Kelly’s interest in aviation began at age 19 while he was stationed at an air defense artillery unit in Germany and was exposed to Army Cobra helicopters. He didn’t begin his own flight training until years later, following retirement. After earning his instrument rating, he chose to pursue becoming a ground instructor as a way to stay involved with the aviation community and share his passion for flying. 

Kelly’s goal is to help his students obtain the knowledge required to pass their written exams, and also to help them understand the connections between what is learned in the classroom and the actual experience of flying. Kelly holds both Advanced Ground Instructor and Instrument Ground Instructor certificates. He offers group classroom instruction, as well as individual tutoring for students who can benefit from extra help with exam preparation or understanding a particular subject.