private pilot
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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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
New Private Pilot – Chuang Wang
Jul 03 2017Date: June 17, 2017
Instructor: David Waksberg
Certification: Private Pilot
Woohoo, we have a new private pilot in our midst! Chuang flew through his checkride with pilot examiner Yuzo (pun intended). Thanks to the hard work of both Chuang and his intructor David, our newest licensed pilot will soon be one of those airplanes out buzzing the blue San Jose skies. Congrats to all who made this dream possible for him.
Examiner: Yuzo Wakita
Aircraft: Cessna N737ZD
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
New Private Pilot – Jeff Chern
Jun 28 2017Date: May 19, 2017
Instructor: Batelle Rachmain
Certification: Private Pilot
Well done, Jeff, on passing your Private Pilot checkride with Examiner Scott! We hope you are out enjoying the perks of being a licensed pilot. Happy flying 🙂
Examiner: Scott Rohlfing
Aircraft: Cessna N737ZD
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
New Private Pilot – Andrew Shacker
May 22 2017Date: May 18, 2017
Instructor: Jason Brown
Certification: Private Pilot
From all of the AeroDynamic crew – A huge congratulations to Andrew for passing his Private Pilot checkride with DPE (designated pilot examiner) Yuzo Wakita. Andrew is a full-time student at Berkeley who took on the extra workload of earning his pilot’s license. We are so proud of Andrew and his instructor Jason for all their long hours and diligence to earn this monumental achievement!
Examiner: Yuzo Wakita
Aircraft: Cessna N98485
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
New Private Pilot – Malick Usman
May 01 2017Date: April 30, 2017
Instructor: David Waksberg
Certification: Private Pilot
“Today is a very special day for me since my long time dream of taking to the skies has finally come true. I don’t have to just stare at the sky and wish I could fly anymore; I can just hop on a plane and get there. I am looking forward to one day becoming a CFI and sharing my passion for flying with others too.Examiner: Yuzo Wakita
Aircraft: Cessna N61637
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
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!