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    Zach Wilson is One With the Force and Got His Private Pilot License!

    There’s something poetic about a person who lives for challenges choosing to become a pilot. For Zachary Wilson, earning his private pilot license wasn’t just a goal—it was a natural extension of everything he already loves: Star Wars lore, Marvel story arcs, the thrill of a good escape room, and the satisfaction of cracking a complex puzzle. Aviation is full of unknowns, problem-solving, and trust in both skill and instinct. It’s basically a real-world mashup of every galaxy, dimension, and riddle Zachary thrives in. Over the past months, he’s taken that mindset and poured it into the cockpit, radios, maneuvers, and cross-country flights with the determination of someone chasing something bigger than a certificate. Today, all that work paid off and Zachary is officially a private pilot!! And while the Force may or may not have played a role, there’s no doubt that this success was a result of all of Zachary’s hard work and dedication. Let’s give a huge congrats to Zach and Ryan Mill, Zach’s Jedi master and CFI, on this next level achievement! Congratulations, Zach! The adventure is just beginning!
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    Andy is a CFI!!

    What can we say about Andy Glenn… well, for starters, he’s now a Certified Flight Instructor! From zero hours to line tech to CFI in just 15 months, Andy’s journey has been nothing short of impressive. He came to GBA ready to trade the desk life for the cockpit, and with laser focus, discipline, and just the right amount of sarcasm, he made it happen.
    Whether he was washing bugs off planes, jumping in to help around the school, or becoming an unintentional social media star, Andy has been all in. His work ethic, consistency, and commitment to the process made him a standout, and now, he's ready to pass that passion and knowledge on to the next generation of aviators.
    Huge congrats, Andy! Your hard work, focus, and unique energy make you an unforgettable part of the GBA crew. You’ve proven this path is possible, and somehow made it look fun along the way. And big kudos to CFI Richard Brong for helping guide him along the way. Now go change lives, but keep the mustache.

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    Kyle Brazil is Instrument Rated!!

    Two, count em’, two instrument checkrides are in the books today! And what better way to end the day with the man himself, Kyle Brazil! That’s right, Kyle took to the heat, briefed his plates, and crushed his instrument checkride with the utmost amount of precision, calm, and talent. Kyle is… well, interesting to say the least. When learning more about Kyle, we’ve found that he never wears matching socks, he is very good at annoying his wife, and his favorite feature about himself are his ears… not a whole lot to work with there, Kyle, but all are very interesting tid bits nonetheless… While we like to poke fun at Kyle, it’s truly no surprise that he has made it this far in his training. When Kyle isn’t sharing very interesting facts about himself, safety piloting, and living under the foggles, you can find him spending time with his beautiful family, prepping for baby number two due in October, and protecting the area as a local firefighter. We are so incredibly proud of you Kyle! Huge congratulations to Kyle and his CFII, Ryan Mill, who has had to endure Kyle’s antics both in and out of the plane. Awesome work, Kyle! Now onto commercial 😉.
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    Kurt Finney is Instrument Rated!!

    What a beautiful day, and even better, what a beautiful day to get your instrument rating! That’s right everyone, that cheesin’ smile says it all, Kurt Finney navigated his way successfully through his instrument checkride and passed with flying colors! Kurt has been a madman of safety piloting, study grouping, and simm-ing these last couple of months. From working his full-time job and then committing his evenings and mornings to flying and studying, it’s truly no surprise that he was able to crush this milestone. When Kurt isn’t arriving 30 minutes early for his lessons, asking questions in the study group, or explaining the inner workings of the redbird, he’s spending time at the gym, cooking some fine cuisine, traveling to his heart’s content, and chilling out on the water. Kurt, you’ve officially done it! You’re a fully-fledged instrument pilot! Let’s give Kurt and his CFII, Andrew Spanier, who has been along for this ride from the very beginning, a huge round of applause on the incredible achievement! Kurt will be moving towards his commercial rating next and enjoying the view outside the window while doing so 😉. Great work, Kurt!
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    June Pilot of the Month!

    Kayleigh Dohm is GBA’s June Pilot of the Month!
    A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… their lived a young hobbit name Kayleigh Dohm who knew she had a glorious destiny to roam the skies. From daydreaming of hurricane hunting and airborne geophysics, to crocheting and tending to her lovely plants, many have come to learn that Kayleigh has more personality in one of her pinky fingers than most do in their entire beings. Kayleigh is incredibly passionate for many things. From Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, hockey, and a recently discovered love for the gift of flight. Kayleigh has been working diligently towards her flight training these last couple of months. From drilling in her ground school, dealing with her instructor’s antics (sorry Greg), all while also getting her Master of Science in geophysics at UNR this last Spring… truly, this woman is incredible! Kayleigh, you’ve been putting in some excellent work recently and we have no doubt you’re going to do some truly incredible things with your aviation career. Keep up the amazing work, Kayleigh, and continue to soar high!
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    Cameron Morrill is a Private Pilot!

    You know it’s about to get interesting when Cam starts off a sentence with, “Hey Jenn, I have a question for you…” and as the picture suggests, we couldn’t think of a more fitting a way for Cameron Morrill to celebrate the success of earning his Private Pilot License! That’s right everyone, Cam had a bottle champagne primed and ready to go for this all-time celebration, and it truly did not disappoint. While there were technical difficulties in getting the classic champagne-celebration-picture, the outcome was an awesome success. Cam, you’ve been a whirlwind of studying and flying and it’s an absolute privilege to see you finally summit this mountain. We are so incredibly proud of you, and we truly can’t wait to see you keep moving forward to crush your further ratings. But for now, this is definitely an accomplishment that will live in the memory banks and one that deserves some major time in the sun. Let’s give Cam and his flight instructor, James Morgan, who has been with Cam through every step of the way, a massive congratulations on this groundbreaking accomplishment! Now get out there and enjoy those skies, Cam! Instrument is just on the horizon. 😉
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