Air Trek North's Flight School Recent Students
We don't just make claims like other flight schools. Air Trek North backs it up with the below references, not just claims by some flight instructor sitting in front of you..... And be aware of flights schools that use terms like Always, Best, Largest, Most, Cheapest, etc. Your mom told you red flags should go up when you hear terms like Always, Best, Largest, Highest, etc so always ask for an FAA document to support those claims. The FAA doesn't make up stories. If there is no FAA document, then the claim to be the biggest, largest, best probably isn't true.
John Makabe and Alex Courier Commercial Pilots!!!!! Dec 19
The weather has definitely not be kind to the VFR or small airplane IFR pilots as of late but these two dudes were able to get enough flight time in to pass their Airplane Single-Engine Commercial Pilot check rides! Congrats Alex Courier and John Makabe! Outstanding!
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Kyle Hoege Commercial Pilot!! 12-3
This spot reserved for Kyle Hoege who passed his commercial recently. We are awaiting a stunning picture of Kyle.
Kyle had way too much fun working on his Commercial Single Engine rating. After some hours as a CFI, Kyle is looking to fly one of those way too big airplanes like an airbus or 747! Congrats Kyle! |
Travis Michels Private Pilot!!! 12-8
Travis Michels flew like a pro on his check ride for the Private Pilot! He breezed through the orals as expected...he is a civil engineer so we had high expectations and Travis didn't let us down.
Travis is holding up one of our T-Shirts we give away upon passing a big milestone like Private Pilot. We are proud of you Travis! |
Mihail Ciolac Private Pilot!!!! 11-24
Mihail Ciolac is now a proud member of the elite group called 'PILOTS'. Mihail grew up in Moldova and recently became a permanent resident in the United States. He came to us early this spring saying........ 'I want to fly for a living Randy'.
Today, Mihail made that first step of Private Pilot.... Next up is Instrument Pilot. Our international students not only need to comprehend the art and science of flying, but also use English. That's no small feat but Mihail was definitely up for it. Congrats Mihail! |
Anthony Multi-Commercial 11-18
Anthony Carter had a great day today! His father came out to the airport to watch as Anthony flew the plane perfectly with a ton of crosswind fighting him all the way!
Congrats Anthony! Most people get their initial Commercial in a single engine but you did it the much tougher way.......with the twin engine! Congrats Anthony! |
James Lackram Private Pilot!!! 11-15
James is another graduate that is now qualified to fly an airplane. James has the most calm demeaner when he flies.... anyone flying with him is definitely going to feel very comfortable.
James started his training at another flying school, but did most of his training with us. The examiner said James was definitely in total command of the airplane during the entire check ride. Congrats James! |
Moriah Johnson Private Pilot!! 11-14
Another great great day as Moriah became another one of the elite group of people called Pilots! I flew with Moriah and she has a definite flying gift, one that come natural.
She is studying at the UofM to become a Veterinarian. I wonder if she'll make house calls via plane some day? Congrats Moriah! |
Gary Berquist Private Pilot! 11-9
All I can say is WOW! Nobody has enjoyed the hard work of learning to fly than Gary! Gary's had multiple changes recently in his life and this is just a beautiful site to see him get this wonderful day finished with a pass on his Private Pilot Check Ride!
Gary is recently retired and proves you don't have to be a young pup to have such a great day! Congrats Gary! You definitely deserved this one! |
Vanessa Sampson Private Pilot!!! 11-7
What a fun student! Full of energy and just a sponge when it comes to airplanes, flying, aviation and all the surround that goes with it!
Vanessa just opened up a whole new part of life that she didn't know about. First she interviewed most of the flight schools. Why did she pick Air Trek North? I'm not sure but she did have a lot of fun at the Hangar Dance last year!....or Maybe it was the pilots she interviewed at the airport? ....or maybe the trips to air shows!.....I'm not sure but this picture was taken just a few minutes after her check ride! The picture says it all!!! |
Nick Wetjen Multi Engine! 11-6
Nick Wetjen comes to the student achievement once again! First Private, then Instrument, then Commercial and now Commercial Multi-Engine! Wow!
Fit that in with all his other hobbies like downhill skiing in the Rockies, hunting, family, work, life and you can see why Nick is a Brain Surgeon at Mayo! Congrats Nick! Another bucket list item to help you live out your life to the fullest! |
Michael Isaac Private Pilot!!! 10-26
Congrats Michael! Michael is another one of the many that had to quit taking flying lessons when family, work, and life got in the way when he was younger. Now that he's a bit older and wiser, he finished his lifelong dream of flying. ....Or maybe better said, just opened the door to his lifelong dream.
We are happy for Michael to have another bucket list item done on the road of life. And keep in mind, we have three rules here at Air Trek North: 1) Have Fun, 2) Be Safe, and 3) Don't break any regulations! Congrats Michael! |
Tom Hermel Seaplane Pilot!! 10-25
Tom Hermel just did the Seaplane Check Ride! And it was a beautiful day with light winds and the fall colors showing on each landing! I'm thinking Tom's Seaplane Rating is the last we will have in the state of MN but prove us wrong!
Tom used to fly Refueling Tankers (C135's) in the service and has come home to fly for fun instead. He said the Seaplane Rating is the most fun he's had flight training so far! Congrats Tom! |
Dave Ingalls Commercial Pilot 10-9
Dave has been thinking about this day for a long long time! He's been stopping in to the KLVN airport talking to us for at least a year and then he decided....'It is now time'.
Congrats Dave! Nicely Done! Next up for Dave is his commercial Multi-Engine. Dave owns his own twin so we'll start his training in it soon! It will be the second of the Ingalls that we've trained in their twin engine Grumman! |
Nic Leonard: Private Pilot 10-21
Nic passed his private pilot check ride today! The winds were a bit high but the cross winds were within Nic's personal minimums and also the demonstrated wind capability of the Cessna 172. The examiner told me that Nic did super great today!
Congrats Nic! |
Nate DeHaan: Commercial Pilot 10-19
Nate just passed his Instrument check ride on the 16th and now you see him here on the 19th passing his commercial check ride!
And to help celebrate his big day, Brian Addis of Wipaire popped in so Nate could have his big day picture taken with a brand new Grand Caravan on amphibs in the background! Congrats Nate! |
Dru Cochran-Bray 1st Solo 10-16
Dru has been flying just about every early evening lately to get his 1st solo done! And Today was the day! Congrats Dru!
This is usually one of the biggest days in any pilot's life, THE 1ST SOLO! I remember mine vividly and I have over 10,000 hours of flying. Congrats Dru! |
Nate DeHaan: Instrument Pilot 10-16
Nate DeHaan passed his instrument test Friday. He came to us just 10 days ago with only the private pilot three hours of instrument time.
Nate put his head down and studied and flew and studied. In record time, Nate passed his Instrument Ride and didn't miss a single oral question. Congrats Nate! |
Mike: Flying Turbines Sept 15
Another of our highly gifted instructors has been found by the corporate world. Instructor Mike Dragger came to us just this April and already has enough hours to get scooped up by the Turbine World!
Mike is going to Aviation Charter at Flying Cloud. As soon as Aviation Charter found out how much Baron time he had, Mike was a shoe in for the job! Mike will be flying King Air's to start, flying all over the United States. Congrats Mike on this next big step in your career! |
Jim: Private Pilot! Sept 13
Jim Morrison, Solution Architect for Microsoft, found his way to the Private Pilot Rating this weekend! Jim has dreamed about flying since being a young child. I often wonder where these early flying desires come from. Maybe it's Media such as:
For those older, Sky King Or maybe this one? Airplane Or maybe Flying Wild Alaska? Congrats Jim! |
Sam Beldon: 1st Solo! Aug 31
Sam just completed his 1st Solo! Congrats! Like Father, Like Son!
Sam's father flies for Delta so he definitely has the genes for flying. I can tell from the excitement in Sam's step that he will sooner or later be flying the big iron. The winds were calm and the sun was behind the clouds making it a perfect day for a first solo! Congrats Sam! Nicely Done! |
Emmanuel: Instrument! Aug 29th
Emmanuel passed his Instrument Check Ride today! Wow! This rating meant so much to Emmanuel.... And now he can legally fly in the clouds!
The instrument rating is the toughest pilot rating according to most! Once past the Instrument, many get the commercial....a much easier rating for most people striving to fly for a living. Congrats Emmanuel! We are proud of you! |
Mark Ruhl: 1st Solo! Aug 25
Mark Ruhl did that awesome 1st solo today! The joy we see in 1st solo's is just magical. Some smile, some cry, some jump up and down, some even yell! It's such an awesome event and one that means so so much to each and every person that gets to solo!
Congrats Mark! Job Well Done! |
Travis: Commercial Multi!! Aug 20
Travis did super during his check ride but we wouldn't expect anything else. Travis studied the systems, limitations and performance numbers from the operating handbook to prepare for the questions the examiners are required to ask. And the flight maneuvers went the same.....like clockwork!
Nice Job Travis! |
Nathan: Instrument!!!! 8-17
Nathan, paramedic by day, had another huge day with his training. Nathan passed his Instrument Rating and now has clearance to fly in the clouds!
Instrument is one of the tougher ratings to get, especially with the written test designed the way it is. Nathan, always a perfectionist passed it with flying colors....way above the national average! Congrats Nathan! |
Pierce: 1st Solo!!!!! 8-11
Pierce Bracket is one of the busiest kids his age starting his senior year of high school next month. Pierce is also a very dedicated three sport high school athlete. Between hockey, football and Ia crosse practices, he never stops moving.
Pierce started his flight lessons just a short month ago. Besides his sports, Pierce found time to start a new hobby and passion, working towards becoming a pilot. Pierce comes to the airport between practices, on the weekends or late at night just to squeeze a flight lesson in. Pierce soloed on Tuesday for the first time with three of the best landings yet thus far in his training. Congrats Pierce! |
Vanessa: 1st Solo!!!! 8-6
Vanessa Sampson's huge day was Aug 6th! I'm not quite sure but it seems by the picture that maybe, quite possible, but not quite sure if she was a wee bit happy? Maybe Excited or maybe just play Ecstatic?
Vanessa is one happy camper. There are about 10% of our student population that just eat and sleep flying and Vanessa is definitely one of those students. We are so happy for you Venessa! Congrats! |
Connor New Private Pilot! 8-5
Connor Brennan is another happy camper! Connor was super nervous for his check ride but didn't show it. These ratings mean so much to people and it causes them to not sleep, shake, and sometimes not think straight. And then....they hear the words....'You Passed' and they jump for joy, cry, laugh, tremble, celebrate and more. Connor was definitely happy when he left after his check ride!
Congrats Connor! |
James: New Commercial Pilot! 8-5
James Nixon heard about Air Trek North all the way down in Arkansas where he lives. James called us and then decided to drive to MN to do his accelerated Commercial Training. After 10 yrs of not flying, James wanted to get-r-done and fast.
James was on cloud 9 and maybe even higher after passing his commercial check ride. Next up, the Multi-Engine Commercial training before he heads back to Arkansas. Congrats James! |
Dan: 1st Solo!!!! 8-4
Dan Hesch shows his passion for aviation through dedication to his college journey to become an Air Traffic Controller at the University of North Dakota. Dan worked long hours this summer to save up some money to get his private pilot certificate.
With a private pilot certificate, Dan wants to enjoy what the pilots get to enjoy on the other side of his microphone working as a controller. Dan soloed this week and is only a small number of hours away from a private pilot certificate! Congrats Dan! Exciting! |
Michael Isaac: Another 1st Solo!!!!!!!
Michael took a Sea Plane Discovery flight from us last year and is now hooked! He tied up some loose ends over the winter before starting or restarting his flight training.
Back when Michael was younger, he started his flight training but life got in the way. Not this time though! Michael is already starting to talk about Instrument training! |
Alex Cole: Private Pilot!!! 8-2
Alex decided to go ahead with his check ride despite winds gusting to 25kts (see the hair blowing in the pic). Alex pretty much aced his check ride, not surprising since he is a software engineer for a leading simulator company. His two flight instructors are experienced and so his training was efficient while the logbook entries and endorsements complete and correct as required by the FAA.
Nice job Alex! |
James Lackram: 1st Solo!!! 7-21
James started out at another flight school, but life got in the way, which led to a moratorium for several years. You can imagine how much this meant to him.
Now James is back in the left seat and on his way to his Private certificate, which will be a stepping stone to an eventual Commercial certificate and bigger things for James! Congrats James on a job very well done! |
Kevin Tibet: Commercial Multi 7-10
Kevin Tibert passed his Multi-Engine Commercial Test on 7-10! He started Tuesday morning and took his check ride Friday morning. Wow!
Kevin's father called me a few weeks back frustrated over the school Kevin was at. Kevin's father cited poor aircraft maintenance and poor instruction at their current school as reasons to change to Air Trek North for their flight school of choice. Kevin was an excellent student and soaked up our prep material and handled the Twin Engine Baron perfectly during his Check Ride! Congrats Kevin! Excellent Job! |
Nicholas Leonard: 1st Solo!!! 7-9
Congrats Nicholas Leonard!!!! 1st Solo is a big, big deal! I talk to Airline Pilots every day and each and every one can tell me about their 1st solo...the weather, the plane, the instructor, what time of day it was, everything. Nick will remember this day forever!
Nick flies many times a week after work and on his days off. He just started flying early this summer and is already endorsed to fly solo. Just a few cross country's left and he will be ready to take his private pilot check ride and join the elite group known as 'Pilots'. Nicely done Nick! |
Gary Bergquist: 1st Solo! 7-1
And here we have another 1st Solo! Gary Bergquist has been dreaming about flying for a long, long time. Now Gary is retired and is making that dream of flying become a reality.
Sometimes, certain things mean so much to you that they become almost all consuming. That might just be the case on this one. Gary dreams, eats and sleeps flying. Congrats Gary! |
Ken Tannehill: New Seaplane Pilot! 7-9
Ken was definitely a study dude. Ken delved into the minute details of seaplane flying, googled seaplane flying, you-tubed seaplane flying, came to all our seaplane seminars at Modern Avionics and just plane lived Seaplanes.
I'm betting that Ken will soon be taking a float plane with a set of golf clubs or two and heading out to one of the many golf courses accessible by seaplane. Congrats Ken! Welcome to Bush Flying! |
Randy Darcy: New Seaplane Pilot! 7-9
Randy was nervous about his check ride because it meant so very much to him. This was a big day. He trained and studied hard and it paid off big time!
After one training session on the water, Randy told me "This is the most fun I've ever had flying!" I'm betting my money that a new float plane will be up at KFCM soon! |
Steve: Commercial Multi!!!! 6-30
Another big day yesterday as Steve Guetter passed his Commercial Multi-Engine Check Ride! Woot!
Wasn't much doubt as Steve flies often in his Bonanza V-Tail, instructs often in Single Engine Land and instructs often in Single Engine Seaplanes. Not to mention being the Treasurer for the MN Seaplane Pilot's Association and working during the day in the Aerospace industry specializing in wind tunnels and aerodynamics. Congrats Steve! We are proud of you! |
Mihail's 1st Solo!!!! 6-26
Such a big, big day for Mihail Ciolac! 1st solo and boy was he grinning ear to ear. Mihail is one of the many that is bit by the bug....the 'I just want to fly bug'.
Mihail comes to us from the country of Moldova and is planning on making flying his way of making a living, but also, 'Living the Dream' while making that living. When I see Mihail on the field, he has a flying book open, or is planning his next flight. It is always so much fun for our instructors to work with someone like Mihail where the enthusiasm for flying is just busting at the seams! Congrats Mihail! We are proud of you! |
Scott New Private Pilot!!! 6-25
Scott is one happy camper! Scott just passed his Private Pilot check ride and is now on his way to the instrument rating! Scott is one of our accelerated students. He just started training, had his first solo just back in late May and now is starting his instrument ticket!
Nice job Scott! Not many people can take on so many tasks and stay on track and maintain focus! We are proud of your acheivements and look forward to helping you with the other goals you have for your self! Congrats Scott! |
David New Multi Engine Pilot! 6-23
David Ashinski just became one of Minnesota's newest Multi-Engine Pilots! David goes to school at the UofM while working as an intern at Garmin in Chanhassen. Wow! Not too shabby of a pedigree!
It's been great having David around. Such a positive attitude towards life and now he's earned the coveted Multi-Engine Private Pilot designation. The Baron is know as the Cadillac of the Personal Twins. It gives you higher performance engines, a beautiful interior and great single engine performance while being one of the least expensive twin to maintain due to it's extreme durability. Congrats David! Job very well done! |
Roger Southwick: Seaplane Pilot! 6-18
Another pilot became a Seaplane Bush Pilot today! Roger was super, super, super excited after the check ride.... He did such an excellent job!
Roger bought a share in N612R at Surfside Seaplane base and needed to get his rating so he could take advantage of his new ownership stake. Nicely done Roger! Now it's time to head north and explore! There is one open share left in this mature flying club that owns the Hawk XP Seaplane. Call Eric at 612.710.7141 if you're looking for seaplane club ownership. |
Jon Ameter: Seaplane Pilot! 6-17
What a big day! Jon Ameter has been talking about float flying for years and then the opportunity came about this week. Today, meet Minnesota's newest Seaplane Bush Pilot!
Most at Airlake Airport know Jon as he used to keep us all in line as manager of the FBO here. Now he's selling Harley's at Twin Cities Harley Davidson in Lakeville. Congrats Jon! Another dream came true today. |
Josh Ring: Multi-Engine!! May 16th
Josh Ring passed his Multi-Engine Commercial Add-On yesterday in our high performance Baron! He's been out of flying for a few years since his 4 year old was born. He used the Multi-Engine training and new rating to get back into flying
Now he's planning trips. His first sounds like a golf and lunch flight to Voyageur Village in Wisconsin. Congrats Josh on such a great accomplishment! |
Hassam: 1st Solo!!!! May 31st
What a big day! Two 1st Solo's in one day. 1st Scott in the Cessna 150 early in the morning followed by Hossam Kandeel in the Piper Archer!
Some people like the Cessna's, other like the Piper airplanes. Either are great trainers and we allow our students to decide on what their airplane of choice is. Congrats Hossam! Very Nicely Done! |
Scott: 1st Solo!!! 5-31
Scott Silkensen started his training just 10 days ago and he's already at 1st solo in our new Cessna 150! Talk about Wow! Scott is definitely a trooper. He is juggling his job at a local golf course with school work and flying on a full time basis.
And after his 1st solo early in the morning, he passed his stage check! Awesome! Congrats Scott! I bet we will be seeing you here in just a few short weeks as a Private Pilot!!!! |
Moria: 1st Solo!!! 5-30
Let it be known that Moriah Johnson at 6:15 P.M freed herself of the ceaseless forces of gravity to soar among the hawks and eagles of Dakota County, by engaging in the highly sought after practice of solo flight. This being no small feat, since her most recent flight lesson was logged three weeks ago. All she needed was a short refresher and an empty right seat.
She already has a World Aeronautical Chart of her home state of Montana and is looking at the possibilities it contains. |
Jason Ballesteros 1st Solo 5-27
Another 1st solo where a dream came true! Jason's been working hard. He came from another school and was looking for a value priced beauty of a Cessna 150 to fly and train in.
He found one and flew it like a pro; now he's off pounding out the required 10 hrs of solo on the way to the coveted Private Pilot Certificate! Glad to have you flying with us Jason! |
Carlton Singh 1st Solo 5-20
Carlton had his 1st solo today. He was so very excited!
Carlton has been coming out before work in the morning to perfect his flying skills. Today it paid off! Chasing him around the pattern during his 1st solo was an L39 fighter jet! Now talk about adding a little something special to your 1st Solo! .....and maybe a bit of excitement, shock, trepidation, etc..... |
Ty Gabriowski Gets Private Pilot 5-20
Ty Gabriowski gets his private pilot certificate!
You've probably seen Ty around. He is one of our High School dudes who also help out on the line to help pay for his flight training. Today, he passed his Private Pilot Check Ride with flying colors. The DPE told me, 'I wish I had dedicated myself in high school like Ty is doing!' Pretty high praise from someone who has seen it all! |
David Johnson Seaplane Pilot 5-1
David Johnson is the first in 2015 to get his seaplane pilot's certificate in MN! Congrats!
Seaplane flying is the most fun you can legally have in an airplane bar none. David started his training on Tuesday and followed up with his check ride on Friday after 6.9hrs of flight training. Wow! David flies as a member of Cloud 7 out of Flying Cloud mostly flying the Cessa 210. Congrats David! Check our Air Trek North's Seaplane Training Syllabus by clicking here. |
Sheldon Rinehart Private Pilot 4-27
Sheldon has been travelling all the way from South Dakota to do much of his training. Now he can fly that trip instead of driving! Congrats Sheldon!
Not many people get 97 on their knowledge test. That's another huge accomplishment! Sheldon was one of those that gets super nervous before a big test like a check ride. Well, so does everyone else. Getting the prestigious Private Pilot Certificate means so much to everyone that it causes the nerves to start taking over and that sleepless night before hand. Congrats Sheldon! |
Sam Lintereur Private Pilot 4-26
Sam has been waiting for this day for a long time! Ever since he was small, Sam wanted to fly. Now that he's joined the elite group of Pilots, Sam can go up anytime he wants and go just about anywhere he wants.
I'm a little worried that the hunting season just was extended for Sam as he won't be sitting in a car on the way to those remote hunting grounds. I sure hope his freezer is big enough for the extra days he just found. Congrats Sam! |
Jake Passes Commercial Pilot!!!! 4-22
Jake passed his Commercial Pilot Check Ride today! You've seen him before on this webpage. Jake has completed the following training with us:
1. Private Pilot 2. Instrument Pilot 3. High Performance Endorsement 4. Complex Endorsement 5. And now Commercial Pilot Now Jake is off to the East Coast as he found a job as an aircraft dispatcher! Congrats Jake on these two close-together life time achievements! |
Kyle Passes Private Pilot!!!! 4-16
Kyle said: "One of the best days of my life!"
We did the final dotting of the i's and crossing of the t's during the high winds as Kyle prepared for the big Check Ride Day. On the day of his check ride, Mother Nature decided to settle down and had no more hot air to blow. After the 'Oral Question Portion', I asked the Examiner how Kyle did and he said 'Rapid Fire'....knew the answers so well, little thought was needed. Feedback on the 'Flying Portion' was that many maneuvers weren't just to Private Pilot PTS Standards, but to Commercial Pilot Standards. That's a darn good compliment for a High School Senior bound for the Navy! Congrats Kyle!!!! |
Nick Wetjen Instrument Pilot 4-13
Nick passed his Instrument Pilot test yesterday! Nick thought this picture was
the perfect one as he's with Fred Haise, pilot of Apollo 13 and pilot of the first Space Shuttle Columbia. Nick is a brain surgeon for Rochester Mayo and drove/flew to us for each of his lessons. Next up for Nick he says is: 1) Complex Endorsement 2) Seaplane Rating 3) Multi-Engine Rating 4) Cirrus Transition Congrats Nick on a great flight! |
Luke Thielen Instrument 4-4
Luke passed his Instrument Pilot test today! Another Wow type student! Luke started his training in our 172's and even solo'd in them. Then he decided to put his hard earned money to work by buying a Maule (Tail Dragger) from Alaska. Luke took his Private Pilot check ride in the Maule and now his Instrument Pilot check ride. Dig those tundra tires!
Luke has had his own company since he was twelve. That's how he paid for his airplane. He sells custom leather products made out of exotic animal leathers. Check out a video the Star Tribune did on him! This young man is just another of your young adults that seem to be the majority of our students nowadays! The Youth Movement is definitely starting in aviation again, at least here at the Airlake Airport. |
1st Solo!!! Jason Halliday 3-14-15
It was windy the day before, and the day before, and the day before, ......but today was beautiful and Jason finished up with three picture perfect solo landings as the sun was setting.
Jason has been dreaming about this for a long, long time and mother nature made him wait just a wee bit longer with the spring winds. Jason and his father Pat have long dreamed of flying. So much so that they have been building radio controlled model airplanes since Jason was a small boy! I'm not sure who was more excited but father and son were both beaming and on cloud 9! I'm just happy we could help bring this dream a little closer to finally happening. |
New Commercial Pilot! John 2-12
Way to go John Gressett!!! Passing the Commercial Pilot Check Ride is no small task. We are proud of you!
It was a cold cold day but with the adrenaline pumping, it didn't matter. Whether it was the Chandelles or Lazy 8's, or 180 degree precision landing, it's a great feeling to master the skills to fly these maneuvers. Congrats John! You are now a 'Commercial Pilot'!!!!! |
Stan's a New Multi-Engine Pilot!!! 2-5
Stan flew in
from New Mexico and took our Accelerated Multi-Engine Program.
Today, Stan passed his test with the FAA and can now fly the Twins! The weather was very difficult. Winds aloft were 40kts and the runway winds were a direct crosswind at 20kts. Next up for Stan is Jet Transition Training. Congrats Stan!!! |
Zach's 1st Solo!!!!! 1-27
Another success story!!! Zach started this year at a part 141 school but quickly learned that Air Trek North was the place he wanted to do his training.
Zach took the controls on our Cessna 172 and soared the skies all by his lonesome. Zach is taking classes at St. Thomas....one of my alma maters! Congrats Zach!!!! You will remember this day forever! |
Sheldon's 1st Solo!!!! 1-26
Way Cool!!! Sheldon took the solo controls of the Piper Archer after diligently working on his flight training!
Sheldon's been one of those great students that comes out ahead of his flights, studies the books for an hour or so before his flight and then does couch flying after the flight. Congrats Sheldon on this huge, huge day!!! |
Jon: New Single Engine Instructor 1-7
Here he is again! Jon Ingalls took our Single Engine Add-On Accelerated Flight Training after just completing the Multi CFI Initial. Now today, he passed his check ride!
Congrats Jon! Now it's off to Flight Safety in Florida to start your career in the Aviation ! |
Jon: New Multi-Engine Instructor 12-30
Jon Ingalls just had a stupendous day! Jon just passed his initial CFI but did it the hard way....by using a twin engine and getting his Multi-Engine Instructor as his Initial Flight Instructor Rating!!!!
Wow! He was so excited we took Jon out to Harry's Restaurant for the big celebration! Jon did his Private Pilot at Embry Riddle but found out 'Big School' flight training costs are astronomical. After the Private Pilot, Jon finished out all of his other ratings at the Lakeville airport. John has one more rating in his sights, Single Engine Flight Instructor Add-On before heading to Flight Safety for his first real pilot job! Congrats Jon on a fine fine job! |
Connor Brennan: 1st Solo!!!!!! 12-27
It was the perfect day for a first solo! Connor took the Piper Archer controls and went up on his own for the first time! Connor is another of our young high school adults taking flight lessons at Air Trek North.
Congrats Connor! You will remember this day for the rest of your life. Airline pilots with 20,000 hours still tell the story about their 1st solo. And, they tell that story with the same gleam in their eye that they had when they first told it 30-40 yrs ago. It truly is an emotional time and a huge, huge accomplishment! Connor attends Eastview High School in Apple Valley. |
Jefferey: 1st Solo!!!!!! 12-9
What a great day for Jefferey! Today was his first Solo!!! Jefferey is one of our model students. Always pushing the instructor to go flying, being prepared for each lesson and being super inquisitive.
Well that pure joy of flying just paid off big time! After some early morning training, Jefferey took to clouds all by himself. He was so excited, he kept flying by himself for another 1.5hrs! Congrats Jefferey! Looking forward to your Private Pilot Check Ride next month! |
Kyle: New Commercial Pilot!!!! 12-6
Hats off to Kyle Hopkins for passing his Commercial Pilot Single Engine check ride today! Yes, this is the same Kyle you KLVN airport bums have come to rely on.
Today was his day to excel....Today was his day to come under the gun and work his way to a very successful day. Kyle is hoping to one day fly for a living and the Commercial Rating is one of the best ways to get that plan on track. Congrats Kyle! We are proud of you! |
Britton: New CFI!!!! 12-1
Britton was super excited!!! He had come from Grand Forks with his commercial pilot and aviation degree from UND looking to fast track his CFI training in Air Trek North's Accelerated Program!
He started just before Thanksgiving, put his time in, and now is a CFI! ...........Ready to teach others the joy of flying and super excited about it! Britton wanted his celebration picture in the heated hanger next to the Piper Arrow and with the L39 Fighter Jet in the background. Congrats Britton on getting your CFI today! |
Marty: New Private Pilot!!! 11-15
I don't think anyone ever wanted to become a pilot more than Marty. Marty would walk into my office before each of our flight lessons and talk about how he has wanted to fly since he was a young boy. This story didn't come out just every once in awhile but before each and every flight!
Marty came to us from another school frustrated. We took that frustration and turned it into sheer joy as Marty passed his private pilot check ride! Marty is already talking about taking people for rides, visiting his home town by Grand Marais and just plain enjoying getting up in the air next to the clouds! Congrats Marty! |
Tyler: New Multi-Engine Instructor 11-6
Well Tyler did it! He took the Commercial Multi-Engine on Tuesday and now Thursday, he took the Multi-Engine Instructor.
He now has the requirements met for a real job out in the commercial marketplace and he already has a gig lined up flying a King Air! Tyler worked hard as getting both Multi Ratings in such a short time is no small accomplishment. Congrats Tyler! |
Tyler: New Multi-Engine
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Bill: New Seaplane Pilot!!! 10-21
Bill Spaniol is Minnesota's Newest Seaplane Pilot! Congrats Bill!
After seeing fog lay down early in the morning, the sun burned through and the check ride was on! First was the oral question and answer followed by the flying portion. The examiner told me that his confined area landing was SPOT ON. Seaplane flying is the most fun flying there is and now Bill has joined the Elite Group of Seaplane Bush Pilots! And guess what he's already talking about? Yes, flying up north in a seaplane all summer long! Isn't that everyone's dream? Congrats Bill! |
Maria: 1st Solo!!! 10-15
Wow! Another 1st solo! And boy was Maria excited! Not to mention the whole family.
After the huge huge display of excellent landing skills, Maria taxied the low wing airplane to the FBO, walked inside to the biggest 1st solo party we've had yet! Grandparents were flown in from Colorado and both parents arranged their flight schedules to be on the ground in Lakeville to witness the greasy smooth landings, champagne was served, tears were shed, people danced. We didn't expect anything less from this family. You see, Maria comes from three generations of pilots. Both Father and Mother fly for the airlines. I'm not sure if Maria or Father or Mother or Grandfather was the most excited. All I can say is WOW! And congrats Maria on passing this big milestone! |
Adam: New Seaplane Pilot 10-11
Only a few more weeks of Seaplane Flying in Minnesota so Adam McHale took advantage of the beautiful fall colors and took his Commercial Seaplane Pilot check ride!
Seaplane flying and even the seaplane check ride is the most fun one can have in an airplane. Calling your own shots, watching out for cell phone towers, making sure the water is safe to land and managing the wind while floating up to a dock with zero brakes. It's a great feeling! Congrats Adam! You are now one of the elite....a true bush pilot....a bush pilot that flies on floats. |
Nathan: New Private Pilot 10-10
Nathan Mohammed passed his check ride after being rescheduled several time due to high winds. Congrats Mohammed!
Nathan is a paramedic by day and now private pilot the rest of the time. The examiner told me Nathan looked outside the airplane too much and not enough inside at the gauges. Way to go! Air Trek teaches to look outside the airplane 80% or more (That's what the FAA handbook says to do). It is tough to look outside when you are flying, thinking you need to stare at those darn gauges. Congrats Nathan! |
John: New Seaplane Pilot!!!! 10-8
John is our newest seaplane pilot!! He got hooked on his first flight when he bought one of our seaplane intro flights from Living Social. Now he's a bona fide Bush Seaplane Pilot!
25kt winds were blowing as John took the examiner through the test maneuvers and despite mother nature throwing everything she had at him, John performed admirably. John is a Southwest Airline Mechanic and just got his private pilot a year or two ago. John is already telling all his friends 'You just GOTTA do this!' Congrats John! |
Andy: 1st Solo!!!! 9-25
Andy's huge day was today! And boy was it busy at the airport. When we first were waiting for takeoff, we were fifth in line for departure. Then when it was time for Andy to solo, there were five and six planes in the pattern the entire time. Wow!
Andy handled it perfectly with his communications on the radio impeccable. The winds were only slightly off the centerline of the runway so it was a perfect solo day! Andy did comment on how fast the plane takes off with just him in the plane. 'Boy, I was off in a third of the time I am normally!' Congrats Andy! |
Darlene: New Private Pilot!!! 9-21
Darlene just did it! And boy was she nervous.
Darlene Johnson is now a Private Pilot! The winds were howling at 16kts early in the morning and the clouds were iffy but by the time the oral questions portion of the check ride was completed, mother nature had lifted the clouds and the flying portion was on! Welcome to the highly coveted 'Flying Club' Darlene. Darlene told me a few hours after she passed "I'm on top of the world now!" Congrats Darlene! |
Ty: 1st Solo!!!!! 9-17
Another 1st solo here at Air Trek North!!!! Ty Gasiorowski took the controls by himself yesterday and flew beautifully during his turns around the pattern.
Ty is another of our young adults working his way along our flight training program towards his private pilot certificate. Ty is helping to pay for his flight training by working for the FBO on the line helping pump fuel, move airplanes, and other aircraft related items. Congrats Ty! It sure was fun watching you pass this major milestone making it a huge and most memorable day! |
Jon Ingalls: 9-15
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Paul Tjaden: New Private Pilot!!! 9-7
Another new Private Pilot! .....and during crosswinds that would tax most any pilot.
Paul worked hard over the summer on his flight training and it paid off in the end. With the crosswinds, Paul was sweating it though, so it was definitely worth the effort he spent on practice landing after practice landing during the summer. Now he's a member of the Elite Pilot Group! Congrats Paul! |
Alex: CFII in 4 days! 8-29
Alex came to us from UND tired of paying too much and progress taking too long. Alex is a great worker who took our accelerated CFII program and passed his check ride!
Alex is now off teaching students how to fly in the clouds, not just in nice weather! Congrats Alex on a Fine Job! Check out our accelerated programs here. |
Alex: 1st Solo!!! 8-26
Perfect weather and a beautiful
night led to Alex Cole's first solo. A large crowd gathering for CAP put
the pressure on as Alex executed successful takeoffs and landings one
after the other.
Alex is a University of Minnesota Aerospace Engineering graduate and works as a software engineer at Aerosim Technologies. Aerosim is a leading supplier of Simulation Training Products to the aviation industry. Congratulations Alex and best of luck on the rest of your rating! |
New Private Pilot DJ Paul! 8-20
It was just July when DJ had his first solo and here he is getting his Private Pilot Certificate in August! Wow!
What a great, great day! DJ is soon heading to college and wanted to get the check ride done prior to studying for the big bucks college offers. Congrats DJ on a fine job on this super elite club we call pilots! Now remember our rules here at the flight school. 1) Have fun, 2) Be Safe, and 3) Don't break any regulations! Congrats! |
Mahbub gets Instrument Rating! 8-16
Mahbub passes his airplane instrument check ride today!
It is always nice hearing the examiner tell us how well students do and this was another case. After the oral question and answer portion, the FAA Designated Examiner walked out and told me 'Outstanding Knowledge of the Instrument world!' Mahbub grew up in Bangladesh and now is a software engineer working for US Bank. Mahbub is looking to the commercial pilot as his next rating but the real question: 'Is there a career change here or will Mahbub figure out how to take his passion for flying and mix it with his software skills?' Time will tell. Congrats Mahbub! |
Jake gets Complex Endorsement! 8-16
After a few days of rest and relaxation from his Instrument Check Ride Aug 4th, Jake took on our Complex Endorsement Flight Training Program using our Piper Arrow.
After three days of training, Jake is now endorsed to fly complex Airplanes. By definition, Complex Airplanes have three components: 1) Retractable Landing Gear, 2) Constant Speed Prop and 3) Flaps. Congrats Jake on your most recent accomplishment! Next up, Commercial Pilot? |
Katelyn Wentworth Private Pilot! 8-15
It was less than a month ago that Katelyn had her 1st solo in the Piper Archer and now she's a full blown Private Pilot! Katelyn followed our Private Pilot accelerated Flight Training Program and quickly mastered the flying skills required by the FAA.
Katelyn's father owns Wentworth Aircraft, the largest used aircraft parts company in the United States so she was in the elite flying world even before getting her Private Pilot! Congrats Katelyn! |
Jake Schindler Passes Instrument! 8-4
Jake Schindler passed his instrument ride today. You've seen Jake here before when he passed his private pilot checkride! He's had some great flight training with us.
Jake is busily getting ready for his first year at UND where he'll be getting his computer science degree. Judging by how he used all the great new IPAD flying products, that's a great degree for him! Congrats Jake! |
Karlee Blanchard 1st SolIo!!! 8-2
Karlee has really put the nose to the grindstone the last week and it paid off! Karlee had here 1st solo this week and is she one happy person!
Karlee will be going to Notre Dame this year and is hoping to get her private pilot certificate before leaving for college. You'll most likely see her here every day for that to happen! Congrats Karlee! Now, beat your Dad and brother to the finish line! |
Travis Billmeyer 1st Solo!!!! 7-29
Travis Billmeyer completed his 1st solo yesterday! What an evening for Travis! He's been working diligently on greasing those wheels against the runway while listening for the stall horn at the same time! Very nicely done.
Travis came to us from another flight school and after four lessons and finishing his pre-solo knowledge exam he has that huge 1st step done on his way to Private Pilot! Travis will be a senior in high school this coming year and is working full time paying for his flying lessons. Congrats Travis! Next up, Private Pilot! |
Sam gets Commercial Seaplane 7-21
Sam Adams passed his Commercial Seaplane Add-On today! You have seen Sam on this web page multiple times since he first got his Private Pilot in 2013.
Now we're seeing Sam head up to Alaska next month to fly for Penair Airlines. Now that's the right way to become a Commercial Pilot.....Plus, he's going to Alaska! Congrats Sam! Fly Safe! |
Nathan Mohammed 1st Solo!!! 7-20
Wow!!! Another 1st Solo!!! Nathan has been doing his part to come out to the airport 2-3 times per week and it paid off big time!
Crosswinds were high most of the day but started to decay as the early evening came. It was time to head up in the air and get his 1st solo done! Congrats Nathan! You'll remember this day forever! |
Dr. Lakin gets Multi ATP! 7-18
Dr. Lakin took the Duchess up for his ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) check ride and performed the necessary flight maneuvers and approaches admirably!
Dr. Lakin can do your Airmen's Medical Exam at his clinic in Burnsville. Congrats Dr Lakin! |
Katelyn's 1st Solo!!! 7-17
Katelyn took the controls of the Piper Archer and flew like she'd been flying forever! No wonder. Katelyn's father own's Wentworth Aircraft Salvage.
Katelyn plans on attending Embry Riddle this coming fall and hopes to get her Private Pilot before heading to Florida. Congrats Katelyn! |
Sam's 1st Solo!!! 7-17
Sam took us up on one of our Groupon intro flight specials and was hooked! He's been flying the Cessna 172's and today was his day to Solo!
He is a wee bit excited! After cutting his shirt back off like they did it years ago, he proudly displayed his new design so all could see! Congrats Sam! Well done! |
DJ's 1st Solo! 7-10
DJ Pahl is our second 1st solo from our summer bubble of new students!
DJ is 17 and looking to become a career pilot. DJ said he was nervous until after his first landing. Then he knew he could do it and the fun started! I just love this instructing gig! Where else can one help these fine young men and women realize their dreams? And thank you parents for the support! Couldn't do it without you. Congrats DJ on a fine job! |
Adam's 1st Solo! 7-3
We have quite a few lined up for 1st solo right now and Adam Sampson was the first to break this year's summer bubble of new students!
During the school year, Adam attends EMD along with being in the ROT program. During the summer, he's training towards his dream to become a Military Pilot! 1st Solo is such an exciting time. Can you see the beam in his eye? Someone made up a great sign to help Adam remember this |
Nick Passes ATP! 6-30
Congrats to Nick Kothe who just passed his ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) Check Ride!
Nick had the operating handbook memorized better than we during his flight training! Nicely done. The ATP Check Ride has the longest flight portion of all the flight tests. On most flight tests, the flight portion is only about 1.5 hours. On the ATP test, the flight portion is almost three hours. Nick is a Courseware Developer at Aerosim and a graduate of UND in their aviation program. Congrats Nick! |
Brendan Passes Flight Instructor 6-25
Brendan Farmer passed his Flight Instructor Check Ride....And he did it in seven Days!
Brendan arrived on the 17th and took his check ride with the FAA FSDO on the 24th! He chose Air Trek North because of the well known accelerated program here. Brendan was one of those star students who comes in super well prepared. He is a computer science major at UND and is looking forward to being a Flight Instructor for UND while he finishes college. Congrats Brendan on a fine job! |
Kjersti Passes Multi Engine Instructor!!! 6-22
Kjersti passed her Multi-Engine Instructor flight test yesterday! Nicely Done!
Rain earlier in the week only allowed Kjersti to pass the oral question and answers. But Sunday morning, the skies were clear and the flight portion of the test was on........ And so were Kjersti's instructing and flying skills! For the Multi-Engine Instructor test, a portion of the required maneuvers need the clouds to be high such as 'Minimal Controllable Airspeed' and 'Shutting down one of engines'. Congrats Kjersti on a fine job! |
Luke Passes Private Pilot!!! 6-21
Luke passed his Private Pilot test yesterday! Another Wow type student! Luke started his training in our 172's and even solo'd in them. Then he decided to put his hard earned money to work by buying a Maule (Tail Dragger) from Alaska.
Luke has had his own company since he was twelve. That's how he paid for his airplane. He sells custom leather products made out of exotic animal leather. Check out a video the Star Tribune did on him! This young man is just another of your young adults that seem to be the majority of our students nowadays! The Youth Movement is definitely starting in aviation again, at least here at the Airlake Airport. |
Jon Gets Commercial Pilot!!!! 6-18
Jon Ingalls passed his Commercial Pilot test yesterday! Way Cool! Now Jon can get paid for flying.
In the past year, I've seen Jon go from a once in awhile pilot to a true airport rat. Jon is out at the airport 4-5 times a week whether he is out flying or just hanging out at the FBO. He has a true passion for flying! Jon tells me yesterday's check ride was just a blur. I love seeing our students with that beam in their eye and the tremendous pride in what was just achieved. Thank you! |
Tracy Earle gets Private Pilot!!!! 5-23
Tracy passed his Private Pilot test today. Way Cool!Tracy started his flight training a few years ago with another school. When Tracy started back up, he picked Air Trek North for his flight school. He was a wee bit excited after his check ride! Congrats Tracy!!!
I just love seeing our students with that beam in their eye and the tremendous pride in what they just achieved. Thank you! |
John Gardiner Private Pilot!!! 5-21
John came to us from a part 141 school as things weren't going smoothly with that school. Air Trek North took over his training midway and John was a fabulous and studious pilot; The type of student every instructor hopes to get.
The private pilot rating meant so much to him that sleep didn't come easy before the checkride. Like most students, John did a great job in the oral questioning followed by the flight test. After his flight test, John was beaming ear to ear and you could just see the emotion inside wanting to come out. When John's not at the airport or with his family, he's on the road driving Truck. Congrats John!!!! ......Next up, Instrument! |
Matt's First Solo!!! 5-10
The weather was fantastic this weekend and the metal birds were flying up a storm! Matt took a few practice landings with his instructor then took the controls of the Piier Archer all by his lonesome! Matt's First Solo!
Just as Matt was taxiing out for takeoff, six other planes decided to join him in the traffic pattern and Matt handled it flawlessly. Matt runs the sales department at Anchor Fasteners and plans on using his pilot certificate to cut his work drive time down 50% or more! |
Darlene's First Solo!!!! 5-5
Sometimes the FAA and the TSA
seem to put up barriers that seem insurmountable. However,
both organizations offer well known, although painfully slow, processes
that allow for success in the end.
After Darlene's first solo yesterday, can you tell there was a just a smidgeon of pent up desire? Wow! She Did it! Congrats Darlene!!!! |
Randy Passes Private Pilot!! 3-21
Another dream come true for one of our flight training students! It was a day with a nasty crosswind but Randy did a fine job using the crosswind landing techniques his instructor taught him. Congrats Randy!
Randy and his wife own the Shades of Sherwood Campground in Zumbrota. If you are looking for some R&R and tubing down the Zumbrota river, try their campground and waterpark out! |
Sam passes Commercial Multi 3-17
Congrats to Sam Adams
who passed his Multi-Engine Commercial check ride! It was just about a week ago that Sam passed
his Single Engine Commercial check ride! What a ride it's
been.
If you remember his last email, Sam already has his first commercial job lined up starting April 1st and I'm hearing through the grapevine that he has an upgrade at another commercial pilot job coming up soon. Sam's a special student. While working a full time job most of the time, Sam went from getting his private pilot in Feb 2013 to getting his instrument, then commercial single engine, then commercial multi-engine within about a year's time. Wow! |
Matt and his 1st solo!!!! 3-8
It was a perfect day for a 1st solo and Matt performed admirably! I talked to Matt before he went up with his instructor and he was overflowing with excitement. It was his day to make good on his past studies and what a day it was!
After a short flight with his instructor going over all the pre-solo requirements once again, Matt was off on his own. Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory! After his flight, you should've seen his beaming eyes. What a sense of accomplishment for this fine young man! |
Sam Gets Commercial Pilot!!! 3-8
Sam Adams passed his Commercial Pilot check-ride this Saturday on what was a beautiful, almost-spring day! And the best part? Sam already has his commercial pilot job lined up to help him get those highly coveted hours for the airlines!
Sam comes from a family of pilots (father flies for the airlines) and has been around small airplanes since he was little. The family has two tail-draggers that has given Sam the stick-n-rudder skills that come in awfully handy during crosswind landings. Sam's next rating is the multi-engine commercial add-on so you'll be seeing him back here soon. |
Jim gets private Pilot!!! 2-22
Jim Henry passed his Private Pilot check-ride this past Saturday on what was a cold and blustery day!
Jim currently holds a commercial balloon certificate and a private glider certificate so he's no stranger to a test day like today. It's still a thrill like no other no matter what other certificate you have. Jim looks forward to flying with his son, Max, who also shares a passion for aviation. So up next, you'll see young Max up in the air. Jim owns Air Traffic Kites and Games. Check out his store. His store is located in the Mall of America and other Malls around the twin cities. It's truly one of a kind. |
Frankie's 1st Solo!!! 2-8
Winds were calm, skies were clear and Frankie's family was here to see him fly solo for the first time! Frankie's second landing was like seeing a 20,000hr bush pilot landing on a sandbar. Very, very smooth!
Now there was some stress involved. UH60 Blackhawk helicopters were simulating soldier drop-offs at the same time! A bit of a distraction but Frankie's training helped him impeccably communicate with the National Guard! Congrats Frankie! |
Zach gets Private Pilot!!!! 1-13
Wow!!! Another Air Trek North Private Pilot is now flying the friendly skies! Yesterday, Zach Blake passed his private pilot test during wind gusts of 20kts! Zach is one of our high school students looking to make flying his career.
Zach comes from a family that makes their career in aviation. Both of Zach's parents work for an airline. How is that for pedigree! Congrats Zach on an outstanding achievement! Only 2% of the US Population can claim the same prestige! |
Jake Blanchard 1st Solo!!! 12-31 New Private Pilot!
Just in time to finish his first solo before the end of the year!!! Jake Blanchard completed his first solo on a bitterly cold day. If you remember, Jake's father recently had his first solo. What a wonderful feeling taking the controls on your own especially when you are 17!!!
I wonder who will get their private pilot rating first, Jake or his father Jay?....or better yet, will they get it on the same day? Congrats Jake! You will remember this day forever! |
Travis Michels 1st Solo!!! 12-28 1st Solo!!!
Congrats also to Travis on his 1st solo! As he started his taxi, Travis soon realized what a momentous day this was going to be. His nerves were on edge as he completed the pre-takeoff checklist, then lined up on the runway.
After take off, his emotions soon turn to one of pure joy and then, a sense of achievement as he lined up on final, adjusted the throttle and put a greasy smooth landing on the center line. Congrats Travis. 1st solo is a huge accomplishment! |
Gabby Earns CFI!!!! 12-28
Gabby came to us from another school to finish up her Flight Instructor (CFI) training.
Gabby did much of her early training for private, instrument and commercial down at Mankato. Realizing that a part 141 school wasn't for her, she did a short stint at a flight school in Chicago before settling in with us. Congrats Gabby! You worked very, very hard on this rating. Very nicely done! |
Cammy earns Private Pilot!!!! 12-15 New Private Pilot!
Cammy came to us from another local school to finish up her training. She did her solo work and finish up training at Air Trek North finalizing in the big big day this weekend.
The weather was cold but the winds and turbulence were almost non-existent. Sometimes being nervous brings out the best in us once that adrenaline gets going. Congrats Cammy! Next up is the Instrument Rating. We are proud of you! |
Jay Blanchard 1st Solo!!!! 12-12-13 1st Solo!
Congrats also to Jay Blanchard on his 1st solo!
The winds were calm and the weather gods were smiling on this day. Jay is having such a fun time that he signed his son up to train with him at the same time. What a way to share time together in those teenager years as your child starts to try out his own wings (pun intended of course)! Jay owns Safety Signs MN keeping our roads safe for all of us Congrats Jay. 1st solo is such a huge accomplishment! One you will remember forever. |
Emmanuel gets Complex Endorsement! 12-7 Complex Endorsement!
Congrats Emmanuel on your new complex endorsment! You are now legal to fly complex airplanes according to the FAA.
It seems like we were just recently hearing about Emmanuel passing his private pilot and now here he is again getting his complex endorsement. It's great having you fly with us Emmanuel! |
Nick gets Private Pilot!!!! 12-1
Congrats to Nick Wetjen for passing his private pilot!!! Nick is another student who came to us to finish up his training he started elsewhere.
The winds were calm and the weather gods were smiling on this day. Nick is a doctor at the Mayo Hospital in Rochester MN so we weren't worried about his ability to study for the Q&A portion of this checkride! Up next is the instrument rating for Nick so keep looking for his next flying accomplishment. Learning to fly in the clouds during the winter is an excellent time to train. The air is much smoother in the winter since we have less sun strength warming the earth's surface. Congrats Nick on another fine achievement in your life! |
David gets Multi-Engine ATP!!!! 11-25
David Latt took the reins today and completed his ATP checkride! David has lots of hours flying King Airs, Chinook and Huey Helicopters. After a disappointing experience at another flight school, David came to Air Trek North to train for his Multi-Engine ATP.
The checkride for ATP is probably the longest of any FAA checkride. This checkride can be as long as 3 hours as you show your maneuvers and instrument flying skills with both engines running and with one shut down. Congrats Dave on passing with flying colors! Next up for Dave is the Helicopter ATP. |
Jake: High Performance Endorsement!
Congrats to Jake Thomas on getting his high performance endorsement Nov 14th! Jake is now legal to fly high performance airplanes (>200hp).
You've probably seen Jake on our student achievement page before. He's been on our corporate pilot program while going to school full time and having a part time job at the local FBO. We're proud of Jake on his progress and you'll be seeing him again here when he get's his commercial rating. Congrats Jake! |
Luke Thieland 1st Solo!!! 11-5
It was the perfect day for a first solo! Luke, who is 16yrs old, took the controls and went up on his own for the first time! His father was there to celebrate in the excitement!
Congrats Luke! You will remember this day for the rest of your life. Airline pilots with 20,000 hours still tell the story about their 1st solo. And, they tell that story with the same gleam in their eye that they had when they first told it 20 yrs ago. It truly is an emotional time and a huge, huge accomplishment! |
Mahbub Gets Complex Endorsement!!!
Mahbub is working on his instrument training and during that training, we used the Arrow to get his complex endorsement on 11-4 at the same time! It seems like just yesterday that were were congratulating Mahbub on his Private Pilot Rating! Congrats Mahbub!
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Ron Hunt 1st Solo!!! 10-28
Wow! Another 1st solo! This time it was Ron Hunt! 1st solo is one of the most exciting times in a person's life.
We are very proud of Ron! It sure is great seeing another student earn solo status! It's an amazing achievement and one to definitely be proud of. |
Trevor Nielson Two new Seaplane Pilots! Justin Smith 10-23
 Trevor ...New Seaplane Pilot!
Wow! Seaplane training in the cold, snow and wind! Not your typical summer seaplane training but still the most fun you can have in training for and taking a checkride.... Not to mention the learning that comes after the training as one figures out water runways, rocks, wing dams, docks made for boats but not seaplanes, wind that changes direction just as you are making the world's greatest docking and more!
Congrats to Trevor Nielson who took the Super Cub and performed his maneuvers masterfully. And just following Trevor was Justin Smith taking the Cessna 180 up for his checkride. |
 Justin Smith...New Seaplane Pilot!
Our Powerpoint presentation gets you started on the right path, followed by some one on one training in the seaplane.
The Seaplane Rating doesn't require an FAA written exam. It does require a short oral Q&A by the examiner to make sure you know your 'stuff', followed by a scenario based flight test. It's definitely the most fun you can have training for and taking a flight test. The seaplanes head to Florida next week so if you're on vacation this winter, check it out! Click here for Trevor's video of his seaplane lesson and checkride |
Norwegian gets Private Pilot!!!! 10-13 New Private Pilot!!!
Ingemund came to us Oct 1st from Alta, Norway with zero hours in his logbook to get his private pilot. For international students, there is a TSA process for background checks and approval was received Oct 1st. So start to finish, Ingemund worked hard to get it all complete in just 13 days!!! Wow!
Mother nature allowed Ingemund to fly in the clouds for his instrument portion, fly in 30kt winds for his crosswind training, and feel accelerated stalls during gusty wind conditions. We like all those conditions so our students get real world scenarios during training. The government shut down caused us some headaches too but we were able to work through those. The weather on his checkride was picture perfect and so was his flying. Congrats Ingemend!!! |
Don's Complex Endorsement!!!! 10-10
Don Leeke complied with the complex training syllabus and now has his endorsement to fly retractable gear airplanes! Congrats Don!
Our powerpoint presentation gets you started on the right path, followed by some one on one training with one of our instructors in the Piper Arrow. The complex endorsement doesn't require an FAA written exam nor a flight test with the FAA. All your training and testing is done in-house at Air Trek North. Don now has the legal right to fly complex airplanes! It's an awesome feeling every time you can upgrade your pilot skill set and Don has done just that! |
Jibri Passes CFI!!!!!! 10-8
Jibri passed his CFI checkride during the government shutdown! He took our Piper Arrow up in 20kt crosswinds and demonstrated his teaching skills to the examiner.
Last year, Jibri used our Piper Arrow to pass the commercial pilot checkride and used that rating to become a corporate pilot! Congrats Jibri!!! |
Ingemund 1st Solo!!!! 10-6
Congrats Ingemund on your 1st Solo! Ingemund comes all the way from Norway to train with us for his Private Pilot Certificate. Ingemund received his TSA approval on 10-1, flew his butt off and did his first solo 5 days later.
Ingemund is hoping to have his checkride Oct 13th just before he heads back to Norway! |
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Jordin Passes Private Pilot!!!! 10-2
Congrats Jordin!!!! He just passed his private pilot checkride. Jordin is a medical student at Univ of MN. He did his undergrad at the Air Force Academy so he comes with a great background. I'm just surprised he missed that one question on his written exam!
Jordin had 17kt winds to contend with on his checkride but handled them beautifully. Congrats Jordin on a job very well done!!!! Zach Blake 1st Solo!!!! 10-1
Congrats Zach! First solo is such a precious time, second only to passing your private pilot flight test. It never gets old seeing the beaming eyes, the emotional high and the wonderful feeling of just conquering the world!
Livin' the Dream! Every day is better than the last. It is definitely true! Zach, welcome to the elite pilot club! |
Jim: Complex Endorsement!! 10-1
Jim has been studying and flying with Air Trek North this year and earned his private pilot just this last August. On Tuesday, he obtained his Complex Endorsement so he can legally fly Complex Airplanes (retractable gear and constant speed propeller). Congrats Jim!
Jim has been using our 172's to fly back and forth to Bismark where their company Earth Kind is located. The Arrow will cut his time to Bismark considerably. The Arrow is a great machine for going cross country as it cruises approximately 140kts. Many of our instrument students do their 10 hours of insurance requirements in the arrow while training both for the complex endorsement and the instrument at the same time. The complex endorsement doesn't require any FAA written test or an FAA checkride. We have a powerpoint presentation that runs through the fundamentals of transitioning to complex and then it's to the air to practice those fundamentals until proficient. |
Derek Collins Passes CFI!!!!! 9-24
Derek used our Arrow to finish out his dream of becoming a highly sought after CFI! Here he is smiling ear to ear next to the bird that helped him pass the most demanding of all the checkrides, the CFI initial.
Derek is now authorized to teach private and commercial pilots. Congrats Derek! You studied extremely hard to earn these wings. Now comes the real learning! We trust he will do well. |
Bret Obtains Complex Endorsement 9-13
Bret Baldwin has been studying and flying with Air Trek North a long time. On this day, he obtained his Complex Endorsement so he can legally fly Complex Airplanes.
Bret used our Piper Arrow to do his training and plans on taking the Arrow on many cross country flights. Bret is also checked out in our 172's, Warrior and Archer. Congratulations to Bret on another step in the field of aviation learning and fun! |
Brad Gets Gold Seal Instructor Designation 9-5!!
Wow! Brad joined Air Trek North last spring and already has earned the Gold Seal Instructor from the FAA. The FAA issues this designation to those instructors with a proven track record of good performance and who have achieved a higher standard of certification than the average flight instructor.
Air Trek North continues to strive for best in class flight instruction and plane rental. Achieving Gold Seal Instructor designation is just one of the many items that help a student choose a well qualified instructor. Congrats Brad on obtaining this designation!!! Click on the link to view Brad's Instructor Bio. |
Trevor Passes Multi-Engine Commercial!!!!! 8-21
Congrats to Trevor Nielsen on obtaining the Multi-Engine Commercial rating!
The Multi-Engine Add-On to a Single Engine Pilot certificate, while demanding of pilot skills, is definitely a fun and rewarding rating to get. There isn't a written test requirement and flying with two engines on climb out shows you what real climb rate can be! Not to mention getting to fly with a single engine while the other is shut down. Seeing a prop not moving for the first time while flying is exciting to our students! Trevor is another of our students who became disenfranchised with the high costs of part 141 schools, not to mention the broken promises of getting ratings done earlier. Trevor is attending college with a major in the Aeronautics field and plans on making flying his career. He certainly has done an excellent job of managing his flying expenses! ps: Trevor tells me his next rating is a seaplane rating with Air Trek North. Now that's a fun rating! |
Riley Passes Private Pilot! 8-16
Riley came to us from another school/CFI and chose Air Trek North to help finish is private pilot. Riley is going to college in Duluth for psychology and is part of the Air National Guard.
Riley is pictured next to his C172 and is looking forward to using his new skills to go between the Twin Cities and Duluth. |
Gabby Passes CFII!!!! 8-16
Gabby came to us from a large school in the Chicago area to finish up her CFII . She worked hard as she learned how to teach others how to fly in the clouds.
She's looking forward to getting her CFI next. Normally we would do the CFI first and then the CFII but there isn't any rule saying you can't do the CFII first and that's just what Gabby did! Congrats Gabby!!! |
Kristen McQeen 1st Solo!!! 8-11-13
Congrats to Kristen McQueen!!!! Kristen completed her first solo in one of our 172's and is now part of a very elite club. Kristen is another one of our young pilots who is looking forward to a career in Aviation. Remember her picture as she might be your pilot on a future Airline trip!
First solo is such a precious time, second only to passing your private pilot flight test. It never gets old seeing the beaming eyes, the emotional high and the wonderful feeling of just conquering the world! Kristen has joined an elite group of people where few have gone. It's a great feeling that you never forget! Congrats Kristen on a fine, fine job!!! |
Jim Block Passes Private!!!!! 8-1-13
Jim Block passed his private pilot checkride today! What a beautiful day to take a flight test!
Jim is an ex military controller so much of his radio work came easy. Jim worked hard throughout his training which provided him with the skills to pass his private pilot checkride with flying colors. Woot! He's already scheduled the plane for a trip to see his wife in Bismark. Jim and his better half own a company that makes a product called Fresh Cab. Make sure you try one in your airplane, stored boat, stored car or your house/garage over the winter. Check out their company website above. We welcome Jim into the elite pilot group today! |
Emmanuel Passes Private Pilot!!! 8-1-13
Emmanuel passed his private pilot checkride today! What a beautiful day to take a flight test!
Emmanuel was way worried about the checkride..... Too much information to be super prepared he told me. How can I learn all this information Emmanuel asked just a few days before the big day. The pilot certificate, once earned, is a license to learn. Every day one flies brings about new items to study and reflect upon. You may wonder how Emmanuel did? Emmanuel performed admirally. Definitely a day to remember he said! |
Two Seaplane Ratings!!!! 7-30-13
Wow!!! Two seaplane ratings in one day. There isn't anything more fun than flying on the water and two guys today showed they had the bush plane flying skills necessary to pass the seaplane checkride!
Glassy water is the toughest landing and that's what we had yesterday for their test. Try landing on water where you can only see clouds and sky reflections when you look down! Pictured is Paul Breckner grinning ear to ear! He plans on using his seaplane rating to maybe go up to Canada fishing, fly around with his boys (young men) and hop over to his house on the lake. Congrats to Paul and Antonio on passing this huge milestone in their lives! Contact us to make it yours too. ps: Check out this link on how you can use your seaplane commercial rating from Airplane repo! If you want a ride on this airplane, give us a call and we'll put you in the left seat! |
Amy Passes Multi Commercial 7-27-13
Amy passed her Multi-Engine Commercial rating today! Just before the storms came in, Amy took to the skies to perform the multi-engine maneuvers including all the single engine tasks required of this rating
Amy took her initial training from a Part 141 school and finished up with us in Lakeville. With the airlines hiring again, look to see more and more Multi-Engine ratings on our web site. I think you'll see two ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) multi-engine ratings as well. Congrats Amy on passing this huge milestone in your life! |
Jake Passes Private Pilot!!!!!! 7-25-13
Jake Schindler passed his private pilot checkride yesterday afternoon! All week, Jake was watching the weather. It didn't look promising. The weather people were forecasting storms for Thursday and it just did not look good for VFR flying. Even in the morning, it looked like 'THE DAY' was going to be weathered out. Then, mother nature took a turn. She rolled her storms through and behind them were scattered clouds and light to medium winds. Whew! The flight test would go on!
Jake is one of our students with scholarship help money coming from EAA. If you are looking for some financial help with flying, EAA is just one of the places offering 'learn to fly' scholarships. Jake started in the Young Eagles program, took the ground training from Sporty's, and then finished off with a nice scholarship check to help offset some of the costs. Congrats Jake on joining the elite pilot organization! |
Jon Passes Private Pilot!!!!! 7-20-13
Jon Ameter just passed his private pilot checkride today! Jon helps us out every day as he works at the Airlake Airport FBO along with Marek's Towing.
Jon did an excellent job during his flight test and earned his private pilot with flying colors! When you don't find Jon at the airport, he's working on custom motorcycles. He's built a few fabulous machines. If you're in the market, give Jon a call! Congrats to Jon on a fine, fine job. We welcome him into the elite pilot group today! |
Tom Passes Private Pilot 7-15-13 Tom Hampson
Perfectionist Tom Hampson passed his flight test today! Please congratulate him when you see him in the airport. Tom worked hard on this rating and now says he's up for the Instrument rating.
When the examiner came in after the flight, he told us that Tom's Q&A ground portion was the best he's seen! That's awfully high praise from a seasoned veteran. The guy with the British accent on the radio is Tom and is an IT specialist by trade working for Medtronic. Congrats to Tom on a fine, fine job. We welcome him into the elite pilot group today! |
Karen Passes SeaPlane Add-On!!! 7-7
Winds were calm as Karen finished up her Seaplane Add-On Checkride and she is itching to take off as PIC on her own to the wonderful lakes we have in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Sounds like her first flight might be to Russel's on Big Lake. It's one of our favorite fun places to fly that are close by. When you fly seaplanes, it opens so much more to the fine art of flying. No longer is the FAA or MNDOT Aeronautics checking out all those safe areas for you. It's up to the pilot to survey the surroundings and make a sound judgement call on how to get into the intended destination. And it is fun! ....The most fun you can have flying in my opinion. |
Bjorn Passes Private Pilot 6-27-13
It was a windy day with gusts up to 18kts but it was not any match for Bjorn Johnson on his big day!
Bjorn aced through the orals and then went on to the flight test. I watched as he executed the perfect soft field take off...nothing all that easier in gusty winds! Congratulations Bjorn on joining the elite group that calls themselves pilots! |
Mark Flannery: High Performance and Complex Endorsements!!!! 6-24-13
Mark Flannery looked for a plane for a good 6 months before he found the one for him. THE plane was in Boise ID and it was a high performance and complex Cessna 210 so Mark needed to get both those endorsements before he could fly it himself. Mark received his private pilot rating with us in early February.
Mark flew out to Boise for the PreBuy Inspection and had me fly out a few days later to help bring the plane home to LVN. Congrats Mark on a fine plane! And getting your high performance and complex endorsements! |
Jon Ameter 1st Solo!!! 6-18-13
Congrats to Jon Ameter!!!! Jon completed his first solo in one of our 172's and is now part of a very elite club. Jon is one of the highly skilled people that work at ARC, our finest FBO! So you've probably seen him around, or he helped you with something, or touched you in some way making your flying easier.
First solo is such a precious time, second only to passing your private pilot flight test. It never gets old seeing the beaming eyes, the emotional high and the wonderful feeling of just conquering the world! Jon has joined an elite group of people where few have gone. It's a great feeling that you'll never forget. Congrats Jon on a fine, fine job!!! |
David Townsend Multi-Engine Commercial Add-On 6-14-13
Congratulations to David Townsend!!!! David just passed his Multi-Engine Commercial Add-On rating with us. David is on our Professional Pilot Program. David is planning a career in aviation flying for the airlines or charter or whatever commercial aviation job that intrigues him.
During the Multi-Engine checkride, the applicant needs to demonstrate proficiency in maneuvers, approaches, takeoffs and landings while simulating a failed engine. In addition, the checkride consists of completely failing an engine, shutting it down in flight including turning off all fuel and electrical to the failed engine, and then starting it back up again in flight. David handled that and more on his checkride! All the while, Mother Nature was blowing those 20kt gusts at him! Wow!!! Congrats David!!! |
Jim Block 1st Solo!!!!! 6-10-13
It was the perfect early evening for a first solo! Jim Block took the controls and went up on his own for the first time! He has been waiting for this day a long, long time.
Jim worked as an air traffic controller during the service and that's when the dream started. He did a stint at flying back quite a few years but then something came up and the flying stopped. He's hoping to use a plane to get back and forth from North and South Dakota. His family is spread out across the tri-state area along with the Carolinas. You will see Jim with his private pilot I would be in the July time frame. He already has his written test out of the way so Jim just needs to finish out the solo requirements and then it's on to the flight test. Congrats Jim! First solo is such an exciting experience! We have people with 30 yrs of flying who can still tell us the exact conditions on their first solo! You earned it! |
Jake Thomas Passes Instrument Rating 6-5-13 Jake Thomas
Yesterday afternoon was the perfect opportunity to fly IFR with the low ceilings but smooth air. Now most people would not want to take their Instrument rating in actual Instrument conditions (in the clouds) but Jake Thomas was not going to let that stop him. The examiner arrived by plane when the clouds were about 300ft above ground and visibility was one to two miles. Jake went through the oral question and answers like a pro, then checked weather to see if they would go fly. Clouds were up a bit and visibility had improved but the flight portion of the test would have to be in the clouds if it were to go on.
Off they went.... Into the clouds for flight portion of the test. Jake's Mother was present for the flight portion and she watched the entire flight on www.flightaware.com Congratulations Jake on a fine Instrument rating flight test |
Sam Adams Obtains Complex Endorsement! Sam Adams
Sam Adams took the required training required for the complex airplane endorsement and now is legal to fly retractable gear airplanes! Congrats Sam!
Jake Thomas Obtains Complex Endorsement!!!! Jake Thomas
Jake has already started working on his Commercial Pilot Rating. One of the steps is taking the training required for the complex endorsement. Jake can now fly airplanes with retractable gear. Congrats Jake!
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Emmanuel 1st Solo! 5-21-13
It was the perfect day for a first solo! Emmanuel took the controls and went up on his own for the first time! His whole family was there to celebrate in the excitement and excited they were!
Congrats Emmanuel! You will remember this day for the rest of your life. Airline pilots with 20,000 hours still tell the story about their 1st solo. And, they tell that story with the same gleam in their eye that they had when they first told it 20 yrs ago. It truly is an emotional time and a huge, huge accomplishment! Emmanuel is a software engineer for US Bank. |
Jesse Passes Private Pilot!!! 5-18-13
Jesse Lowinski passed his private pilot checkride! And the weather did not cooperate. We had to take him south where there was a hole in the clouds to let Jesse show off his skills to the examiner. What a rush!
Jesse soon heads to basic training on the 21st after finishing high school so he had a deadline he was working towards. The oral portion of the checkride went smoothly so the flight test was on! Jesse did well with the maneuvers..... Steep turns, stalls, diversions, S-Turns, Simulated engine out, Go-Around, Instrument Flying, VOR tracking, Forward Slip to a landing and the five different types of landings. Jesse Aced them all! Congrats Jesse! And Welcome to a truly elite group! |
1st Solo!!! Jake Schindler 5-6-13
Wow! Yesterday afternoon was the perfect day for a first solo! Jake Schindler took the controls yesterday and went up on his own for the first time! What a rush!
Jake attends Lakeville South high school and is planning on taking Air Traffic Control schooling next year. Jake started his flight training with the EAA young eagles training through Sporty's. This is a great program for people who are starting their training and are less than 17 years old. "Sporty's support has been the key element in developing our Young Eagles Flight Plan program" said Manager of Young Eagles and Youth Pathways Brian O'Lena. "The Sporty's Complete Flight Training course offered free online to Young Eagles has produced excellent results turning Young Eagles into pilots." |
1st Solo!!! Jim Henry 4-27-13 1st Solo!!! Jim Henry
Super busy on the most perfect day for a first solo! Jim Henry took the controls and passed that wonderful, wonderful test of courage and ambition.
Jim currently holds a commercial balloon certificate and a private glider certificate so he's no stranger to a day like today. It's still a thrill like no other no matter what other certificate you have. After getting his Airplane Private Pilot certificate, Jim looks forward to flying with his 14 year old son, Max, who also shares a passion for aviation. Jim owns Air Traffic Kites and Games. Check out his store. It's truly one of a kind. |
David Passes CFI Checkride!!!! 3-28-13
Today, David Townsend took to the skies and finished his flight instructor checkride ....and with two FAA people along for the ride to boot!
David did extensive preparation work on his own with our guidance. This saved him a good 30% off his training bill! A good Part 61 school can do that, whereas a Part 141 school runs you through the same programs whether you are a good student, well prepared student or an ill prepared student. Chalk another one up for where a Part 61 school is a much better choice. David has plans on working for the airline after getting his minimum flying hours required to be hired by the airlines. One of the best ways to do that is being a flight instructor. David is working full time as a St. Paul Policeman, being a Dad, and a husband. His next goal is to finish out the Multi-Engine Commercial. Knowing David, he'll have the entire Multi-Engine FAA Handbook section memorized before his first flight! Congrats David on a very well executed Flight Instructor Checkride! |
Chuck Passes Private Pilot!!! 3-29-13
Today was Chuck's big, big day! Chuck had been working in both the Piper Warrior and the Cessna Skyhawk to get his private pilot training done.
Chuck decided to use his favorite plane, the Piper, and finished his private pilot checkride! He greased through the oral question portion and then after a thorough pre-flight of the plane, took the controls to show he has mastered the practical test standards. I say thorough pre-flight because anyone who has talked to Chuck at the airport has found out many, many things about repairing the old bombers that he used to work on in the service. Next time you see him at the airport, ASK! But get your coffee first, you are in for some good stories. I'm betting on Chuck becoming another one of our airport rats.....those guys that just can't get enough and hang out at the airport, even when they aren't flying that day! Congrats Chuck on a very well executed Private Pilot Checkride! |
Sam Passes Private Pilot!!! 2-16-13
Wow! At first, the clouds were trying to brew (no pun intended) but the sun worked wonders on removing them and the checkride was on for Sam Adams!
Sam was in town for a couple of weeks and want to get his private pilot done. His first flight was February 8th and today, just nine days later, he passed his checkride with the FAA Designated Examiner. Wow!!! Quite an accomplishment to say the least. That's definitely accelerated flight training at it's best! Next, he's heading back to California to work at his real job putting up turbine windmills and saving our planet. I wonder if flying to those windmill jobs across the country will become part of his flying adventures? Congrats Sam on a very well executed Private Pilot Checkride! |
Bjorn's 1st Solo!!!! 2-16-13
Wow!! What a beautiful day to get your 1st Solo in!
Bjorn Johnson worked hard with Kjersti and Steve to get his landings near picture perfect. Today was the day when he took the controls for the first time on his own and what an experience it was. We don't normally do the old time ritual of cutting off the Tshirt but as you can see, it's a great way to remember that first solo day. All of us pilots, no matter how many hours we have under our belt, can remember that first day when the instructor walked out of the plane and said 'All yours! Don't have an accident. See you on the ground after 5 landings." Congrats Bjorn! |
Mark passes private pilot!!!! 2-8-13
Wow! At first, the clouds were hanging around and it didn't look like it would go down but mother nature started smiling at 1pm and Mark's Private Pilot checkride was on!
Mark and his family live in Florida and a vacation home here in MN. He plans on buying his own plane to make the flight from Florida to MN easier along with using it for his business needs. Among others, Mark owns Regalo Baby Products. I talked with the examiner after the test and he gave Mark many compliments on how well the test went. Congrats Mark on a very well executed Private Pilot Checkride! |
Brad Passes MEI !!!!!! 1-7-13
Congratulations to Brad Ubelhor as he passed his Multi-Engine Instructor checkride yesterday! Brad is pictured to the left in the heated hanger next to our twin engine he flew for his flight test. He doesn't like to smile as you can see, but he's grinning very brightly inside. And he should be..... Instructor ratings are not easy.
An instructor rating tells us that Brad has demonstrated not only proficiency and understanding of the concepts, but instructional knowledge. It's one thing to be able to understand concepts, but another to be gifted with the ability to teach concepts. Brad came to us from the University of North Dakota flight school and has quite a few hours now instructing at Air Trek North. Congratulations Brad on a well deserved pass with your Multi-Engine Instructor checkride! |
Mahbub New Private Pilot!!! 12-30-2012
Mahbub Khan passed his private pilot checkride yesterday! Mahbub wanted to finish his private pilot training and take his test before the new year rolled in. Finishing this year was his goal and he worked hard the last few weeks to fine tune those newly learned private pilot skills. Below, you can see the emotion as he is grinning ear to ear with his new accomplishment.
Mahbub, like most students we have, is looking forward to sharing his accomplishment and the joy of flying with his family of four. I'm not sure what his first trip will be but it will be soon I'm sure. He loves taking trips to the local ski resorts so I wouldn't be surprised if Lutsen isn't on his mind. Mahbub has been a software engineer for Thomson Reuters for the past eight years. He grew up in Bangladesh. Congratulations Mahbub! You should be proud of this wonderful achievement! |
Beau Passes CFI!!!!!! 1-4-13
Beau Laniel passed the hardest checkride of them all! Beau is now an FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). Beau came to us just a few weeks after getting his commercial pilot at UND's flight school. He took the holiday break between semesters to run through our accelerated CFI training, and after 12 half days of training, passed with flying colors! Below, you can see the emotion as he is grinning ear to ear with his new accomplishment.
The CFI rating is the toughest, most grueling checkride out there in my opinion. The CFI test is normally 4-5 hours of oral question and answer followed by a 2 hour flight test and debrief. Beau navigated both portions of the test perfectly and is now qualified by the FAA to teach others how wonderful this flying skillset can be! Congratulations Beau! You should be proud of this wonderful achievement! |
More Students Who Have Passed Their Flight Tests!!!! Wow!
.Todd Patton High Performance Endorsement
Dan Fullerton Certified Flight Instructor Jake Thomas Private Pilot Sadie Koerner Private Pilot Kent Anderson Private Pilot Al Alwin Certified Flight Instructor Arun Palunivil Private Pilot Stan Gadek Commercial Seaplane Pilot Eric Workman Multi-Engine Instructor Mark Ondrey Private Pilot David Townsend Commercial Pilot Eric Workman Commercial Multi-Engine Antonio Rossini Seaplane Pilot Steve Guetter Commercial Seaplane Pilot John Miller Private Pilot Kjersti Kittleson Commercial Seaplane Pilot Josh Wilske Private Pilot Scott Schleck Private Pilot Carter Schlank Private Pilot Martin DeGidio Instrument Pilot Todd Bertrand Instrument Pilot Bret Baldwin Private Pilot Jibri Andrade Commercial pilot Adam Gerber Private Pilot Kevin Schanke Private Pilot and Seaplane Pilot Chris Grittman Private Pilot John Cook Instrument rating Brian Lee Commercial Pilot Joe Weathers seaplane pilot Casey Randall private pilot Al Bunde Private Pilot Brook Lillestol private pilot Joe Langel private pilot Ben Schaffer Private Pilot Beky Morgan Private Pilot Chase Nordstrom Private Pilot Joe Weathers Private Seaplane Bob Brown Private Pilot Dave Adelman Instrument Pilot Eric Goodman Private Pilot Jim Urban Instrument Pilot Aaron Timmerman Private Pilot Brandon Paul Private Pilot Shaun Krcma Private Seaplane Eric Workman Commercial Seaplane Dan Hawkes Private Seaplane Markus Roduinger Commercial Seaplane Glen Bowen Private Seaplane Jim Woischke Commercial Seaplane Karl Engelkae Commercial Seaplane Brian Behrens Commercial Seaplane Ron Engelkae Commercial Seaplane Kurt Nethersteim Commercial Seaplane Wyche Coleman Commercial Seaplane John Loberg Private Seaplane Adam Bowers Commercial Seaplane Steve Taft Private Seaplane Pat Wright Private Seaplane Mike Boland Commercial Seaplane Chris Anderson Commercial Seaplane |
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