Brian Brantner

Brian joined the Aero-Flite team in 2015, beginning in the company’s support PC-12 aircraft before transitioning to the RJ85 the following year. Now serving as RJ85 Chief Pilot, Brian brings more than 23 years of aviation experience and 6,600+ flight hours to complex aerial firefighting operations conducted under contract with the U.S. Forest Service and multiple state agencies.

Brian served as the RJ85 Assistant Chief Pilot for seven years and is qualified as an Initial Attack Training Captain. He has remained continually involved in pilot training, evaluation, and standardization throughout his career, including duties as an FAA Part 142 Training Center Evaluator in Aero-Flite’s FAA RJ85 Level D simulator. His background also includes serving as Program Manager for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) program, overseeing advanced, safety-critical aerobatic flight training.

Guided by Aero-Flite’s values of Safety, Service, Integrity, and Innovation, Brian is committed to continuous improvement, a strong safety culture, and delivering reliable, mission-ready aerial firefighting capability.