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Congratulations to Brent Wallace, on achieving the prestigious Private Pilot Certificate today! Despite the challenges posed by unpredictable weather, a demanding work schedule, running his family ranch, and commuting from Fallon, his unwavering dedication has propelled him to this significant milestone. But that's not the end of the journey for Brent! He's set his sights on the fast track to a Commercial Pilot Certificate, showcasing his remarkable determination. Having served his country with pride, Brent is now focused on his next adventure: the cockpit of a commercial airliner. With a supportive family by his side and a relentless drive to succeed, we have no doubt that Brent will be submitting his application to Southwest Airlines sooner than we can imagine. Your resilience and commitment are truly commendable, Brent! A special shoutout to Brent's dedicated CFI Nathan Morin, for guiding him through this incredible journey. Wishing you blue skies and smooth flights, Brent! Awesome work!! 
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Breaking through the clouds of challenges and soaring high into the realm of accomplishment, we celebrate the incredible achievement of Jarrod Becker, now a certificated Private Pilot! This world traveler is one step closer to his goal of being in the cockpit for his world travels and not in a passenger seat. Jarrod's journey involved overcoming storms of office banter, full time work, occasional video game detours (he needed an escape), and the commute from Minden—all while staying focused on the dream of navigating the skies. Through it all, his perseverance and commitment have brought him to this significant milestone. From formerly bouncing at clubs to gracefully gliding through the skies, Jarrod's transformation is a testament to the power of determination and passion. We couldn't be prouder to witness him achieve his goal, and this is just the beginning of his aviation adventure. A heartfelt congratulations to Jarrod and a special acknowledgment to his CFI, Kevin Marshall, for guiding him through this inspiring journey. May Jarrod's flights continue to be filled with the same spirit that carried him through every challenge.  Rev up the applause for our speed demon turned aviator, Michael Bowling! This motorcycle racer hit the brakes on the racetrack and took flight solo at KSPZ, runway 06, maneuvering the magnificent N328ME through the open skies. The thrill of independence in the cockpit is a momentous milestone for any aviator, and Michael has etched his name in the skies of accomplishment. His infectious joy and passion for aviation are felt throughout the office, earning him the prestigious title of Pilot of the Month. Balancing the demands of impressing the GBA staff and CFIs while navigating high school showcases Michael's dedication and multitasking prowess. A special shoutout to the Bowling family, whose unwavering support has been the wind beneath Michael's wings. His mom, in particular, gets a front-row seat to his flying prowess with a legal altitude "flyover" treat at her work, UNR. It's a heartwarming display of family support and shared enthusiasm for Michael's aviation adventures. Let's give a resounding round of applause to both Michael and his outstanding CFI, Nik Joshi, for turning dreams into wings! The sky's the limit, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing the next chapters of his aviation journey.  We are absolutely delighted to share some awesome news with all of you: our own Nathan Morin, a cherished member of the GBA family, has achieved a significant milestone by becoming Northern Nevada's newest CFII! Nathan's journey with us has been nothing short of inspiring. For the past 8 months, he has poured his heart and soul into teaching, and today, he takes a step further in his commitment to shaping the future of aviation. Balancing the demands of full-time flight instruction, college pursuits, memorable hunting trips, Costco pizza trips, and the diligent studying required for his CFII – Nathan's dedication is nothing short of remarkable. It has been incredible to witness Nathan's growth from the early days of inquiring about a discovery flight to becoming a solo pilot, earning his private pilot's certificates, mastering the intricacies as a line tech, conquering advanced ratings, and now, proudly donning the CFII title. Each step of this journey is a testament to his unwavering passion and relentless pursuit of excellence. Great job as well to Nathan's mentor and guide, CFI/CFII Richard Brong, whose support and wisdom have played an invaluable role in shaping Nathan's success. Nathan, your achievement resonates deeply within our GBA community. We are genuinely proud of you and eagerly anticipate the positive impact your expertise will have on aspiring aviators. Here's to reaching new heights and inspiring others to follow their dreams.  Whoa, whoa, whoa… have you heard the news? Pilot sensation and ski bum, Melissa Drapala, successfully greased her way to the victory of solo flight here at KRNO and landed on not one, but two runways! As if the added challenge of solo wasn’t enough, Melissa handled the situation with a cool and calm domineer and flaunted her stuff to everyone within the Class C as she landed on runways 17L and 17R! Melissa is quite the involved aviatrix, if you don’t see her up in the air flying to her hearts content, then she’s probably rooting for her brother in the east (who’s also undergoing flight training!), burning the late-night oil at the Monday night study groups, or babysitting kids for one of her pilot friends… did anyone else notice that all of those had something to do with aviation in some way or another? It’s really no wonder that Melissa has become quite the incredible aviatrix, and with solo out of the way, she’ll be soaring the skies as a private pilot in no time! The biggest of kudos to Melissa and her partner in crime, Danny Britson, for making dreams a reality! Now, go fly Melissa!   Gather 'round because we've got news as epic as a face-melting guitar solo: Seth Walker, our former heavy metal legend turned drywall and painting extraordinaire, and proud father of four rockstars, has officially earned his private pilot wings! Seth, the man with the golden hammer (and maybe a bit of hair left), proved that he can shred the skies as fiercely as he shreds those power chords. It's almost like Mother Nature herself cranked up the volume for his checkride – the conditions were so perfect, even the clouds wanted to mosh. Despite commuting from the metal paradise of South Lake Tahoe, managing work, family, not eating his vegetables, and the chaos of adulthood, Seth managed to trade his air guitars for real wings. A round of applause for Seth's wingman CFIs, Grant Muzzio and Nik Joshi, who made sure Seth's wings were tuned and ready to rock – because let's face it, flying is the new headbanging. Congratulations, Seth! You've officially graduated from air guitar hero to sky conqueror.  Hold onto your seatbelts because the sky just got a little friendlier—Alex Florez just soloed! Our perpetually positive Alex hopped into N328ME at KSPZ, runway 24, and danced through the clouds like no one was watching (except, well, his CFI, the other pilots in the pattern, and us here in the office watching him on Flight Radar). Now, we all know Alex loves flying, except when the temperatures rival the fiery pits of Mordor. Luckily, today's winter weather spared him the discomfort, and the sky was as cool as the other side of the pillow. The air was calm, the sky was frosty, and Alex's flying skills were smoother than a freshly waxed C172. Alex has been acing his training, all while gracefully dodging Hailey's "motivational" ground school messages (get your ground school done Alex!!) All kidding aside, awesome job Alex!! Huge congratulations as well to his CFI, Shane Smith, for keeping up with this flying sensation.  Did you all survive the seismic event this morning? Oh, wait, that wasn't an earthquake—it was just Court Salzman belting out the victory cry after soloing at KSPZ, runway 24 in N37JA! If you know Court, quiet and mild are not words in her vocabulary. Court, one of our commuting pilots from the Lake, managed to squeeze in lessons leading up to her unforgettable solo flight between attending our "world-famous" Monday night study group and, holding down not one, but two jobs. And, who can forget her pooch, Chewie. Busy is an understatement for this lady. Because, you know, who needs sleep when you're conquering the skies? Kudos to Court for keeping the office entertained. Your 3-D printed wonders are the talk of the town—or at least the talk of our very exclusive GBA circle. Let's not forget Court's stellar CFI, Grant Muzzio, who deserves a round of applause for not pulling his hair out during this wild ride. Congratulations, Court! We're all so excited for your newfound solo status. Just do not break anything 😉  Pablo Stein, the Rochester rocket, has officially mastered the skies in Reno by earning the tough Instrument Rating! Navigating the skies with the finesse of a seasoned pilot, Pablo's journey mirrors the stunning landscapes of the Sierra Nevada. As he takes a moment to savor success, our focus shifts to encouraging him towards the next goal – securing his Commercial certification. In that celebration, we are letting him have a little break so he can travel to Chile for the Holiday and visit family. Then, once he returns, it is back to the books, and sky, for this guy! Kudos to Pablo's CFII, Ryan Mill, for steering him through the clouds with precision. Join us in applauding Pablo Stein, a rising star in Reno's aviation scene. We look forward to witnessing his continued journey towards a Commercial Pilot Certificate.  |
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
March 2025
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