Steve Kann

Steve Kann

Flight instructor (CFI, CFII) and technology executive. Renton, Washington.

Commercial and instrument-rated pilot. Operations Manager of the Boeing Employees' Flying Association. Before that, more than 25 years leading software teams, most recently at Amazon Business.

Flight instruction Advisory inquiries
Steve Kann in sunglasses, smiling, beside a light airplane on the ramp.

Pilot credentials

  • Commercial pilot
  • Instrument rating
  • Flight instructor (CFI)
  • Instrument instructor (CFII)
  • Airplane single-engine land
  • First-class medical certificate
Flight experience, from my logbook, as of October 2026
CategoryHours
Total time1,285
Pilot in command1,187
Instruction given725
Cross-country250
Night75
Instrument44 actual, 60 simulated104

Aircraft flown

Cessna
150, 152, 172 (K, L, M, N, P, R, S), R172K Hawk XP, 182 (P, Q, T), R182 Skylane RG
Piper
PA-28 Cherokee 140 and 180, Warrior II, Dakota, Pathfinder, Cherokee Six 300
Diamond
DA20, DA40 Diamond Star
Van's
RV-6, RV-12
Others
Grumman American AA-1C Lynx, CubCrafters CC18-180 Top Cub, Ryan SC-W

Flight instruction

Home base is KRNT Renton Municipal. I prefer to stay near Renton, and KPAE Everett is nearby.

For BEFA members

Private and instrument training

This is the main thing I teach, including commercial training and add-on ratings. I teach at BEFA.

Not a member yet? See how to join BEFA.

If you are not a BEFA member

Flight reviews, IPCs and your own airplane

I do flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks and short engagements in your own airplane. Flying something unusual? Tell me about it. I enjoy flying new types.

A Cessna taxiing at Renton at sunset, with Mount Rainier and a row of 737s behind it.
Sunset on the ramp, Mount Rainier behind.

Safety first. We check the weather, the airplane and ourselves before every flight, and we make go or no-go calls together.

Goals first. We start with what you want to do with your certificate or rating, and build the plan from there.

The practical side. Equipment, destinations and parking, for the flying you actually plan to do.

Good to know

Rate
Instruction is $75 per hour.

Boeing employee? Join BEFA.

BEFA is a flying club for Boeing employees. I run its operations, so I can answer questions about joining from the inside.

Learn about BEFA Ask me about joining
  • Aircraftabout 27 to 29
  • Membersabout 700

First solos

After a first solo, I offer to do the shirt-tail tradition, and students can say yes or no. A few of them are below.

The tradition goes back to open cockpits with no intercom, when the instructor sat behind the student and tugged the student's shirt tail to get their attention or give directions. After a first solo the student no longer needs the tug, so the shirt tail is cut off, signed, dated and kept.

A student holding a first-solo cloth dated 7/8/2025 beside airplane N5344K. The name on the cloth is covered.
7/8/2025First solo, N5344K
Hands holding a yellow first-solo cloth dated 3/22/2026. The name on the cloth is covered.
3/22/2026First solo
Two people holding a navy first-solo cloth dated 5/24/2025. The name on the cloth is covered.
5/24/2025First solo

Advisory

Technology advice for executives and investors, from someone who has led acquisitions and integrations.

  1. Due diligence before investments

    A direct read on the technology, the product and the team before money moves.

  2. Evaluating acquisition targets

    What the product really does, what it will take to run, and where the risk sits.

  3. Integrating acquired technology and teams

    Platforms, people and roadmaps brought together, in the right order.

  4. Product portfolio planning

    Deciding what to build, what to keep, and what to retire.

Advisory inquiries

Background

  1. Dec 2025 to present

    BEFA

    Operations Manager

    Oversees aircraft maintenance, safety and operations, along with membership, facilities and IT.

  2. 2017 to 2023

    Amazon Business

    Director of Software Development

    Led a team of up to 350 across the US, Europe and Asia. The B2B business grew from $1B to over $35B in annual sales.

  3. 1998 to 2017

    Blackboard and Wimba

    Co-founder, then VP Product Development
    • 2014 to 2017Blackboard
      VP Product Development and Cloud Services.
      • Led three product lines (collaboration, mass communication, parent engagement), over $120MM revenue.
      • Led the worldwide cloud infrastructure and security practice, 150 staff.
      • Led the move of 10,000+ servers to the public cloud, about $50MM saved over five years.
      • Led the Requestec (London) and ParentLink (Provo) acquisitions and integrations.
      • Rebuilt the collaboration product on WebRTC.
      • Built regional platforms in Frankfurt, Singapore, Brazil, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.
    • 2010 to 2014Blackboard
      VP Product Development. Led the integration of Wimba and Elluminate into Blackboard Collaborate, with teams in Calgary, New York and Boston. Division revenue grew from $30MM to $50MM.
    • 1998 to 2010Wimba
      Co-founder and VP Product Development. Built a leading web-conferencing platform for education. Acquired by Blackboard in 2010.
  4. Education

    The Cooper Union

    B.S. Engineering

Contact

Use the form and I will reply by email.

Steve Kann on LinkedIn