tailwheel
posts displayed by tag
Tailwheel Endorsement – Hamish Kebbell
Jul 27 2017Aircraft: Citabria 7KCAB
Instructor: Batelle Rachmian
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Australian pilot and traveler, Hamish came to AeroDynamish once again to do some fun flying. In previous years he flew our Cessna 172RG complex aircraft. This time he earned his tailwheel endorsement on July 17th with Batelle and took N1701H on a 30-hour cross-country trip north. Sounds like the right way to spend 10 days of vacation! Thanks for flying with us!
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 – Ivan Wong
Jul 15 2017Date: July 10, 2017
Instructor: Batelle Rachmian
Certification: Private Pilot
“I’ve been wanting to fly since I was a little kid, but I never took the initiative to start training because I made excuses about not having enough money, and then enough time…until last year. It’s really changed my life, and I can’t thank Batelle, David, and everyone at Aerodynamic enough. It’s a great community here.
Examiner: Scott Rohlfing
Aircraft: Citabria N9091L
Checkride Location:
San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Tailwheel Endorsement – Griffin Swarz
Jul 13 2017Aircraft: Aeronca Champ
Instructor: Jason Brown & Grainne Gilvarry
Location: San Jose, CA (KRHV)
Griffin was flying at a nearby school and almost had his tailwheel endorsement when his instructor unfortunately pushed the airplane into the hanger wall, ripping the fabric. He was on a deadline for a glider towing opportunity and we were able to finish up his tailwheel training just in time, thanks to the quick work of instructors Jason and Grainne. Go team!
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)