Jim Santilli
Jim Santilli is the President of American Air Operations and serves as the primary instructor.
Santilli
holds an Airman Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) with a small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) rating. He has more
than 10 years of experience flying multirotor and fixed-wing unmanned
aircraft, and completed private pilot ground school courses. Furthermore, Santilli was trained in drone assessment and response tactics for Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS). Since
2018, Santilli has trained professionals from 291 agencies (federal, state, county, local, tribal, and college/university) and companies in 34 states throughout the United States of America. He's flown
numerous public safety missions, which include: auto theft and drug
trafficking surveillance, fatal and severe injury traffic crashes, fire,
home raid, homicide, natural disaster, officer-involved shooting, and search for
missing and armed persons. He also flew missions for Hurricanes Milton (2024), Helene (2024), Idalia (2023), and Ian (2022). Santilli is an appointed FAA Safety Team Representative. He recently received a General Aviation Award for being selected as the 2025 Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team Representative of the Year for the East Michigan Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). Santilli is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). He previously served on the Michigan Aeronautics Commissions’ Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Advisory Committee and was part of a sheriff aviation unit for 4 years.
Santilli has more
than 24 years of transportation safety experience, focused on engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency medical services. He currently serves as the chief executive officer of an
agency; a position he's held since appointed in 2011. Santilli also worked in a variety of public safety positions and as a college criminal justice instructor.
During 2024, Santilli received the Richard H. Austin Long-Term Service Award from the State of Michigan for long-term contributions and commitment to traffic safety. He also was the recipient of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s prestigious ‘Elite 40 Under 40’ leadership award during 2012.
Santilli is a graduate of Ferris State
University, where he earned a Bachelor of
Science in Criminal Justice, received the Torchbearer Leadership Award,
and an award from the Department of Public Safety for many years
dedicated to traffic safety. He is also a proud graduate of Michigan's largest high school, Dakota High School. His training includes 911 dispatch, child passenger safety, corporate law, criminal justice, emergency management, emergency medical services, and traffic incident management. Additionally, Santilli completed Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) training for electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) and pharmacology, and Advanced Life Support (ALS) training pertaining to advanced airway management, advanced ECG/EKG, opioid, respiratory emergencies, and trauma.
