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New Private Pilot – Kate Born
Aug 24 2016Date: August 23, 2016
Instructor: Anton Salameh
Location: Fresno, CA (KFAT)
Certification: Private Pilot License
Way to go, Kate!!! Our Monterey office manager, Kate, made everyone proud when she passed her Private Pilot checkride with examiner Bob Schwoerer. Kate began her flight training just under a year ago and is continuing on to instrument and eventually commercial. Her plans include flying for the airlines, and she’s well on her way as she passes this first hurdle. Big congrats to both her and Anton for putting in the work and overcoming the odds. We can’t wait to see you in a pilot uniform!
First Solo – Wes Hayward
Aug 24 2016Solo Date: August 16, 2016
Aircraft: Cessna 172
Instructor: Carol Tevebaugh
Location: Salinas, CA (KSNS)
Wes completed his first solo flight in our newly painted Cessna 968RC out of Salinas airport despite smoky conditions caused by the Soberanes fire in Big Sur. His flight instructor, Carol, watched proudly as he completed his first series of landings without her onboard. Congrats to them both for their hard work!
New Private Pilot – Samantha D’Costa
Jul 14 2016Date: July 14, 2016
Instructor: Jim Grant
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Certification: Private Pilot License
After soloing less than two months ago, Samantha earned her Private Pilot Certificate today with examiner Yuzo Wakita on her first attempt! She plans to fly a lot with her dad, John, throughout the summer, acting as his safety pilot. John earned his instrument rating with us and can now be found flying his beautiful Cirrus around the bay area. We are so honored to have trained this amazing and accomplished family of aviators! Happy flying to the both of you 😀
First Solo – Sheryl Martin
Jul 14 2016Solo Date: June 30, 2016
Aircraft: Cessna 172
Instructor: Ron Vlastelica
Location: New Jerusalem, CA (1Q4)
Sheryl Martin flew her first solo at New Jerusalem airport, her second at San Martin airport (E16) and her third at her primary training airport, Reid-Hillview. She began training with Ron in her Cessna 172 with 180-hp.
Sheryl moves to Auburn in a few days but plans to continue her flight training with us, moving into cross-country training and checkride prep. Her instructor says she has done a great job with studying and made fast progress.
New Private Pilot – Paul Cain
Jun 23 2016Date: June 23, 2016
Instructor: Jamie Redding
Location: Monterey, CA (KMRY)
Certification: Private Pilot License
Woooohooooo! Way to go! Paul Cain finished his training and earned his Private Pilot License today in one of our Monterey Cessna 172s. Examiner Yuzo Wakita put him through his paces, but Paul’s hard work and studying paid off with a first-time pass of his checkride. Instructor Jamie and the rest of us couldn’t be more proud of his accomplishment. See you in the air!
First Solo – Paul Weller
Jun 06 2016Solo Date: May 31, 2016
Aircraft: Cessna 172
Instructor: Jamie Redding
Location: Monterey, CA (KMRY)
Paul grew up in the backseat of his father’s C190 and later Navion. He started his private pilot training 20 years ago, but discontinued due to life events. Now retired, Paul plans to finish his Private Pilot License, get his glider rating, as well as maintain currency flying a Cessna 172. He flies because it’s fun!
Vote in AOPA’s 2016 Flight Training Poll
May 23 2016You trusted us to help you achieve your dream of flying. Now we’d like you to tell us about your flight training experience. We are participating in the AOPA Flight Training Poll and your feedback will help shape the flight training experience for future students.
The AOPA Flight Training Poll is based on extensive research into the optimal flight training experience. Your participation will give you the opportunity to tell us about your experience with us so that we can see how we stack up to the industry. We want to hear it all – the Good, the Bad and the AWESOME!
BONUS! Enter the 2016 Flight Training Poll Sweepstakes!
By participating in the Flight Training Poll, you will be eligible to enter to win on of the sweepstakes prizes provided by Jeppesen, Sport’s, Pilot Workshops and Aircraft Spruce.*
- An Aircraft Spruce $150 Gift Card
- Your choice of a Jeppesen Part 61 Private Pilot or Instrument Pilot Kit
- A Pilot Workshops Real World VFR online course
- Your choice of a Sporty’s Learn to Fly or Instrument Rating online course (two of these will be awarded)
*NO PURCHASE OR REGISTRATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES. A PURCHASE OR REGISTRATION WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
Participation in the poll is not required to enter the sweepstakes. If you don’t want to submit valuable feedback to help the aviation industry and would like to just enter the sweepstakes, you can do so here.
Airplane Camping – Columbia, CA
May 19 2016A gaggle of aviation enthusiasts take to the sky for airplane camping!
AeroDynamic family members departed Reid-Hillview airport on a partly cloudy Saturday for a night of camping, grilling, and stargazing on the grass runway at Columbia Airport (O22). This AeroDynamic tradition started a few years ago with a bunch of adventurous pilots who wanted to fly for more than just the $100 hamburger.
On this trip, 4 taildraggers and 3 Cessna 172s flew in to the grass and paved runways at this 2120′ MSL elevation airport at the base of the Sierra Mountains.
A few of us later hopped in the taildraggers for some showing off…ahem, landing practice…on the grass runway.
With everyone contributing a little something, we grilled chicken, cooked broccoli-cheese rice, and shared wine, beer, cheese, crackers, and chocolate (thanks, Mary). Totally stuffed, we sat around the campfire telling tall pilot tales and heckling each other. Once dark settled in, we walked out to the now-quiet grass runway 29-11 and laid down to stargaze (ok, maybe we did some plane spotting, too).
Instructors, students, and friends woke to the loud squawking of roosters and loud roar of low-flying aircraft – one of which you would expect when your tent is pitched a few hundred feet from a runway. 
Breakfast and coffee happened, then a few of us climbed in our planes for aerobatics, grass landing practice, or sightseeing. After packing up camp, some of us flew out while others walked into the quaint town of Columbia, where you can pan for gold, get a horse-drawn carriage ride, or see a play in this historic town.
Please join us on our next airplane camping adventure (to be announced soon). All are welcome – your plane or ours, with an instructor or solo – and bring family, kids, pets and friends!
New Private Pilot – Owen Leipelt
May 05 2016Date: May 2, 2016
Instructor: Jason Brown
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Certification: Private Pilot License
Owen is an avid aviation photographer working for Lafferty Aircraft Sales. He just earned his first (of many) pilot licenses – Private Pilot. All your hard work and enthusiasm paid off. Jason and all of us at AeroDynamic are so proud of your accomplishments and look forward to seeing where your pilot career will take you!
Checkout Owen’s amazing video of his journey from newbie to licensed pilot. You can also follow his YouTube channel for new videos as he flies on airplane deliveries and checkout flights in awesome aircraft.
First Solo – John Lorang
Feb 18 2016
Solo date: February 5, 2016
Aircraft: Cessna 172 N915L
Instructor: Batelle Rachmian
Congrats to John Lorang for soloing Cessna 915L on runway 31L at Reid-Hillview on a beautiful, sunny day! His instructor Batelle watched carefully while he completed his first solo takeoffs and landings. Keep the landings soft, the shiny side up, and you’ll earn your Private Pilot wings soon!!