Olmsted Aviation is a Southern California flight school specializing in advanced pilot training, with an emphasis on upset recovery, aerobatic and tailwheel training.

We are located at the historic Santa Paula Airport (KSZP), just thirty-five miles north of Los Angeles. The wavered aerobatic practice area is three miles east of the airport.

Chris Olmsted, owner and CEO of Olmsted Aviation, is an aviation educator and enthusiast with extensive experience in the art of aerobatic flight.

As a certified flight instructor (uncertified therapist), certified aerobatic judge and a certified air-frame and powerplant aircraft technician, he has over fourteen years of professional experience with over four thousand hours flight experience including fifteen hundred hours of aerobatic flight.

Mr. Olmsted is president of the Los Angeles Aerobatic Club (International Aerobatic Club Chapter 49) and acts as contest director of the annual Duel in the Desert aerobatic contest; he also is the co-founder of the Figure 1 Foundation, providing flight training scholarships for aviation career advancement.