Checkrides passed
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New Private Pilot – Alan Guo
Oct 03 2017Date: September 14, 2017
Instructor: Jason Brown
Certification: Private Pilot
Well done on a first-time checkride pass! Alan flew one of our Cessna 172s from his usual airport at Reid-Hillview to Salinas and met with examiner Eric for his Private Pilot checkride. He passed with ‘flying colors’ (pun intended). Alan has already been busy taking friends up for some amazing views from above, and the California Bay Area is definitely the place for excellent flying and sightseeing.
Examiner: Eric Cook
Aircraft: Cessna N54102
Checkride Location:
Salinas, CA (KSNS)
![commercial pilot, cpl, C172 RG](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG-4275.jpg)
New Commercial Pilot – Nick Vandevoorde
Oct 03 2017Date: September 14, 2017
Instructor: David Waksberg
Certification: Commercial Pilot
Congrats to Nick for earning his Commercial Pilot License! After Private Pilot and Instrument Rating, the Commercial license is the next step in becoming a professional pilot – it allows you to be paid to fly. From this achievement, pilots can continue on to either earn their CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor) or become a commercial operator flying tours, cargo, skydivers, etc. We wish Nick lots of success in his future and were glad to be a part of it!
Examiner: Jeff Hitzberg
Aircraft: Cutlass N616SF
Checkride Location:
Hayward, CA (KHWD)
![Cirrus SR22T, checkride, Montereyd](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_6170.jpg)
New Private Pilot – Robert Knight
Sep 14 2017Date: September 9, 2017
Instructor: Jen Watson
Certification: Private Pilot
A huge congratulations to Robert for passing his Private Pilot checkride with examiner Eric. Robert and his instructor, Jen, flew his Cirrus SR22 Turbo down to Paso Robles on Saturday afternoon and returned to Monterey later that evening with a pilot certificate in hand. Robert owns an art gallery in Monterey and came to AeroDynamic with a background in parasailing. He bought his Cirrus after a few months of training in our Cessnas and plans to travel quite a bit. In fact, he already flew his girlfriend to a baseball came in San Francisco! He plans to continue on to an Instrument Rating after a short break to enjoy his new license. Happy flying 🙂
Examiner: Eric Cook
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22T
Checkride Location:
Paso Robles, CA (KRHV)
![Salinas, KSNS, checkride](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Joon-Cho-checkride-with-Eric-Cook.jpg)
New Private Pilot – Joonwoo Cho
Sep 05 2017Date: September 3, 2017
Instructor: Ron Vlastelica
Certification: Private Pilot
Congrats to Joon and his instructor Ron for a first-time checkride pass! The following is Joon’s write up of his experience with us:
“My name is Joonwoo Cho, one of the student pilot flying in Aerodynamic Aviation. I achieved my private pilot license in 3rd of September. Thanks to my instructor Ron and aerodynamic.
The checkride was pretty much expectable. My DPE Eric Cook is a very thorough examiner. He did not assume anything. If you are good, then you are good. If you do something bad, then you are bad. It is that simple. I felt if you pass the checkride with him, you can definitely be proud of yourself as a safe pilot not having any luck to pass the exam. I really think all the FAA DPE should be like him. He also always tried to make the flight circumstance comfortable as possible because he knows all the students are nervous in a checkride. On the checkride, he was sure a ‘polite passenger with aeronautical knowledge’ I really recommend other students to use him as a well know passenger. Do not think as he is looking for something you do wrong. Use the DPE for safe flight and smooth exam. This will help students a lot.
Instructor Ron was a great instructor. His knowledge and flying skills are good, but the best thing about him is he really take care his student until the last moment. To pass the checkride, the flying is not everything. I think the flying portion is just a basic that you should be able to pass by yourself. The more important thing is how you prepare it. Is your plane suitable? Didn’t you miss something like maintenance book? CRM, decision makings, etc. To be a good pilot, flying skill is nothing. Just like driving a car, if you fly more, you will fly better someday. But, the mind for the safe flying is the most important thing. To mention about the way of his teaching, he does not just give you the answer, he gives you time to think and come up with an answer of your own. With this method, you can develop you decision making and this is not something you can develop by just building the flight time. I would also like to give my thanks to aerodynamic aviation. They gave me a pleasant time, and comfortable circumstances for flying. It is really a shame that I cannot stay at US and fly more since I have to go back to my country this month.”
Examiner: Eric Cook
Aircraft: Cessna N62244
Checkride Location:
Salinas, CA (KSNS)
![commercial pilot, Cessna, checkride](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/IMG_20170802_124909381.jpg)
New Commercial Pilot – Saul Meza
Aug 14 2017Date: August 3, 2017
Instructor: Lynzie Hudson
Certification: Commercial Pilot
Congratulations to Saul Meza, who passed his Commercial ASEL checkride in Cessna 737ZD. Saul worked hard for this checkride and deserved his pass! Well done.
Saul is headed to Peru to relax with his girlfriend after spending the last month at Aerodynamic Aviation, San Jose, training for his single engine checkride with CFI Lynzie Hudson.
Examiner: Eric Cook
Aircraft: Cessna N737ZD
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
![cpl, checkride, commercial pilot, 172RG](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/IMG_20170801_170523563_HDR.jpg)
New Commercial Pilot – Adjie Pamungkas
Aug 08 2017Date: August 1, 2017
Instructor: David Waksberg
Certification: Commercial Pilot
![cpl, checkride, commercial pilot, 172RG](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/IMG_20170801_170523563_HDR-300x169.jpg)
Examiner: Jeff Heitzeberg
Aircraft: Cessna N4604V
Checkride Location:
Hayward, CA (KHWD)
![cpl, checkride, commercial pilot, 172RG](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170728_154612.jpg)
New Commercial Pilot – Nishant Veluthedath
Aug 03 2017Date: July 28, 2017
Instructor: Ron Vlastelica
Certification: Commercial Pilot
On Friday, Nishant met with Vince Nastro in Tracy. Nishant had previously done both his private and instrument ratings with Vince. The day started out with light winds and cooler temperatures. By the time the flight portion started around 1330, the temperature was 33 degrees C. Winds were picking but under 10kt. When they arrived back for their landings and 180 engine-out, the winds were 270 at 18 with gusts to 24 kt.
Examiner: Vice Nastro
Aircraft: Cessna N4604V
Checkride Location:
Tracy, CA (KTCY)
![Cessna 172, san jose](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IMG_20170726_174825421.jpg)
New Private Pilot – Dave Heckel
Jul 28 2017Date: July 26, 2017
Instructor: David Waksberg
Certification: Private Pilot
Most of you know Dave from his many hours working in the hangar with Josh. Not only is Dave working toward his Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) mechanic’s certificate, he also just earned his Private Pilot License!
“As most of you know, this has been a long time coming for me. Thank you to everyone for the support I have received over the last couple of years.
To the CFI’s who have pushed me along in the airplanes go my biggest thanks. Lynzie, for sticking with me since the beginning. Jason and Jen for putting up with my flakiness. David for getting me through the final push to the checkride, a REAL adventure. Awesome, one and all.
Special thanks to Josh and Jen for my second home at Aerodynamic.
Now I can do some fun flying including tailwheel and acro. I also have a list of family and friends I am looking forward to flying with.” ~ Dave
Examiner: John Ewing
Aircraft: Cessna N98485
Checkride Location:
Hayward, CA (KHWD)
![pilot, cessna, krhv](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/First-Solo-5-11122014.jpg)
New Private Pilot – Daniel Yang
Jul 26 2017Date: June 17, 2017
Instructor: Grainne Gilvarry
Certification: Private Pilot
“I dreamed of flying like a bird since I was very young. Thanks to Aerodynamic Aviation and all the instructors who helped in the past to help my dream to become true.
On On On, pushing the air and merging into the sky….” ~ Daniel
Examiner: Yuzo Wakita
Aircraft: Cessna N61637
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
![tailwheel, checkride](https://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IMG_20170718_145014723.jpg)
New Private Pilot – Craig Reid
Jul 26 2017Date: July 18, 2017
Instructor: Jason Brown
Certification: Private Pilot
“Ever since I was a kid and had the opportunity to fly in a Cessna with my parents friends in Wisconsin and my uncle over the Chicago skyline, I developed an early appreciation and desire to fly. It took a couple decades to finally find the time and the money to pursue flying. From the outside the skills and understanding needed to be a pilot always seemed daunting and complex. Throughout the ongoing learning process, the one thing that surprises me was how the overwhelming complexity melts away and the skill set begins to take shape piece by piece, from one lesson to the next. Many thanks to all of the folks at Aerodynamic for your ability to make the complex understandable and the learning really fun (now I get why my 5 year old daughter likes school… at least for now). Next for me is to continue exploring the world of aviation, the earth from above, and the destinations available by aircraft.” ~ Craig