Shana Bartell

Shana is a passionate and driven individual with a diverse range of experiences. As a mother of 5 children hailing from Utah, she has learned the art of multitasking and balancing priorities, which has greatly shaped her professional journey. Her unique background has required her to develop resilience in the face of challenges.

Although she grew up in northern Utah, it was in the southern part of the state where her aviation journey truly took flight. For 10 years prior, she dedicated her time to being a stay-at-home mom, but that didn’t stop her from always working as well. She worked as a piece-rate seamstress from home, specializing in alterations, wedding dresses, quilts, baby bedding, hot tub covers, leather work, dance costumes, swimwear, and much more. Additionally, she had the opportunity to be a part of a stand-up sewing team for a clothing factory, where she increased her skills substantially. This team of seamstresses taught her to work alongside others effectively and increased her attention to detail.

As life unfolded, and while seeking a new challenge, she found herself working as a receptionist at a flight school in southern Utah. From the moment she stepped foot into the aviation environment, Shana knew she had found her true calling. The energy, excitement, and the abundance of possibilities captivated her. The experiences she had while working for the flight school ignited a spark within her, fueling her desire to explore the industry further. Her passion only grew stronger, and she quickly decided to pursue a career in aviation.

Aviation

While pursuing her dream of becoming a pilot, Shana embarked on a challenging path. She uncovered, out of necessity, unparalleled skills within herself of time management and focus to achieve the large goals she’d set her sights on. During her flight training, she dove headfirst into a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace and Aviation Sciences, while still making time to raise her young family. Simultaneously pursuing her flight certificates and being an A&P apprentice proved to be a great learning environment for her. It gave her a strong understanding of the aircraft, making her a proficient mechanic and a safer pilot. This sets her up now to really understand her customers’ needs here at HPA. Being familiar with the pilot’s perspective and training in maintenance schedules, aircraft conditions, and regulations.

When she’s not up in the air, she pursues her passions on solid ground. Rock climbing, dancing, and capturing moments through photography are a few of her other interests. She feels fortunate to have had opportunities to combine her love for photography with aviation, embarking on thrilling air-to-air photo shoots across breathtaking locations like Yellowstone National Park, Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead, the Teton Mountains, the Mississippi River, Mount Rushmore, and Devil’s Tower.

After wrapping up her degree in 2023 her path led her to the Lone Star State, where her husband had a fantastic pilot opportunity of his own waiting for him. So, Shana temporarily landed her flying ambitions, setting her wings aside to focus on creating a stable foundation for their family of seven and devoting her time to her children and their stability. Making the best out of this opportunity, she embraced a passion from her past and became a ballroom dance instructor. Not only did she get to enjoy the dance floor, but she had missed the art of customer service and the challenge of personal growth.

This career pivot allowed her to combine her love for dance with a much-needed flexible and forgiving schedule during this time. As a dance instructor, she discovered a surprising connection between these two worlds. The hand-eye coordination she had from her dance training played a role in the physical demands of flying a plane. While teaching dance, she couldn’t resist incorporating aviation terms and teaching skills, as well as sparking conversations with dance students who were also pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike.

This exhilarating year was a much-needed recharge, allowing Shana to regain her energy and enthusiasm before soaring back into the aviation industry. After the most relaxing year of her life, it became apparent that it was time to recommit to her ambitious, sleep-deprived, and determined nature. Now, fully recharged, and ready to conquer new heights, she’s geared up to return to her true focus, aviation.

Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions

Shana has a passion for sales that is fueled by her meticulous attention to detail and genuine care for customers’ goals and results. She believes that building strong relationships is the key to success in any industry and will always go above and beyond to ensure that clients receive top-notch service. With a diverse background across multiple industries, she possesses useful attributes and has developed a persistent and strategic personality. This, combined with a genuine passion for airplanes and customer service, makes her a great fit for the world of aircraft sales.