our history

Air Fleet Training Systems, the only Cessna Pilot Center and FAR Part 141 school within easy public transportation reach of New York City, has been training pilots since 1991. However, the Bopps, who own and operate Air Fleet, have a much longer family history of involvement in aviation. Beginning in the 1950s, Paul Arnold (Susan Bopp’s father) was the Chief Pilot for Bendix Corporation, now Honeywell, for more than twenty years. During that time, he assisted with the development of equipment used in General Aviation and Military aircrafts. Paul was also responsible for instilling a love of aviation in his daughter, Susan. In fact, it was Susan’s father who originally taught Gene, her husband, to fly.

Continuing the family tradition, two of the Bopp children are now flying commercially, one, a Captain with AirTran, and the other, a Captain with Air Charters, Inc., a sister company.

In 1981, Gene and Susan began an air charter business at the old Atlantic Aviation hangar in Teterboro, New Jersey. The Bopps built a renowned reputation for aviation services in the community with their Learjet and King Air aircraft.

When student populations dropped in the late 1980’s, flight schools began closing their doors. As a result, there was a shortage of both schools and pilots in the Teterboro area. Because of their commitment to aviation, Gene and Susan boldly opened Air Fleet Training Systems to train aspiring pilots.

In 1991, with a single Cessna 150, they began building what is now one of the top flight schools in the New York/New Jersey area. And most recently, in 2005, the Bopps moved Air Fleet to Essex County/Caldwell Airport to give students easier access to their facilities and runways.

Air Fleet Training Systems prides itself on producing the best and safest pilots in the New York / New Jersey area. At Air Fleet, “We train our pilots to be mature, responsible, skilled airmen”.