JOHN SCHAFFER CFI/CFII
William Schaffer with his family on the tarmac
Willis, TX · First Officer Candidate — Southwest Airlines

William John Schaffer

First Officer at CommuteAir, ATP-EMB145 rated, and Gold Seal CFI/CFII — built on a foundation in construction engineering before a full-time transition to the flight deck.

2,434.1
Total Time
1,434.8
PIC
908.2
Turbine
906.5
SIC
931.9
Multi
1,185
Instructor
01

Certificates & Ratings

ATP — EMB 145
Airline Transport Pilot
CFI / CFII — ASEL
Gold Seal · Certified Ground Instructor
FAA First Class Medical
Current
US Passport
Current, unrestricted
FCC Restricted Radiotelephone
Operator's Permit
02

Flight & Career Log

04/2025— Present
First Officer
CommuteAir · Houston, TX
  • Ensures safe, compliant Part 121 flight operations through strong CRM and SOP compliance
12/2023— 04/2025
Assistant Chief Flight Instructor
Texas Flight · Tomball, TX
  • Instructed Private, Instrument, Commercial, CFI, and CFII students
  • Maintained a 92% student pass rate
  • Gold Seal Flight Instructor
08/2022— 03/2023
Office Engineer
Flintco · Austin, TX
  • Performed quality assurance checks across numerous projects
  • Promoted a safe work environment, identifying hazardous conditions
03/2020— 08/2020
Junior Estimator
Dean Construction · Lufkin, TX
  • Assisted in determining cost, resources, and time required for construction projects
  • Gathered and analyzed data on material costs, labor rates, and quantities needed
03

Training

04/25 – 07/25
ATP, Multi-Engine Land — ERJ-145 Type RatingCommuteAir, Houston, TX
12/24 – 12/24
ATP-CTP CourseATP Jets, Dallas, TX
07/24 – 08/24
Commercial Pilot, AMELThe Flight School, Spring, TX
04/23 – 11/23
Private & Commercial Pilot, Instrument Airplane, CFI & CFII ASELArthur Harris (CFI), Willis, TX
03/23 – 04/23
Pre-Solo, Private PilotChennault Aviation, Conroe, TX
04

Construction Projects

Selected projects from my time as an Office Engineer and Junior Estimator, before transitioning full-time to aviation.

44 East Avenue tower rising above the Austin skyline, seen from Lady Bird Lake 44 East Avenue facade detail at dusk with lit balconies Rooftop pool deck at 44 East Avenue
44 East Ave
Office Engineer Intern · Downtown Austin, TX · August 2021

A $200 million high-rise development in downtown Austin — one of the tallest residential towers in the city, featuring luxury units and rooftop amenities overlooking Lady Bird Lake.

Waterloo Central office building exterior with hippo signage Waterloo Central street-level facade in downtown Austin
Waterloo Central
Office Engineer Intern · Downtown Austin, TX · December 2021

A $50 million office building in downtown Austin, delivering modern Class A office space in the heart of the city.

Interior of the Austin-Bergstrom cargo warehouse showing dock doors and open floor space Exterior of the Austin-Bergstrom cargo facility building 9402 Cargo dock exterior with an Amazon Prime Air aircraft on the ramp
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Cargo Development
Office Engineer · Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) · August 2022

A $30 million, 90,000-square-foot cargo facility at AUS — full-circle from building airport infrastructure on the ground to flying out of airports for a living.

Rendering of Austin Fire Station 22 and EMS 12 exterior Rendering of the remodeled fire station exterior with covered patio Completed Austin Fire Station 3 with fire engine in the bay
Fire Station Remodels — Station 22 & Station 3
Office Engineer · Downtown Austin, TX · February 2023

Combined remodel of two City of Austin fire stations, Station 22/EMS 12 and Station 3, delivering updated apparatus bays and living quarters for crews in service.

Regional jet taxiing at sunset with control tower in background

Every checkride, every sim session, every early sign-in — building toward the left seat.

05

Achievements

William on stage with fellow flight instructors receiving national awards
AOPA Flight Training Excellence Awards
William and a fellow instructor holding Best Flight Instructor awards
Best Flight Instructor, Central Southwest — 2025
William receiving an award at an aviation training center
You Can Fly, AOPA Foundation

AOPA Best Flight Instructor, South Central Region — 2025

Passed every check ride — oral, written, and practical — on the first attempt

Completed all licenses and ratings within a 7-month period

Achieved Certified Flight Instructor Gold Seal in under 12 months

Received the honorary rank of Eagle Scout

06

Education & Volunteer

Education

B.S., Construction Science
Texas A&M University · 01/2020 – 08/2022
Texas A&M University Bachelor of Science diploma for William John Schaffer

Volunteer

ALPA CMT Hotel Committee
2026
Mentor, Texas Flight
2025
Social Event Coordinator, Thrive Group
2024
Eagle Scout Project
2018

Financed and constructed an entrance sign for a church

Regional jet nose lit by golden hour sun on the ramp

Southwest flies where people are headed home. I'd like to be the one getting them there.