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Our Crew
Seosamh Somers
In Ireland, the cheapest way to get a ride in an airplane is to promise to parachute out of the plane halfway through the flight. And so began the soaring saga of Seosamh Somers, the shilling starved space student from…somewhere in Ireland.
Although Seosamh (pronounced, “SHOW-SEFF” (obviously)), graduated with Honors in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Hertfordshire in 1995, he soon decided that he would rather fly planes than design them. Armed with the goal of bringing to general aviation the same professional approach, attention to detail and technological resources generally only reserved for space flight, Seosamh founded Angel City Flyers in 2000.
Seosamh holds both European and US professional pilot and instructor certificates, has over 5,000 hours of flight experience, flies a Citation jet when he is out of the office, and is proud of his phonetically impossible name.
Erick Bryant
As an army brat, Erick Bryant grew up in six states as well as in Stuttgart, Germany where his morning wake-up call came from the thumping of Apache helicopters flying over his home. After earning his bachelors degree in business administration from Gonzaga University, Erick followed his love of the culinary arts to manage a Mediterranean bistro. During his time at the bistro, Erick began to pursue another dream earning his private pilot certificate in 2002.
In 2005 while attending the Reno Air Races, Erick made the life changing decision to pursue aviation as a profession. He joined Angel City Flyers in 2006 as a student, became an instructor in 2007, and has since logged over 1,000 hours of instructional flight time in Diamond Twin Stars and Diamond Stars. As he did while working at the bistro, Erick employs the philosophy that developing interpersonal relationships will enrich the experience of the student and instructor alike.
Erik Degernes
Erik Degernes has the claim to the second most phonetically challenging name at Angel City Flyers. Erik claims to have decided on a career as a Pilot when he was two years old, yes that is worth repeating, TWO YEARS OLD. He was in the cockpit of a Challenger jet, courtesy of his dad, when he saw all the buttons and switches on the ceiling – this sold him and since then, he hasn’t stopped looking up. After studying Banking and Finance at college and Aerospace at Embry Riddle, he had all the tools to work out how to approach a bank to get the financing to be able to fly.
When Erik is not to be found flying around the country in a Twin Star, he can be found singing about it while playing his guitar. He lists his influences as the B52s, Jefferson Airplane, U2 and of course Wilco.
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Jim Yoder
Jim Yoder has been flying for 35 years and claims to take the title of oldest instructor at Angel City Flyers (he needn’t have taken it as we would gladly have given it to him). Jim decided to become a professional pilot at the age of 13 after writing a vocational report on the subject. To achieve this goal he earned his pilots license at the age of 17 and his instructors license at 19. While attending San Jose State University earning a degree in Aeronautics he taught flying during the day and flew mail at night.
After college Jim became the youngest Corporate Pilot in the country flying a Lear Jet at the age of 21. Jim said “at the time having a DME in the cockpit was the ultimate High Tech product”. Jim has experience as a Part 135 Charter Pilot, Corporate Pilot, Mail Pilot and as an Instructor in Tail Wheels, Single Engine, Multi Engine and Jets.
Jim believes a good pilot is always training. To this end he earned his Rotorcraft-Helicopter Rating two years ago at the age of 50.
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