​Ka-Chow! Happy Birthday & First Solo to Sophia Sanchez!  Most people celebrate their birthday with cake and candles… but Sophia decided to trade in the party hat for a headset. Today, she soloed in N752DW at KRNO on runway 17L, making her birthday one she’ll never forget. If you know Sophia, you know she’s the sweetest, most positive flyer around, always smiling, always lifting up those around her. But don’t let that kind heart fool you, Sophia is a go-getter through and through. Whatever she sets her mind to, she does. And today, she proved it in the sky.
Her favorite movie has always been Cars, but after this milestone, we’re pretty sure Planes might take the lead. Just like Lightning McQueen, Sophia’s got that “I am speed” energy. She drove her training hard all summer and crossed the finish line today with style. With her eyes on the airlines, she’s showing everyone that the dream is real, and she’s well on her way.
And just like every racer needs a pit crew, every pilot needs a mentor. Huge congratulations to her CFI, Cory Kleidosty, for guiding her through the track, lap after lap, until she was ready to take flight on her own. Sophia, happy birthday, happy solo, and congrats on taking the green flag in your aviation journey!