Dan Dicker is the founder of Matrix AirShare and is responsible for overall program design, governance, and owner alignment. A commercial, instrument-rated pilot and aircraft owner, Dan brings hands-on experience in general aviation ownership, maintenance coordination, and complex single-engine operations.
Prior to Matrix AirShare, Dan spent 25 years as an independent oil trader and energy market analyst, authored three books on the financialization of oil markets, and contributed regularly to major financial media. He currently serves as founder and principal first trombone of the New Conductors Orchestra in New York City.
- Commercial & instrument-rated pilot; complex single-engine aircraft owner
- Hands-on GA ownership, maintenance oversight, and hangar operations
- Program governance, scheduling policy, and owner-aligned structure
- 25 years independent energy trading and financial analysis
Daniel Weiss advises Matrix AirShare on pilot standards, operational procedures, and safety culture. A senior airline captain with Southwest Airlines and a commercial check pilot, Daniel brings over 10,000 hours of flight experience and a career built on the highest standards of crew qualification and risk management.
Daniel is also the owner and operator of Pilot Proficiency International, an FAA-certified simulator and pilot training facility based in Farmingdale, New York — giving Matrix AirShare direct access to structured proficiency programs tailored to the aircraft and missions our owners fly.
- Senior airline captain, Southwest Airlines
- Commercial check pilot — 10,000+ total flight hours
- CFII, MEII certificated flight instructor
- Owner, Pilot Proficiency International — FAA-certified simulator & training facility, Farmingdale, NY
- SOP development, pilot checkout standards, and operational risk controls
- Structured proficiency pathway for all Matrix AirShare pilots and crew
- Simulator-based recurrency utilizing Pilot Proficiency International's FAA-certified facility
- Type-specific checkout standards aligned with commercial aviation best practices
- Ongoing risk review and incident debrief protocol
Cesar Castillo brings a rare combination of commercial aviation experience and hands-on maintenance authority to Matrix AirShare. A type-rated Boeing 767 captain for United Airlines, Cesar holds both A&P and Inspection Authorization (IA) credentials — giving him the technical depth to oversee maintenance quality from the cockpit and the shop floor.
Cesar is the owner of Dauntless Aircraft Solutions, a full-service maintenance operation, and previously served as Director of Maintenance at Mid-Island Air Service — based at Brookhaven Airport (KHWV), the operational home of Matrix AirShare. His institutional knowledge of our primary base is a direct operational asset.
- Boeing 767 captain, United Airlines
- FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA)
- Owner, Dauntless Aircraft Solutions — full-service maintenance
- Former Director of Maintenance, Mid-Island Air Service, KHWV
- Maintenance planning, vendor oversight, fleet reliability and documentation standards
Joe Ryan advises Matrix AirShare on insurance structuring, underwriting positioning, and risk management strategy. A key member of the leadership team at Wings Insurance — one of the nation's largest dedicated aviation insurance brokerages — Joe combines deep underwriting relationships with firsthand flying experience that few brokers can match.
Before joining Wings, Joe served as Lead Flight Instructor at a Platinum Cirrus Training Center in Las Vegas and has logged several thousand hours as an airline and charter pilot under Part 121, 135, and 91 operations. A University of North Dakota Aerospace graduate, he understands the operational realities behind every policy he structures.
- Leadership team, Wings Insurance — one of the nation's largest sole aviation insurance brokerages
- Former airline and charter pilot — several thousand hours under Part 121, 135, and 91
- Former Lead Flight Instructor, Platinum Cirrus Training Center, Las Vegas
- University of North Dakota, Aerospace program
- Insurance placement strategy, underwriting readiness, and risk management alignment