Tailwheel
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First Solo – Jess White
Jan 31 2018Aircraft: Citabria N9091L
Instructor: Logan Wright
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Solo Date: December 31, 2017
What a way to bring in 2018. Congrats to Jess and Instructor Logan on achieving a first solo in a taildragger!
“I’ve always loved aviation since I was a child, and always drawn toward the skies. So, I started flying with Logan Wright at Aerodynamic about a year ago, and it’s been nothing but a blast. I’ve loved every minute of it and it feels great to be following my passion.
My plan for after I get my private, is to continue to keep getting more training and experience. I want to go on and get my instrument and commercial, and I would love eventually be able to make flying profitable in different ways.
Flying at Aerodynamic has been wonderful. I’ve been at other flight schools before, that don’t even come close to the quality that you guys have as a school.” ~Jess
New Private Pilot – Adam Lantos
Nov 30 2017Date: November 24, 2017
Instructor: Jason Brown
Certification: Private Pilot
Woohooo! Congrats to Adam for earning his Private Pilot License. He didn’t just earn his PPL, he earned it in a taildragger. Adam began his flight training primarily with David Pease and did a bit of training with our Chief Instructor Jen. But a big thanks goes to CFI Jason for helping Adam cross the finish line and receive a first-time pass with Examiner Scott. Nice!
Examiner: Scott Rohlfing
Aircraft: Citabria N1806G
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
First Solo Flight – Gary Hethcoat
Oct 03 2017Solo Date: September 16, 2017
Aircraft: Citabria 7ECA
Instructor: Batelle Rachmian
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Time to cut the tails off another shirt! Congrats to Gary and instructor Batelle for soloing in a taildragger.
“Had my first solo today! I’ve been a huge airplane nut all my life. I designed built and flew R/C models for 30 years. It’s been a life-long dream to learn to fly! Many thanks to my awesome instructor Batelle!” ~ Gary
First Solo Flight – Vasu Murthy
Aug 15 2017Solo Date: August 12, 2017
Aircraft: Citabria 7ECA
Instructor: David Pease
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Another taildragger pilot flies out of the nest! Vasu took to the skies from each of the parallel runways, 31R and 31L, at Reid-Hillview Airport with instructor David watching from below. Vasu also trained with Batelle and Jason, so he’s got the skills to take a Citabria up for a flight with an empty back seat. Congrats on all your hard work!
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
Examiner: Scott Rohlfing
Aircraft: Citabria N1806G
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
First Solo Flight – Thomas Seymour-Cozzini
Jul 03 2017Solo Date: June 28, 2017
Aircraft: Citabria 7ECA
Instructor: Grainne Gilvarry
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
We love to see a student solo, especially in a taildragger! Hitting the mark of solo is quite an accomplishment. In a tailwheel airplane it can take a bit longer to master the landing technique and feel comfortable flying without an instructor there to help. Congrats to Thomas and his instructor Grainne for this notch in the pilot’s belt!
Although you may not see him, Thomas is the reason our airplanes are fueled and ready to go for those early morning weekend flights. From all of us, thanks for the hard work!
New Private Pilot – Shawn Nikkila
Mar 31 2017Date: March 29, 2017
Instructor: Jason Brown
Certification: Private Pilot
Whoot Whoot! Congrats to AeroDynamic’s newest tailwheel pilot! With a family of pilots, Shawn earned his wings and plans to fly for fun in his dad’s Cessna 120, another fun taildragger. Shawn soloed in Citabria 990wY with us in November and passed his checkride in Citabria 1806G just a few days ago. He flew to Calaveras Airport, at the base of the Sierra Mountains, to take his checkride with tailwheel examiner Rob Davids. And he passed with flying colors! Congrats to both Shawn and Jason for this achievement. Happy flying!
Examiner: Rob Davids
Aircraft: Citabria N1806
Checkride Location:
Calaveras, CA (KCPU)
First Solo Flight – Elliot Young
Feb 17 2017Solo Date: February 15, 2017
Aircraft: Citabria 7ECA
Instructor: Batelle Rachmian
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Thanks to this unusual weather California is experiencing, student pilot Elliot Young patiently waited over a month to finally take his first solo flight. Some things are worth the wait, like the first time you takeoff in a taildragger without an instructor in the backseat. At first the quietness, there’s no instructor shouting “more right rudder!” from behind you, then the taste of freedom as you realize it’s really just you and your flying machine, and finally the exhilaration as you bring that airplane in for landing…ALL…BY…YOURSELF! Congrats on this amazing accomplishment to both Elliot and Batelle.
First Solo Flight – Eric Jones
Feb 11 2017Solo Date: February 5, 2017
Aircraft: Citabria 7ECA
Instructor: Batelle, Jason, Grainne & Jen
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Traveling all the way from Arizona, Eric Jones made a commitment to himself that his first solo flight would be in a taildragger…and he did it! Using his first vacation in years, student pilot and aircraft fueler from Phoenix flew with quite a few of AeroDynamic’s tailwheel instructors and was able to solo just before departing for home. We are so honored he made the trip here to fly with us and accomplished what he set out to do – tailwheel endorsement and first solo flight. Way to be awesome, Eric! We wish you lots of luck with finishing your pilot’s license and hope you come back someday soon to do some more taildragging with us.
New Private Pilot – Edan Ben-Moshe
Jan 31 2017Date: January 28, 2017
Instructor: Jen Delp-Mallet
Certification: Private Pilot
After soloing a taildragger with us at 16 years old, Edan earned his Private Pilot License in a Citabria at 17! Talk about bragging rights. Shortly after holding up his temporary airmen certificate, Edan took to the skies with his first passenger, his dad, a Private Pilot who earned his instrument rating with AeroDynamic’s chief instructor Jen. We hope to see the family traditions continue. Edan plans to attend aviation college after graduating high school this summer and continue on with a professional pilot career. We are so honored to have been part of his journey and can’t wait to see all he will accomplish. The biggest hurdle may be getting his dad to be a tailwheel pilot, too…
Examiner: Scott Rohlfing
Aircraft: Citabria N1806G
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)