Flight Training
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First Solo Flight – Prashant Saxena
Jun 05 2018Congrats to CFI David and student pilot Prashant on a fun first solo! We love helping dreams come true, and seeing someone achieve their flying goals is just the most amazing thing for us. We could tell you more, but Prashant took an awesome video to share his first solo flight experience!
Aircraft: Cessna N12234
Solo Date: June 3, 2018
Instructor: David Waksberg
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
New Private Pilot – Chris Severs
Jun 05 2018Date: June 2, 2018
Certification: Private Pilot
Instructor: Lynzie Hudson
Aircraft: Citabria N2508Z
Chalk up another victory to Instructor Lynzie. She guided Chris to a first-time pass of his Private Pilot checkride. In the words of the examiner during their break between oral and practical testing, “he’s on fire!” Chris aced his checkride 🙂 We’re excited to see him out and about with his new license.
First Solo Flight – Prad Kikkeri
May 16 2018Aircraft: Cessna N915L
Solo Date: May 13, 2018
Instructor: Travis Mills
Location: San Martin, CA (E16)
Congrats to our Reid-Hillview student Prad, who flew 3 laps in left closed traffic for Runway 14 at San Martin!
“My family noticed my interest in aviation when I was 2 years old, and thanks to the local air & space museum near where I grew up in Colorado, I had already learned how to set up flights in Microsoft Flight Simulator by the time I was 4. My love for flying has never diminished to this day. I got my first taste of private flying in high school, when a friend of mine got his PPL and took me on a couple of cross-country flights to neighboring states. The sense of pure freedom was incredible! When I moved out to the Bay Area, I stopped by AeroDynamic Aviation to take a tour, and everyone was so friendly and energetic and eager to help me make my lifelong dream come true. After my PPL, I’d like to get my instrument, commercial, and multi-engine ratings and be a CFI on the side so that I may teach share my passion for aviation with others.” ~Prad
New Private Pilot – Peng Xue
May 16 2018Date: May 3, 2018
Certification: Private Pilot
Instructor: Batelle Rachmian
Aircraft: Cessna N61637
“I’ve been wanting to fly since I was a child, and now my my long-time dream has finally come true. My goal is to have fun flying and enjoy the freedom 🙂 Thanks to everyone at AeroDynamic, especially my awesome flight instructor Batelle, who guided me through my training.” ~Peng
Congrats on a job well done, Peng and Batelle!
New Private Pilot – Julien Pourtet
May 16 2018Date: May 8, 2018
Certification: Private Pilot
Instructor: Blake Hannigan
Aircraft: Cessna N915L
Another student pilot earns their license at AeroDynamic! Congrats to Julien for completing his flight training with CFI Blake and passing his Private Pilot checkride with Vince Nastro. Julien trained at our Reid-Hillview location and took his flight test at Tracy Airport. Well done to all!
New Private Pilot – Thao Do
May 15 2018Date: May 9, 2018
Certification: Private Pilot
Instructor: All of Us!
Aircraft: Cessna N915L
For Thao’s birthday in 2015, her brother gave her a gift certificate to fly aerobatics at Aerodynamic Aviation with Chief Instructor Jen. It was the greatest experience of her life. Jen took her up in the Decathlon 8KCAB and they flew aerobatic maneuvers like hammerheads, Cuban 8, Shark’s Tooth, Humpty-Bumpty, barrel rolls, stalls, and spins. She even taught Thao how to perform a loop. Thao was hooked. Thao returned to AeroDynamic as a student pilot and has “flown” through her training like a women possessed by aviation. As icing on the cake, just after her checkride in Salinas, Thao met her idol – airshow performer Sean Tucker. What a way to finish up her license! Thao is already continuing on to earn her ground instructor certificates. We hope she will come teach for us one day 🙂
First Solo Flight – Ryann Powell
May 05 2018Aircraft: Citabria N2508Z
Solo Date: April 25, 2018
Instructor: Logan Wright
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Women are taking to the skies at Reid-Hillview! Ryann flew her solo flight in a taildragger around the pattern for 31R with instructor Logan watching and listening from below. Congrats to them both. We are so exciting to see this surge in female pilots. Go aviatrices!
“It didn’t occur to me that I could be a pilot until two years ago, after I watched a talk given by Space Shuttle astronaut Rhea Seddon. She mentioned getting her private license in college and it was the first time I realized I could do the same thing. I came to Aerodynamic late last year knowing absolutely nothing about aviation. The instructors and staff have been nothing short of amazing in helping me learn and grow as an aviator. Looking forward to finishing my private license and maybe someday teaching others how to fly taildraggers” ~Ryann
First Solo Flight – Jenna Hinton
May 02 2018Aircraft: Citabria N2508Z
Solo Date: April 8, 2018
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Instructors: Logan Wright & Adam Sciupac
Hooray to Jenna for completing her first solo flight…in a taildragger, no less! She showed the airplane who was boss when she flew 3 laps in the traffic pattern for 31 Right at Reid-Hillview Airport (KRHV) all by herself. Instructors Logan and Adam are proud of her accomplishment. Jenna has become part of the AeroDynamic pilot family, including flying along on our dinner fly-out to Napa. We wish her much success as she continues on to earn her pilot licenses.
“I had always had an interest in aviation and came to Aerodynamic with a small amount of experience in tricycle gear aircraft. After my first flight in a taildragger I was hooked! The Aerodynamic family and instructors provide a great environment for learning underlied by an invigorating passion for aviation. I’m looking forward to completing my PPL training and counting myself among the too few number of women in aviation!” ~Jenna
Scholarship Winner – Katrina Espinoza
May 02 2018
Tailwheel Endorsement – Fred Schulze
Apr 18 2018Aircraft: Citabria 7ECA
Instructor: Jen Watson
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Congrats on another notch in your pilot belt, Fred! After completing training for his Private Pilot License with us, Fred moved on to a complex aircraft endorsement and has now added tailwheel endorsement to his credentials. He is also attending our IFR Ground School and plans to continue on with instrument, commercial and flight instructor. We can’t wait to have him teaching with us and encouraging others to have his passion for aviation. Keep the dirty side down and have fun exploring the green countryside with your newfound love of taildragging!
