taildragger
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First Solo – Adam Lantos
Jun 25 2016Solo Date: June 11, 2016
Aircraft: Citabria 7ECA
Instructor: David Pease
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Like many of us, Adam’s interest in planes started when he was just a kid. And like so many of us, his addiction hit when another AeroDynamic pilot took him for a glider flight and Citabria flight. This led him to an introductory flight in the Cessna and Citabria, but he felt (ahem…correctly) that tailwheel was much more fun.
For right now Adam doesn’t have serious plans for a career in aviation; he just wants the experience of learning a new skill and mastering it. He feels flying the Citabria demands precision and discipline, but also rewards him with a feeling of accomplishment and a stronger pair of legs 🙂
Once the hard work of earning his Private Pilot’s License is out of the way, Adam plans to explore, have the perspective from above (watching all the little people stuck in traffic), and go to various places. Eventually he plans to continue his training to include some basic aerobatics, mountain flying lessons, and maybe take up IFR when he decides to venture out of California and travel farther afield.
From all of us aviation addicts – way to go and keep up the hard work, Adam!
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 Aerobatic Video!
Mar 11 2016Interested in Aerobatics?
See what an Intro to Aerobatics flight and Competition Aerobatic Training will entail in this video. We include a flight within an aerobatic box of the IAC 2015 Sportsman Sequence flown in a 150-hp Bellanca Decathlon. For more information, visit our Intro to Aerobatics webpage or Aerobatic Training webpage.
To learn more about competition aerobatics, visit the
International Aerobatic Club’s (IAC) website.
Here are samples of Aresti symbols and judge’s sheets used for the 2015 Sportsman sequence
New Instrument-Rated Taildragger Pilot!
Mar 04 2016Date: Feb 27, 2016
Certification: Instrument Rating, Citabria 7GCAA
Location: Salinas, CA
Jim Shumaker, president of the EAA chapter in Salinas and many more such accomplishments, once trained with Amelia Reid herself. He challenges himself regularly with aerobatics and backcountry flying, but more recently he earned his instrument rating in his own Citabria 7GCAA!
With a panel consisting of 6-pack analog instruments and VOR/DME, Jim mastered the challenges of flying in the clouds with a stick and rudder airplane. Jim trained with Chief Instructor, Jen Delp-Mallet, out of his home airport in Salinas, CA. She couldn’t be more proud of his hard work and dedication to mastering this rating. Congrats!!!
Jen’s Decathlon with Jim’s GCAA
New Private Pilot – Suhas Joshi
Feb 26 2016Date: Feb 24, 2016
Certification: Private Pilot, Tailwheel
Location: Reid-Hillview, San Jose, California
“Thanks to the amazing staff at Aerodynamic Aviation for helping me achieve a life goal. Special thanks to CFIs Jason Brown, Tom Morley and Chief Instructor Jen Delp-Mallet for helping me sharpen my flying skills. Next goal – IFR!” ~ Suhas
It’s an incredible thing to be able to help someone achieve their dreams. AeroDynamic is exceptionally proud of all the hard work Suhas put into becoming not just a Private Pilot, but an extremely qualified one. It has been a joy to have him as part of the family and we can’t wait to see what he does with his flying. Way to earn your wings in a taildragger! Congrats to Suhas and his instructors.
New Private Pilot – Julio McWilliams
Feb 23 2016Date: Feb 23, 2016
Certification: Private Pilot, Tailwheel
Location: Reid-Hillview, San Jose, California.
On a beautiful winter’s day in California, student pilot Julio MacWilliams became a Private Pilot. He passed his checkride in Citabria N1806G with DPE Scott Rohlfing. A huge congratulations to Julio and his instructors – Grainne, Tom and Jim. His next goal is a checkout in the Cessna 170. Way to fly a taildragger, Julio!!!
First Solo – Eric Middleton
Feb 13 2016Tailwheel private pilot student Eric Middleton soloed Citabria 9091L on January 28th at KRHV (Reid-Hillview airport) while instructor Tom Morley supervised. It’s an incredible achievement to take those first solo steps, especially in a taildragger. Well done, Eric and Tom!
Solo date: January 28, 2016
Tailwheel Instructor: Tom Morley
First Solo – Keith Andersen
Jan 19 2016
Congratulations to Keith Anderson on soloing the Aeronca Champ! He’s enjoying flying the Champ but will soon be switching to the Citabria 7ECAs to finish up his Private Pilot requirements.
Thank you to CFI Blake H. and CFI Jason Brown for all of your great instruction!
First Solo – SG Tan
Jan 10 2016Congratulations to SG on soloing 9091L! He waited out the gloomy low fog to solo on this fine day. Another tailwheel pilot is born!
Thank you to CFI David Pease and CFI Jason Brown for all of your awesome instruction and support!
CFI David Pease and Sze Guan Tan
Our Amazing Staff at Reid-Hillview Celebrates the Holidays
Dec 14 2015-
- The entire family, including supportive significant others
Thanks to all the incredible people who devote their time to making new pilots and passing on their love of aviation to future generations. AeroDynamic Aviation would not be the amazing place it is without this hard-working group of staff and instructors, our aviation family. Special thanks also goes to those significant others who support them.
Happy Holidays from all of us to you and yours!