Michael Forseth

2025 to Present

Dream Airline

Michael reached his goal of flying for his dream airline in 2025 and continues to fly the Airbus A320 for a major airline. Reaching that flight deck was the result of years spent learning, instructing, and building experience across general aviation and airline operations.

He enjoys sharing his love of aviation with passengers on each flight, helping make the experience welcoming and memorable while bringing the same care and professionalism he values at Pilot Rise.

2025

Family, Faith, and Resilience

In 2025, Michael and his wife welcomed twin daughters nearly three months early. Their family spent almost six months in the NICU, facing difficult prognoses and watching their daughters repeatedly exceed expectations.

The experience deepened Michael’s faith, resilience, and perspective on leadership, patience, and what matters most.

Michael and his wife are raising their daughters together. When he is not flying or working on training systems, Michael spends time with his family, skis when he can, and continues to enjoy software and hands-on aviation projects. He also helped build a Van’s RV-7A kit aircraft.

2022 to 2025

Flying the Airbus A320

Michael joined Spirit Airlines in 2022 and flew the Airbus A320 for approximately three years.

That experience strengthened his appreciation for standardization, structured training, detailed records, scenario-based learning, and meaningful debriefing. Those lessons continued to influence Pilot Rise’s systems and instructor-development standards.

2021

College, Marriage, and the Airlines

Michael completed his college basics at Tarrant County College before transferring to Liberty University, which awarded academic credit for many of the pilot certificates he had already earned. He graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation while operating Pilot Rise.

Michael married his wife in 2021. During their honeymoon, SkyWest Airlines called to arrange an interview. He interviewed the following morning and began flying the CRJ-200 and CRJ-700 later that year.

2018

Becoming a Flight Instructor

Michael completed his commercial certificate after training in a Mooney for the complex-aircraft experience then required. Because of examiner availability, the FAA selected him to complete his initial CFI practical test with an FAA inspector.

After several months of scheduling delays, the examination lasted roughly 12 hours, including approximately nine hours of oral testing. Michael passed at 19, added his instrument instructor rating, and began instructing as his primary occupation. That same year, independent instruction grew into Pilot Rise.

Ages 16 and 17

Solo, Private Pilot, and Instrument Training

Michael completed his first solo at 16. At 17, he earned his private pilot certificate and instrument rating.

Taking his mother flying after earning his private certificate and traveling with his father to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo showed him that aviation was much larger than earning certificates or completing individual lessons.

Age 15

The Airplane That Changed His Plan

Michael became interested in aviation after watching someone build an airplane on YouTube. He began buying manuals, researching ultralights, and planning to use his college savings to build one.

His dad had one condition: Michael needed to learn how to fly first. Instead, they used the money to purchase a Cessna 150 together, N447DK “Dusty.” After his first flight, Michael knew aviation was what he wanted to do with his life.

2013 to 2018

Software, Breakfast Shifts, and Flight Lessons

Before aviation became his full-time career, Michael developed software for clients, including custom Minecraft projects for online creators. From 2014 to 2015, he also worked weekend breakfast shifts at the Beacon Cafe at Hicks Airfield, making pancakes and omelets.

After eighth grade, he moved to online high school, giving him the flexibility to work, study, and fly. The money he earned from software projects and the restaurant went toward flight training.