​Huge congratulations to Troy Cook on earning his Private Pilot License today! This is a huge milestone and a true testament to Troy’s dedication, persistence, and willingness to put in the hard work to achieve his goals. This accomplishment reflects months of discipline and determination, a challenge Troy is used to as a business owner himself.
Outside the cockpit, Troy is a man of many skills, from blacksmithing, carpentry, welding, and commercial fishing to truck driving and ski coaching. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, and he brings that same grit and determination to everything he does. He’s also an explorer at heart, always chasing the thrill of seeing new sights. Whether it’s from the cockpit, on skis, a snowmobile, or out on a hiking trail, Troy lives for the adventure. As a business owner and now a licensed pilot, Troy continues to prove that hard work and adventure go hand in hand, and that the sky is only the beginning.
Troy’s journey proves that with hard work, a love for adventure, and the courage to take on new challenges, the sky truly has no limits. A special shoutout as well to his CFI, Lucas Murphy, for guiding him on this journey and helping him reach this achievement! Every great pilot has a great teacher behind them, and today they both share in this achievement. Congratulations again, Troy, the sky is yours!!

Huge congratulations to Sam Clem, who soloed today at KRTS, Runway 26 in N352ME! Sam might say he’s scared of heights, but today he proved that trading cliffs for clouds is a much better view. From takeoff roll to final landing, he climbed higher than nerves could reach and showed that the cockpit is his new summit.
Sam is all about the outdoors. When he’s not in the left seat, you’ll find him rock climbing, skiing, or adventuring through the mountains near his hometown of Quincy. He’s as comfortable on the slopes as he is in the cockpit, carving through turns and navigating new terrain with skill and confidence. And just like a good hike, his solo was all about putting one step (or one circuit) after the other until he reached the top.
With every lap in the pattern, Sam blazed his own trail through the morning skies and planted his flag at one of aviation’s biggest milestones. A huge congratulations as well to his CFI, Greg Anthenien, for the steady guidance and mentorship that helped Sam trade trails and ski tracks for flight paths. Way to go, Sam! You’ve shown that even if heights on a rock wall make you look down, up here in the wide-open sky, the view is worth every climb.

​Before most people have even rubbed the sleep out of their eyes, Alyssa Yerick was already at the airport, preflighting in the dark and getting ready for a milestone morning. Today, Alyssa soloed Runway 32 at KRTS in N352ME! She might drag herself through the door before sunrise, but once she’s in the cockpit, her vision is sharp, her focus is clear, and she’s got the perfect prescription for success.
When she’s not flying, Alyssa is studying to be an optometrist, so it’s no surprise that she knows how to keep her eyes on the horizon. In fact, today she proved she has true aviation “20/20” spot-on landings, steady hands, and the ability to see the big picture even when the nerves kick in.
Alyssa is also a fan of line dancing, so let’s just say she knows her way around steps both on the dance floor and in the traffic pattern. Originally from Las Vegas (you know, the other Nevada), she traded flashing lights, slot machines, and bad Elvis impersonators for UNR, the sound of Lycoming engines, and the kind of odds that are actually worth betting on, three solo takeoffs and three landings.
Huge congratulations also go out to her CFI, Andrew Spanier, for the guidance and encouragement that helped Alyssa hit this milestone.
Congrats, Alyssa! You’ve officially gone from pre-dawn yawns to a logbook solo entry, and your future in aviation looks clearer than a brand-new pair of lenses. This future eye doc just gave us all something to look up to!

​Big congratulations to Shawn Tuckett, who just earned his Private Pilot Certificate in fixed-wing! While Shawn already holds his Commercial Rotorcraft certificate, today he officially joined the “real wings” club and traded in rotor wash for runway lights.
Flying helicopters has its thrills, hovering, autorotations, and all that collective-twisting fun, but we all know life is better with a proper set of wings. In the airplane, Shawn doesn’t have to constantly juggle power, pedals, and pitch just to stay in the air. No more pretending to be a hummingbird, now he can actually cruise, trim it out, and sip some imaginary coffee in straight and level flight.
Of course, his rotorcraft background gave him great stick-and-rudder instincts, but earning a fixed-wing certificate proves Shawn can do it all. He’s conquered both the hover button-mashing world of helicopters and the smooth, efficient world of airplanes.
A huge congratulations as well to his CFI, Andrew Spanier, for guiding Shawn through stalls, slips, and landings that don’t end with skids on the pavement.
Well done, Shawn! You’ve proven you can fly anything with lift, blades or wings, but let’s face it: fixed-wing really is the way to go (at least in our biased opinion ).

​Congratulations to Dalton Drum, who took to the skies solo today in N670CS at KRTS, Runway 26! Dalton handled this milestone flight in his signature style, cool, calm, and collected from engine start to shutdown. No drama, no stress, just steady hands, smooth flying, and a quiet confidence that makes him a natural in the cockpit.
Dalton is one of those people who you can’t help but admire. He’s kind, humble, and always approaches his lessons with patience and focus. Nothing rattles him. That calm demeanor carried him through every takeoff and landing today as he wrote his name into the logbook of solo aviators.
And, of course, we can’t skip over the fact that Dalton is a proud lefty. While most pilots fly “by the right,” Dalton proved today that being a southpaw is an advantage in the skies. He’s not only left-handed, he’s also left the ground, left the pattern on his own, and definitely left a mark on all of us here at GBA. It’s safe to say Dalton has the “left seat” covered.
A big congratulations as well to his CFI, James Morgan, for the guidance, patience, and expertise that helped Dalton reach this milestone moment. Way to go, Dalton, your first solo is now officially logged, signed, and stamped in aviation history.

Huge congratulations to Jurgen Hirt, who officially earned his CFI certificate today! Becoming a CFI isn’t for the faint of heart, it takes hours of studying, flying, and being grilled in a checkride, but Jurgen came out on top, cool and collected, and is now cleared to teach the next generation of pilots.
Jurgen isn’t just another new instructor, he’s a guy of many talents. He’s an exceptional bassoon player (because why settle for guitar or piano when you can master the coolest, most complicated instrument in the orchestra?). He’s a world traveler who’s probably got more stamps in his passport than most of us have landings in our logbooks. And let’s not forget, this guy knows how to pick a quality German beer like it’s a fine landing on Runway 17L. Priorities, right?
A big shoutout as well to his CFIs, Eric Harned and Bob Bennett, for their mentorship and guidance.
Congrats, Jurgen! From bassoon reeds to checkride leads, from traveling the world to teaching in the pattern, you’ve officially added “CFI” to your resume. Now it’s your turn to pass that knowledge on and help shape the next wave of aviators. Prost to you, Jurgen, aviation is lucky to have you! Über den Wolken ist die Freiheit grenzenlos.

​Big shoutout to Ryan Kwan, who just earned his Instrument Rating! That means he’s now certified to fly through the clouds, keep his cool when visibility drops, and let the gauges do the talking. It takes discipline, focus, and plenty of patience to master IFR flying, and Ryan nailed it.
Now, Ryan has been known to say, “when I grow up, I just want to be a hermit in the mountains.” Nice dream, Ryan, but let’s be real, you don’t spend hours perfecting holds, nailing approaches, and briefing procedures just to go live in a cabin with goats. Maybe save the Jeremiah Johnson hermit thing for retirement, because aviation clearly has your name written all over it. You belong in the sky, not hiding in the woods.
Of course, this milestone didn’t come without help, major props to his CFII, Greg Anthenien, who had the joy (and maybe occasional headache) of riding shotgun while Ryan turned “I think I see the runway” into “established on the localizer.” Together, they tackled the clouds, the checklists, and the challenges, and came out with a shiny new rating to prove it.
So congratulations, Ryan! You’ve gone from mountain man daydreams to cloud conqueror reality. The only thing in holding now is your retirement plan, aviation is where you belong.

CFII Success, Congratulations Justin Olmstead! 
Huge congratulations to Justin Olmstead for nailing his CFII checkride today! While he might be known for leaving his belongings scattered in the cockpit and his flight bag laying in the hallway, when it comes to flying, he’s all about staying on the proper course. Today, Justin proved to the examiner that he’s more than qualified to “teach in the soup” and keep students on the glidepath to success.
This guy doesn’t exactly sit idle, between golf swings, marathon running, hiking trails, and even pickleball (really, Justin?), he somehow finds time to keep his personal heading bug set firmly on aviation. His determination and focus would pass any holding-pattern endurance test.
His long-term goal? American Airlines, cruising high in the left seat. But knowing Justin, he’s not done adding approaches, endorsements, and ratings to his logbook just yet. Next up: maybe some seaplane flying, having some fun with his certificates, and then helping the next generation of aviators keep the shiny side up and the needles centered.
And of course, congratulations as well to his CFII, Shane Smith, for keeping Justin trimmed out, stable, and on course toward this milestone. Way to go, Justin! You’ve got unlimited ceilings and a clearance path to success!

First Solo Spotlight: De Angelo Guerra! Today was a milestone moment at KCXP, Runway 27, in N670CS as De Angelo Guerra officially joined the ranks of solo aviators! What we love most about De Angelo (besides his unwavering loyalty to the Raiders 🏈) is his ability to get back in the cockpit no matter what life throws at him. Resilience doesn’t even begin to describe him; this guy is proof that turbulence may rock you, but it doesn’t have to ground you. He’s been knocked down plenty of times, but he always finds his lift again.
And let’s be honest, his excitement for flying is just plain contagious. He comes into every lesson with the kind of enthusiasm that could file its own flight plan. Whether it’s preflight or postflight, his smile alone could pass a checkride.
Today, all that persistence paid off. De Angelo rotated, climbed out, and proved he’s got what it takes to fly left-seat, PIC style. Talk about a student who’s truly cleared for takeoff in life. Of course, this big moment wouldn’t have been possible without the steady guidance of his CFI, Cody Klein, who’s been the perfect wingman on this journey.
Congratulations, De Angelo! You’ve just logged the most memorable PIC time of your career. Keep that heading steady, you’re well on your way to cruising altitude as a private pilot.

Commercial Pilot Alert: Congratulations, Alex Florez! From that very first takeoff at GBA, Alex has been climbing steadily toward his goals, and today, he reached a brand-new cruising altitude, Commercial Pilot! He can now officially exercise those commercial privileges he’s worked so hard for. Is he taxiing straight over to United? Not just yet, but this milestone has him one giant step closer to the big leagues. Alex’s flight path has been fueled by focus, determination, and an attitude that never wavered, even when Nevada’s summer heat made the cockpit feel like a slow bake. Most people would have called it a no-go, but Alex pushed through, proving that he’s got both the endurance and the skill to make it happen.
As a past RARA scholarship winner, Alex has already shown his commitment to aviation excellence, and now he’s ready for the next leg of his journey, CFI training! With his work ethic and positivity, there’s no doubt he’ll inspire the next generation of pilots just as much as he’s inspired us.
Big congratulations as well to his CFI, Eric Harned, for helping Alex stay on course and stick the landing on this incredible milestone.
Alex, you’ve logged the hours, fought through the turbulence, and proved that with persistence and passion, the sky isn’t the limit, it’s just the beginning.