Today, we (begrudgingly) say farewell to Kevin Marshall on his last day at GBA. Kevin started with us in October 2018 as a bright-eyed student pilot. Since then, he’s earned his private pilot license, instrument rating, and then we strong-armed him into being our line tech (sorry, not sorry).
While managing the line and surviving under a notoriously tough office team, Kevin managed to complete his commercial and CFI. He passed the grueling CFI interview and officially became a GBA CFI. Recently, he added a CFII to his list of achievements! Now, Kevin is off to bigger things, flying charter in Las Vegas. While we’re sad to see him go, we’re thrilled for his new opportunity and confident he’ll continue to dazzle and inspire. Thanks for everything, Kevin! Best of luck on your new adventure. 🛫✈️ #GoodRiddanceKevin
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Sanddon Sherwood-Kopko is now instrument-rated! Despite battling the high-pressure system of heat and dodging those turbulent afternoon thunderstorms, he showed the examiner he can navigate through clouds with the precision of a GPS approach but knows to steer clear of those thunderheads. Sanddon has been crushing it in the air and on the ground. As a full-time personal trainer (he's Instagram famous), he's been balancing his workouts with instrument approaches, holding patterns, and some heavy lifting in the form of family time. Between perfecting his glideslope and managing vectors to final, he's also taken his fair share of office harassment—all with a smile and a pretty sweet backpack. This guy's got the stamina of an endurance flight and the determination of a VOR approach in low visibility. Whether he's dodging weather or dodging office banter, Sanddon's dedication is clear: he's here to climb and maintain success. Great job, Sanddon! And a huge shoutout to his CFI, Nathan Morin, for guiding him through the IFR flight plans and the turbulence of training. Keep soaring high, and remember, in both workouts and flights, it's all about the journey and the destination!
“On your mark, get set, go!” Jennifer Carey has been burning rubber since she was 13 years old and has been an unstoppable drag racing queen ever since! And as if Jennifer wasn’t already cool enough, Jennifer buckled up and brought home gold as she successfully became a private pilot today! That’s right everyone, while she might come off as a gentle soul, Jennifer is truly a forced to be reckoned with. From working as a surgical nurse, being a loving mother, leading Washoe County 4H clubs, and forcing one of our other students to study (her husband, who may or may have not have also gotten his PPL yesterday 😉), she’s proven that whether it be on the ground or in the air, her insurmountable grit and diligence have led her to achieving incredible accomplishments. Now every takeoff will feel like launching off the starting line and every landing will bring the satisfaction of chasing that checkered flag. Awesome work, Jennifer! Huge congratulations to Jennifer and her flight instructor, Nathan Morin, on achieving this incredible accomplishment! Now it’s time to relax and go get some food!
“Ka-caw, ka-caw”… what’s that noise? Well, it’s none other than Kevin Linderman luring in his checkride prey as he aims for the bullseye to success—and a successful hunt it was! That’s right everyone, Kevin Linderman came in calm and ready, channeling the same determination and focus he has when hunting, and became a private pilot today! Although he was a victim of winter weather delays, just as he tracks his game, Kevin pushed through with his hunter’s instinct and never lost sight of the prize right in front of him. From juggling the responsibilities of being a father, working full time, studying hard, and gawking over another one of our students (his wife 😉), Kevin has shown that it's not just about the end result, but the thrill of the hunt. Whatever it may be, from soaring out to the blue yonder to blazing down unexplored trails, Kevin’s newfound freedom will allow him to soar to unparalleled heights. Awesome job Kevin on this thrill-seeking accomplishment! Let’s also give a huge round of applause to his instructor, Nathan Morin, who has guided Kevin to mastery of the skies by aiming him down the path of success. Now it’s time to celebrate, woohoo!
Where do we begin with this one… she’s sassy, a scholarship queen, races triathlons, loves to annoy Jenn with her ripped jeans, holds Hailey hostage for scheduling, and has worked up to THREE jobs at the same time to pursue her flight training! Yeah, suffice to say, Kiera Grange is an anomaly and a half… but today, she’s got an accomplishment that tops the rest: the fabulous and unstoppable force of Kiera Grange soloed at KSPZ on runway 24 in N37JA! Kiera is an incredibly driven individual, and if adding “solo pilot” to her impressive resume wasn’t already proof enough, Kiera is also one of the recipients of the highly esteemed 2024 Reno Air Race Association scholarship! Kiera, you’ve been grinding out scholarship applications, running to your heart’s content, going to Monday night study groups, and flying like the maniac you are. We are so incredibly proud of you, and it’s been a privilege watching you climb the steps of your flight training. Huge congratulations to Kiera on this amazing accomplishment! Also, huge round of applause to her flight instructors, Nathan Morin and Andrew Spanier, who have guided Kiera towards achieving this milestone. Great work you three! Now Kiera… let’s talk about that scholarship spreadsheet 😏.
Tommy Kelly is a private pilot!! With the goal of a new career in aviation, Tommy has achieved the first big milestone! Now the real adventure begins, but first, let's celebrate the incredible dedication and hard work he's put into reaching this point. Tommy has demonstrated exceptional time management and ambition. Balancing a full-time job, being a devoted husband and dad, and commuting from Truckee to the airport, he’s shown us all that with determination and careful planning, anything is possible. Imagine navigating those mountain roads to get to his lessons on time – talk about dedication! Despite juggling so many responsibilities, Tommy made it look easy. His ability to manage work, family, and flight training is nothing short of inspirational. If anyone needs a lesson in how to maximize their day, just ask Tommy! Tommy, your hard work and perseverance are truly inspirational. Amazing job!! And a huge shoutout to his CFI, Nate Morin, for the great guidance. So here's to Tommy – may your skies always be clear, and your landings always smooth.
Look out everyone! Kieran Summer… I mean Kieran Winter (heat must be getting to my head 😉) is officially a soloed pilot! This Wyomingite decided to trade the breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains for the gorgeous and our personal favorite: Sierra Nevada Mountains and started his flight training a couple months back. After some ground school harassing, questioning his crazy cat “lady” standing, and fuming the flames of his wannabe Top Gun status, *cue Top Gun theme* Kieran flew to glory this morning and soloed here at the illustrious KRNO on runway 17L in N37JA. With his aviators in hand, his flight suit equipped, Kiearn buckled up and blasted off the runway… tower was sure to give out wake turbulence warnings and request a flyby... In all seriousness, Kieran did an excellent job today and we’re so excited to celebrate this first step in his aviation journey! Huge congratulations to Kieran and his flight instructor, Trey Casini, on this incredible accomplishment! Keep up the work Kieran!
Aw naw... Derrick Craine is a private pilot, y'all! Our weekend line tech, biggest smile award winner, loudest laugh echoing down the hallway, and Waffle House aficionado has just earned his freedom ticket to the sky! Derrick, one of the founders of the FAR/AIM Tabbers, is always either up in the sky or holed up in a conference room with his study buddies. He jumped into his flight training like a duck on a June bug, and now all that hard work has paid off! This Southern gentleman ain't no stranger to hard work. He played football for the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, got his degree, works full-time, and still found time to move his family, including his adorable daughter, to this part of the world! He managed to get this done just in the nick of time before the Georgia football season kicks off. Good golly! But hold your horses—the work isn't over yet. He's diving right back into his instrument training! Awesome job, Derrick! And a huge shoutout to his CFI, Eric Harned!
Oh no… not this guy again. If his solo picture wasn’t already interesting enough, Lukas has stunned the crowd yet again with this one… we promise he’s allowed to fly airplanes, so much so that Lukas got his private pilot certificate today! Beating the heat, Lucas embarked on his checkride early this morning… against his own free will of course, this guy will sleep in till 12PM on a regular day. Suffice to say, he opted out of his pajamas and suited up ready for flight. Being the fashionista he is, Lukas was sure to not disappoint… absolutely lovely darling! All jokes and jabs aside, Lukas brought his flight home to victory and fist bumped his friend and flight instructor, Trey Casini on this ultimate success! When Lukas isn’t being an absolute drama queen, you can find him blasting dubstep music at an ungodly volume, buying clothes like the fashionista he is, and splurging on the occasional lego. Huge congratulations to Lukas and Trey on this incredible accomplishment! Don’t party too hard!
Big congratulations to Brian Goodall for soloing this morning at KRTS runway 32 in N670CS! Brian is the epitome of perseverance, steadily chipping away at his requirements. Today, he finally got to boot his CFI from the plane and enjoy the sky all to himself. We can only imagine the giant smile on his face when he lifted off the ground for the first time as PIC. Brian’s incredible smile and infectious laugh light up our office every day. Even though we love to give him a hard time, he always takes it with a grin, but is probably secretly plotting his revenge :) Brian, your determination and positive spirit are truly inspirational. You’ve shown us all what dedication and hard work can achieve, and we couldn’t be prouder. You've faced every challenge with a smile and tackled every obstacle with grit. Your journey is a testament to the fact that perseverance pays off. To see you lift off today was a moment of pure joy for all of us. We know this is just the beginning of many more amazing accomplishments in your aviation journey. Awesome job, Brian! And huge kudos to his CFI, Alex Spencer, for the fantastic guidance!
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AuthorAll posts are either written by Great Basin Aviation's staff or shared articles from other aviation sites. Source will be referenced in post. Archives
November 2024
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