Elias Kontanis

Elias Kontanis has extensive experience in transportation safety and aviation instruction. Currently serving as the Chief of the Transportation Disaster Assistance Division at the National Transportation Safety Board since April 2008, Elias Kontanis also holds positions as Assistant Chief Instructor, Part 141 Check Instructor, and Certificated Flight Instructor at Aviation Adventures since April 2012. In addition, Elias served as a Certificated Flight Instructor and Check Airman with the Civil Air Patrol from December 2018 to December 2021, and worked as a Forensic Anthropologist at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command - Central Identification Laboratory from September 2004 to April 2008. Educational qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology from Binghamton University.