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    Kiera Grange is a Commercial Pilot!

    Another milestone down, and somehow, she’s still smiling through it all—Kiera Grange has officially earned her commercial pilot certificate! Known around here for her relentless hustle, impressive scholarship sweep, and mysterious ability to juggle 27 things at once (and do them well), Kiera has once again proven that grit and grace can, in fact, coexist in a flight suit. Whether she’s logging hours, submitting another round of scholarship applications, or exploring good eats at different airports, Kiera has taken the demands of flight training in stride. Her work ethic is second to none, and her talent in the cockpit is undeniable. If you're wondering what excellence looks like, it's probably got Kiera’s name on the tail number. While we’re all wildly impressed, no one here is surprised. Kiera, you’ve worked incredibly hard for this—and we couldn’t be more proud. Major congratulations to you on this next step, and a huge thank-you to her instructor, Danny Britson, for his support and knowledge throughout Kiera’s journey. We can’t wait to see where you fly next, Kiera. Commercial pilot, coming through!
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    Alan Chou Shredded His PPL!!

    Alan Chou is an absolute mad man. Whether Alan Chou is sending it at the skatepark whilst somehow making it look steezy at the same time (you like my skater talk 😎) or getting his PPL like the legend he is, he’s always sure to impress. And oh wait, you heard that right! Alan Chou has officially crossed over into the realm of private pilots, adding even more awesome to his already wicked aura… not really skater talk, but we’re gonna go for it. Alan Chou has been grinding in his ground knowledge and while it wasn’t as easy as a Manual, Alan showed his expertise with high style. And not to mention his flying! Alan is a stud in the airplane and it’s truly no surprise that he shredded his way to this high-flying milestone. Alan, we are so incredibly proud to see you achieve this accomplishment, and we are so excited to see you further pursue your aviation passion as you begin your work on instrument! But for now, go enjoy Washington and go give your dog some snuggles, and we’ll be waiting for your return. Let’s give Alan and his sesh buddy/ CFI, James Morgan, a huge congratulations! Now get out there and fly, Alan!
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    Troy Cook is GBA's May Pilot of the Month!!

    ⭐️TROY COOK⭐️

    Troy Cook is GBA’s May Pilot of the Month! And hold on a second, we’ve seen him before, haven’t we? You’re right! Troy is a recent solo pilot and has been exploring the greater Reno area to his heart’s content, but more importantly, he’s been absolutely crushing the flight training game! Troy has been a ball of determination these last couple of months. From crushing his solo flight, dominating his ground knowledge, and bringing in his cute black lab to Atlantic from time to time… I’m not saying we gave him the award because of his dog… but there was definitely some influence (just kidding!). Troy, we are so incredibly proud of you and all of the amazing progress you’ve made so far. We can’t wait to see you dominate your private pilot license and perhaps convince you to get your instrument rating 😉. When Troy isn’t impressing us left and right at GBA, you can find him exploring the great outdoors. Whether that means summiting mountains or shredding the Sierras on his snowboard, he’s most likely outside living his best life. Keep up the amazing work, Troy! You’re crushing it!!
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    Joshua Gilmore is an Instrument Rated Pilot!

    “Now class, let’s start from the beginning. You’re all private pilots, what are some of the required documents you need to have on your person before acting as PIC? Timmy?”
    “Medical Certificate.”
    “Very good. Susie?
    “Photo ID.”
    “Nice. Okay, and Joshua, what’s the last one?”
     *crickets*
    “Josh?”
    “Gimme a sec.” *More crickets* … “Oh yeah! Pilot certificate.”
    “… at least you’ve got your line tech job.”
    Just kidding 😁. Trying to look ahead, Joshua Gilmore decided to scan his pilot certificate for his checkride binder and accidentally left it in his scanner before heading out this morning for his checkride. Thankfully, Josh was able to run home, grab his certificate, and begin his checkride, and even under the circumstances, Josh collected himself and flew like a true instrument pilot! That’s right everyone! Your favorite line tech (don’t tell Andy or Derrick) is officially an instrument rated pilot. Now, while we love to give Josh a hard time, Josh has been putting in the work, cleaning bugs, battling the heat, flying like crazy, and crushing his ground. We even have word that the man himself, Bob Bennett, said Josh’s mock instrument oral exam was the best he’s ever given. Josh is fantastic and we’re so incredibly proud of him and his progress. Let’s give Josh and his CFII, Greg Anthenien, who tried his best to pound into Josh’s brain that he needs his pilot certificate 😉, a huge congratulations on this amazing achievement! You da man, Josh! Now, let’s talk about commercial…
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    Nicole Gonzalez is a CFI!!

    Today we celebrate more than a milestone, we celebrate years of dedication, growth, and perseverance. Nicole Gonzalez officially earned her Certified Flight Instructor Certificate, and to say we’re proud is an understatement. From the moment she walked through our doors for her first discovery flight, we’ve watched Nicole evolve into the driven, talented aviator and leader she is today. She has earned every certificate and rating along the way, while also graduating last year from UNR with a degree in finance and becoming an integral part of the GBA team. She balanced school, flying, and running the office on weekends with grace, professionalism, and heart. Nicole has grown up with us here at GBA, and watching her now take on the role of instructor is incredibly special. Her journey is a reminder of what’s possible when passion meets hard work, and we can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make on the next generation of pilots. Congratulations, Nicole!! And congratulations as well to her instructor, Eric Harned, for guiding her through this final leg. The runway ahead is wide open, CFI Nicole. This is just the beginning! 
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    Taylor Pritchard is a CFI!!

    Some people discover aviation. Others are born to fly, and Taylor Pritchard falls firmly into that second category. He added to his accomplishments today by earning his instructor certificate! Taylor knew he wanted to be a pilot since he was three years old, and that passion hasn’t faded, it’s only gotten louder (along with the engines). Taylor brings a level of determination and goal-driven energy that’s impossible to miss. Whether he’s in the air or mastering maneuvers in a flight simulator, he’s constantly pushing to get better. When he’s not flying, you’ll likely find him riding his bike or hanging out with his dachshund puppy, because even future airline captains need a co-pilot on the ground. Congratulations also to his CFI, Ryan Mill, for helping guide this future airline pilot through the journey. Taylor, your drive, focus, and love of flying are exactly what this industry needs. We can’t wait to watch you climb through the ratings and chase that dream all the way to the airlines.
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