior Member, Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE)

• Member, National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI)

• Member, Cognitive Science Society (CSS)

• Fellow, European Academy for Economic and Cultural Relations (AEREC)

Disclaimer:
All thoughts or opinions expressed in this website are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of any of my present or past employers.