FLY WITH PROFESSIONALS:
- Our pilots are highly experienced military aviators and seaplane instructors.
- We are happy to provide you with the complete background of any one of our pilots. We are proud of our operation and want you to be 100% confident in your pilot!

Rob Ceravolo, President/CEO/Line Pilot
Rob, a Fort Lauderdale native and University of Florida grad, flew the F-14 Tomcat in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM onboard the USS Roosevelt, and was awarded two Air Medals for his missions over Iraq. You may have caught a glimplse of his jet when he flew the last F-14 flyby for the Fort Lauderdale Air and Sea Show prior to transitioning to the F-18 Super Hornet. A current F-5 Adversary Instructor and TOPGUN graduate, Rob continues to serve as a Naval Reservist flying fighters in paradise. When he's not tearing up the skies in a fighter jet or a seaplane, Rob enjoys free-diving, diving, spearfishing, paddleboarding, skydiving and motorcycles.

Nick Veltre, Vice President of Maintenance/Line Pilot
Nick spent 6 years flying missions as a Crew Chief on CH-53E helicopters. As a member of the 31st Marine Expedition Unit Nick flew humanitarian relief missions all over the South Pacific! As a civilian Nick earned Flight Instructor ratings (CFI CFII and MEI) in both land aircraft and seaplanes and instructed at the world famous Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base in Winter Haven, Florida!The instructors at Jack Brown’s are sought after by seaplane airlines around the world! Living in Key West with his wife, Jayme, and being a part of Tropic Ocean Airways continues to be a remarkable experience. When not flying, Nick and Jayme enjoys pasta Sundays and spending time with their extremely lazy but ridiculously cute dog Chance.

Joe Perez, Director of Operations
Joe comes to Tropic from a background in both charter and scheduled airlines. Retired from the Army after 20 years of service, this former Army Ranger managed combat arms units worldwide. With a Masters degree in Economics, Paco brings additional experience in management and marketing.
Scott Aubertine, Chief Pilot
Scott, a seasoned seaplane pilot, has flown everything from DC-3s to Wacos. While the majority of his seaplane time has been in Alaska, we feel that Scott prefers flying with us in the Caribbean, where the sun is warm and the beer is cold. His experience in aviation and seaplane charter operations makes him a great addition to Team Tropic.
Shannon Mahaffey, General Manager
With eight years experience in the Army Reserves, Shannon also has a managerial background having served as the Assistant Vice President of a major bank's mortgage division. After moving to Key West, Shannon has spent the last three years managing aircraft operations for various aviation companies. She spends her free time fishing in Key West when she's not keeping the guys in line.