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The first thing I can say about Robert is that he is possibly one of the nicest guys I have ever met.  Always smiling and laughing, and committed as anything to flying.  You can just see his love of flying as he shares stories of what he's read, playing flight simulator, and other friends' experiences flying.  After hearing all the flying stories from friends and reading everything he could about aviation, he said that was it.  He had to start his flight training.  He's a former US Marine and right now he's on the PPL track, hoping for the instrument rating as well afterwards.  He is pursuing the dream to one day own his own aircraft and fly his family and friends.  Congratulations Robert!   ~John Kozak

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Most people get chocolate or a card for Valentine's Day.  Rafael got an Instrument license instead.  Having finished his Private Pilot training in October Rafael worked exceptionally hard on his instrument license.  He is now on the verge of completing his Commercial training as soon as his completes his training in our complex Cessna 172RG.  He hopes to return home to Columbia as soon as possible so that he can start working for the state airline there.  Congratulations Rafael!

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Dave has been flying with us since August of last year. His fiancée got him a gift certificate for an intro flight, and apparently he really enjoyed the whole flying thing! He is mostly looking to fly just for fun with his friends and family-particularly to the Cape. He may even move on to his instrument training soon!  Congratulations Dave! 

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Matt Hurley passed his Private Pilot check ride today on his 17^th Birthday! Matt has been flying since he was 8 years old-avidly following an obsession with aviation that goes back as far as he can remember. Flying has offered Matt the opportunity to explore new things, while constantly improving and challenging himself as a pilot. Cross-Country flights are among the favorite parts of his training, and he also states that he has “come to enjoy unusual attitude training.” He is looking forward to long day trips in the skies, and eventually an instrument rating, as he pursues a career in Aviation. Congratulations Matt!

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Steve Tilley has made his first solo flight today!  With CFI Rooks Turner watching from the ground, Steve made his first three laps around the pattern.  We are thrilled to get this milestone accomplished.  Recently Steve developed a talent that he doesn't really enjoy having.  Steve has been ready to solo for awhile now but he is able to schedule himself on the worst weather days possible.  We could have a week of good weather and Steve will somehow manage to find the one hour in that week where the winds are gusting a bit or the clouds have rolled in.  Thankfully the weather held off long enough for Steve to get his long overdue first solo flight in.  Congratulations Steve!  We'll do our best anti-rain dance to make sure that we have more days like today!

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Simon Bailey passed his Private Pilot checkride this afternoon after training for only 3 months.  Hailing from the United Kingdom, we set Simon up with Tim Healey, our Aussie flight instructor thinking that they would work together well.  It became clear to us that the pairing was perfect as they would come back from flights and start discussing the latest rugby and cricket news after their lesson was over.  Simon has already started working on his commercial work and should be starting the instrument training shortly thereafter.  We'll have to get him to practice announcing "Speedbird" soon enough.   Congratulations Mr. Bailey!

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Herland Campos became the first of our newest New England Tech class to obtain his Private Pilot certificate.  The winds were a little gusty but Herland flew a picture perfect checkride with examiner Ray Collins.  His commercial and instrument training will start as soon as possible and we look forward to continued success with Herland.  Congrats Herland!

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The entire staff at Horizon Aviation would like to send a big congratulations to Erika Benkova on becoming the latest Private Pilot in the country.  Erika persevered through her training and will be moving on to her advanved licenses.  She has her eyes set on being a professional pilot and today is one big move towards that dream.  Congrats Erika!

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Noah Vince Cruz wanted to move back home to San Diego.  Before he moved though, he wanted to complete his Commercial Pilot License.  Noah flew with us for his entire training; from Private Pilot all the way through to his Commercial.  It is a bittersweet moment for us that Noah has passed his checkride.  While we are thrilled to see him succeed but we are sad to bid him tailwinds as he relocates back to his hometown of San Diego, CA.  He told us that he really just hates winter here in New England but we all know the truth.  He is a giant San Diego Chargers fan.  (Yes that is a Chargers hat that he is wearing in his photo.  Please don't hold that against him.) 

Congrats Noah!

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How's this for a sign?  Nate's goal is to fly helicopters for the U.S. Coast Gaurd.  He flew an airplane by himself for the first time today and while doing so saw and heard a USCG helicopter flying just outside the traffic pattern at Newport State Airport.  Coincidence? 

Nate is one of our latest and greatest students in the New England Tech program and he is making great progress.  The Private Pilot checkride shouldn't be too far off in the distance for him.  Soon enough the USCG is going to have to make a flightsuit with "Robenheymer" printed on the name tag.

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Juan came down to TF Green to complete his written test a little while ago.  We were talking about what he wants to do after his Private Pilot and he mentioned that he would love to fly a Piper Cub.  Now that Juan is a licensed Private Pilot I am waiting for him to show up on our ramp in a bright yellow little airplane to give me a ride!  Congratulations Juan!

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Jason Kiser obtained his Private Pilot Certificate today after a successful checkride with examiner Ray Collins.  Working with Vicky Kuo as his CFI, Jason flew on the weekends and finished all the training in less than a year.  He plans on continuing on for the instrument license and we can't wait for him to start.  Well done Jason!

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Joe Roy is obsessed with flying.  When he isn't flying our airplanes he is pumping jet fuel into Learjets and even the random F-18 that shows up.  Full of funny flying stories and overflowing with an honest passion for this stuff, we are thrilled to see Joe pass his commercial checkride.  Next up, Joe should be ascending to the rank of Certified Flight Instructor.  Congratulations Joe!

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I once flew into Monterey, CA and was struck but how beautiful it was out there.  The approach to the airport was through a small valley that seemed to lead you straight to the runway.  I fell in love with that airport. 

Fast forward a few years:  I get an email from Brian Guest.  He had recently enrolled at Brown University and wanted to complete his Private Pilot training out here.  We got talking about his past flying experiences and lo and behold, he had been learning out of Monterey!  It just goes to show you how small the aviation world is. 

During his first semester at Brown, Brian was able to complete his Private Pilot training with CFI Greg Hamelin.  He headed home to California shortly after his checkride but we look forward to having him back flying with us when he returns!  Congratulations Brian!

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Brendan LaPietra is going to fly a Boeing 757.  End of story.  No negotiating on this one.  It is going to happen.  If you spend 5 minutes talking to him you'll see what I'm talking about.  Brendan is just like me in that he caught the flying bug early on.  He has reached a level of obsession that is really remarkable.  In other words...he fits right in!  Well done Brendan on your first solo!

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Bryant Hassett is one of those rare individuals that soloed an airplane for the first time on his 16th birthday.  Now, he can proudly say that he is a Private Pilot as well!  Bryant is looking forward to collegiate options to continue his flight training so that he may be a pro-pilot cruising around at 37,000 feet.   Congrats Bryant!

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Jhari became the second of the newest New England Tech students to make his first solo flight today.  Hailing all the way from the Cayman Islands, Jhari has his eyes set on flying professionally back home.  After seeing some of the photos he brought in it is hard to argue with him.  Congratulations Jhari!

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Fred Harrison is the type of person that just makes you happy to be around. Always smiling, always cheerful; he lights up a room. Fred would tell you its all because he is retired and loving every second of it. What better way to spend some time than learning how to fly? Well, in between golfing, taking vacation trips, and riding around on a motorcycle, Fred has managed to do just that! Congrats Fred!

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Eric Gartman became the world's newest Private Pilot today after a successful checkride with examiner Ray Collins. Eric was able to schedule a significant amount of training despite working long and sporadic hours. Taking his first flight with us in June of this year, Eric completed all of his training within only a handful of months. Congratulations Eric!

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Herland Campos became the first of the latest New England Tech students to solo an airplane. We first met Herland quite some time ago when a friend of his family took him for a ride in one of our airplanes. He told us at that point that he was going to be a professional pilot. Today marks one of the biggest steps towards that goal. Flying 4 or 5 times per week, Herland is making fantastic progress through his training.

Congrats Herland!

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Ian Shippee has a Cessna 152 Aerobat in the family. Granted it is sitting dissassembled in the family garage but now he has a big incentive to get it put back together! Ian Shippee is now a fully licensed Private Pilot...the latest in his family. Ian worked hard throughout his training. He came in under budget in both hours and money spent. Well done Ian!

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Mike Crane came to us a few months ago with a problem. His flight training with another flight school had essentially stalled. It seemed like his training wasn't going anywhere, and what is worse, his CFI was not encouraging.

Mike started flying with Vicky Kuo and within fairly short order he was ready for his Private Pilot Checkride. We are happy to report that Mike passed his ride and is now a licensed pilot! Mike intends on making flying his career and today represents a giant step towards that goal. Well done Mike!

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Erika Benkova took a GIANT step towards earning her Private Pilot license today by making her first solo flight in one of our Cessna 152's. Determined to travel the world as a high flying airline captain, Erika has been balancing her collegiate studies with her flight training and has been making some solid progress. Each and every flight she takes gets her one step closer to the cockpit of one of the "big jets" and we couldn't be happier for her.

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Murat Yesilsirt grew up looking at a picture of his grandfather standing next to an old bi-plane. This is what first put the thought of flying airplanes in his mind. Today, Murat soloed for the first time today. He said that his first solo flight was definitely the highlight of his training. He is looking forward to completing the rest of his training and taking his family flying with him soon.
Congratulations Murat!

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n addition to having more consecutive consonants in his last name than anyone else in the world, he can add the following letters to his pilot certificate: IFR. Dan passed his instrument checkride this morning with examiner Ray Collins. Admittedly, we all joke around with Dan quite a bit. To his credit, he can throw it right back at us. All joking aside, Dan is here working hard each day and we enjoy having him. One of our New England Tech students, Dan has made some impressive progress with us so far and we look forward to seeing him finish his commercial soon.

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Maria Kayser decided that she wanted to journey to the US from Poland to get her Private Pilot License. She found Horizon Aviation through the internet and started emailing us about training. She had no idea when she signed up that our Chief Pilot was also from Poland and writes for the Polish Pilot Magazine. Imagine her surprise?

Maria found a sublet apartment in the area close to the airport. Each day, rain or shine, Maria would ride her bicycle to the airport and stay here all day. She worked hard each day and rode along in the backseat with as many other students as possible. She wore a smile throughout her training that never went away and only seemed to get bigger and brighter with each lesson.

We are thrilled to announce that Maria has become the newest Private Pilot in the country this morning. She heads back to Poland in a few days and we are all sad to see her go. Already a mini-celebrity back in Poland, we look forward to keeping in touch with Maria and hopefully flying with her again soon.

Congratulations Maria!

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Rajesh Srungarapu came all the way from India to fly with us. He has already wanted to fly since he was young and has been encouraged by his family back home to pursue his dream of being an airline captain. Today, Rajesh soloed N49185 off of runway 33 at North Central State Airport. A gigantic step towards "flying the big jets."

Congrats Rajesh!

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Jamie Grenon became the nations newest Private Pilot today after a successful checkride in N4900H. Jamie has completed all of his training on budget and on time which is fantastic! What is even better though is that he did it all without his family knowing. His goal all along has been to bring them out to the airport one and day and surprise them all by taking them out to lunch on Martha's Vineyard. Everyone here can't wait to see the looks on their faces.

Congrats Jamie!

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Riccardo Frasca has been obsessed with flying airplanes ever since he was young, but only after hearing a friend brag about recently having earned a Private Pilot’s Certificate did he realize it was such an immediate possibility. On the evening of August 22nd, Riccardo completed his first solo flight in the traffic pattern at Norwood airport. After stepping out of the aircraft he asked his father what the exact time was; remarking that he wanted to remember that moment for the next 100 years. His mother Hemalata, father Richard, and sister Sophia, proudly watched and all wish to congratulate Riccardo on a major step forward to a career as a professional pilot. Riccardo has his eye on the cockpit of an Airbus A320.

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Maria Kayser came all the way from Poland to fly with us. After only a few weeks of flying, Maria made her first solo this evening! Everybody is excited about their first solo, but Maria was bouncing off the walls of the office. And, to her parents back in Poland, yes, she really did fly an airplane all by herself! She is doing great!

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Edwin Palmer hails from a family of self-proclaimed aviation "nerds." Today he became the first in his family to receive a Private Pilot License after flying with examiner Gene Bielecki. After his second day of training, he had decided it was worth going all the way and completed his training in 3 months and 10 days of training and just over 40 hours of flight time.

"Ned" describes aviation as "one of the most rewarding experiences on the planet." Looking back on his training he remembers being terrified on his first solo but landing "infinitely better" each time around. He also recalls an early flight over the clouds that had him unexplainably "grinning like an idiot," and he looks forward to moving on to his instrument training at a continued "rapid fire pace."

Congratulations Ned!

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When Khaled Hagar first stepped into the cockpit of a Cessna 172-R, he was puzzled by the absence of the gas pedal, brake pedal, and gearshift he was accustomed to having in his car. As he started flying, Khaled enjoyed not only the unique freedom flying has to offer, but also the process of learning new skills in the aircraft, and the challenges of solo flights and cross-country flying. Just this past Sunday, Khaled passed his Private Pilot check ride with “flying” colors; even earning a compliment from examiner Ray Collins on an unusually soft soft field landing. He plans to move on to his instrument rating, commercial license, and eventually the cockpit of an Egypt Air 777.

Congratulations Khaled!

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Angel Jimenez is one of our students progressing through the Professional Pilot program being run in conjunction with the New England Institute of Technology. Angel works hard at his studies and his flying and that hard work has paid off. Angel passed his PPL checkride early this morning with Gene Bielecki along for the test.

Congrats Angel!

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Although he realized that along with any career choice there would be an inevitable amount of unpleasant tasks to put up with, David could never picture himself working in an office from 9 to 5. Flying airplanes seemed like the only thing he could see himself doing. He figured he could put up with just about anything for the view.

Today, after 3 years of flight training while working towards his bachelor’s degree, David earned his Commercial Pilot’s license after successfully completing his check ride with examiner Ray Collins.

Some of his favorite memories of flight training include long cross country flights followed by hamburgers that felt like they had been “earned.”

He looks forward to moving on to his Certified Flight Instructor’s license and being able to leave his students with the kind of experiences and impact that not even the 747 captains or F-18 pilots forget. He hopes to light that same “spark” that brought him where he is today.

Congratulations David!

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Todd Eikinas soloed today after 14 hours of instruction. His flight instructor Tim said, "Todd's enthusiasm and dedication makes him a great student." Todd hopes to finish up his training and buy an aircraft soon.

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Ned Palmer has been a self professed "flying nerd" all his life, studying
military aircraft and fascinated with all things aviation. Tired of just reading about it he jumped into flight training with both feet and soloed today, March 31st, 2009, after only 13 hours of training with his instructor Paul. Ned would like to surprise his parents by taking them on a flight when they come to visit (they don't know he's flying).

Regarding his training, Ned says, "This is the most satisfying thing I've done in recent history. Learning to fly from first principles with no preconceptions or preparation is both a challenge and reward."

He says he is Horizon Aviation's "biggest fan" and plans on peppering his friends and family with gift certificates this year.

Ned, the feeling is mutual. Thanks for being what this business is all about, passion for aviation and the joy of achieving your dreams of flight.

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When we started flying with Andy he was missing two things: a Pilot's License, and a beard. Now, he is sporting a Private Pilot license with his Instrument rating, as well as a thick beard. While we would like to take credit for his successes, the beard was entirely his doing.

Andy is a great student and we can only say that we are proud of his accomplishments, happy to have him with us, and look forward to helping him earn his Commercial License.

Congrats Andy!

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Each and every pilot has a story to tell. For most, the stories consist of the time they were out in a Cessna and flew to a neat airstrip and had breakfast or lunch. Airline pilots have their stories of flying through storms or arguing with the tower at La Guardia. Tim Prouty is the only person I know that has Space Shuttle stories. Early on in his career, Tim was involved with the then-in-development Space Shuttle as an engineer helping to design certain fittings. Now, a few years later, Tim is the proud holder of a Private Pilot certificate. So, if you are doing a little "hangar flying" and someone starts a story with "there was a time on the shuttle..." it might be our newest Private Pilot!

Congrats Tim!

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Not only is Brian Falvey the only person I know with time in a P-51, a seaplane rating, and a tailwheel endorsement, but he also became the latest pilot to get his third instructor license, the Instrument Flight Instructor. Brian has been flying with Horizon for as long as I can remember. He has joined us on almost every trip the school has taken including Oshkosh, and Sun N' Fun. Now that he has achieved all of the instructor's licenses, there is only one more license to get. Next up, the ATP?

Congrats Mr. Falvey

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Matt Hurley soloed just a day after his 16th birthday. He has been featured in an issue of the AOPA Aviation eBrief as the spotlight pilot. 

Soloing an airplane at the ripe old age of 16 is something few us have done and it stands out as a true accomplishment. Congratulations Matt! Now if we can just hurry up and get to your 17th birthday we can get your license!

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Daniel Lyszczak became the newest Private Pilot in the country today after a checkride with Gene Bielecki. Hailing from New Jersey, Dan is enrolled in the Career Pilot Program with New England Tech and is one of our first students to obtain their license in the program. Already working towards his instrument rating, Dan is quickly working his way towards a career at 35,000 feet.

Way to go Dan!

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As a child, like so many of us, Khaled loved to watch the planes take off at his local airport. One time as a boy he poked his head in the cockpit of an airplane to have a look and the pilot let him sit up front, showing him around and explaining how the airplane flew. Now that was a thrill but not one that can compare to today's. Today Khaled's instructor Paul decided this was the day, gave him a couple words of wisdom then left the plane in the capable hands of his student. Khaled taxied and took off and flew the pattern three times. His most memorable emotion was one of surprise.
Surprise that after only starting lessons in November he was now flying a plane by himself!

Great job Khaled! Congratulations!

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Paul Smith traveled across the country to come fly with us. Already a Private Pilot, Paul is going full steam ahead towards a career as either a pilot or an air traffic controller. Using his VA funds, Paul breezed through his IFR training and has already finished many of his commercial cross country flights. Congrats Paul!

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A few months ago, I received an email from Alex James wondering if it would be possible to accomplish his Private Pilot training within a 5 week window. Naturally, I said "sure." I estimated it would take about 55 hours to get the license and as long as the weather cooperated, we would be all set. I am thrilled to report that Alex left for home today with his Private License in hand, having flown 54.9 hours, including the checkride.

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The other day a car pulled up out front with a radio BLASTING something extremely bass heavy. I went to the window expecting to see a young kid but no. There was John Deaton in his classic convertible. Top Down. Cigar equipped. And wearing a business suit. Only John.

Flying with Steve, John made his first solo today. Now, just remember, take your finger off the mic button when you celebrate a good landing...

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Coming soon to an airfield near you, Jeff Demarey: Private Pilot and necktie connoisseur. I cant say enough good things about Jeff and am truly thrilled that he is now a licensed pilot. Congrats Jeff! He also sent us a before and after photo of himself with Penny, look at how much she has grown!

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Justin Grant. What can we say about Justin. He is now a commercial pilot. And he is one of my favorite students, not at all because he drops off the occassional freshly brewed Starbucks tea. Okay, maybe a little biased because of the Starbucks, but Justin stands out as one the most driven students around. He has gone about his training efficiently, and obviously effectively having easily passed his checkride. Justin is now going to work on his CFI license and start showing everyone else how its done. Congrats Justin.

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Greg Filonow is one of those guys that can tell you the difference between a 737-700 and a 737-800 (I cant, obviously.) A verified airplane nut, Greg recently quit his job so that he could pursue flying full time. We would like to congratulate Greg on his first solo today under the watchful eye of Doug Auclair. Keep it up Greg!

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Guy Couture spends most of his time on the water. Somehow, he decided that getting up the air was something he needed to do. Working around his work schedule, Guy did all the flying and studying needed to pass his PPL checkride with Gene Bielecki. He has been eyeballing the Diamond 40 for some time now, so we are expecting that will be the next project he tackles. Congrats Guy!

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You may remember one of our students taking a 172 all the way out to the Grand Canyon. That was Kristen Brennan and we are proud to announce that Ms. Brennan has successfully passed her commercial pilot checkride with the legendary Gene Bielecki. Kristen's cross country flight is sure to be something she can boast about for years to come, as well she should. Good job Kristen!

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Noah Vince-Cruz received his Private Pilot license today. After the checkride, Gene Bielecki commented that it was some of the best air work he has seen! That is a huge compliment coming from someone that has seen just about every pilot in this state fly! Congrats Noah! Now for that Instrument and Commercial license...

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Jacek Mucha is our first student from Poland. He has been flying in Poland for some time but needed to obtain his American Commercial and Instrument licenses. This week was a huge week for Jacek. Not only did he become a licensed Commercial Pilot with Instrument privileges, Jacek also became a father! Congrats to Jacek and his family!

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Tim Healey came to us a short time ago because he needed to fly. He comes to us all the way from Australia where he had done some flight training and become a bonafide airplane nut. In a very short amount of time, Tim made his first solo on American soil with Steve Wesolowski instructing. Congrats Tim!

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Ahab Dincer became a Private Pilot today with Gene Bielecki as the examiner. Ahab has done a great job of managing his busy schedule and maintaining steady progress throughout his training. Ahab already works for an airline but is hoping to make the jump into the front seat of the jets. He is already working towards his commercial ticket and we are thrilled to be flying with him. Congrats Ahab!

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Jeff DeMarey might be the happiest person I've met. I've never seen him without a smile, and never heard him without a laugh somewhere in the conversation. Both the smile and the laugh were in abundance today as Jeff made his first solo! He was nice enough to bring his camera in for us to use for his photo, we were nice enough to lend him a dog for his photo. Congrats Jeff!

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Ben Gaetani had his first solo today. Ben started at the end of October. He is an avid fisherman working on his PPL so he can fly around to all the good fishing spots. Eventful solo with a change in runway from 35 to 28 because of the winds. Katie finished the exciting day for Ben with her wonderful artwork on the back of his Bass T- shirt- recording the day’s events.

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A few months ago we realized that we had a group of students that were on the verge of obtaining their Flight Instructor License. We decided to attack the rating as a group. Doug is the second from the group to get his CFI license and we couldn't be happier. Congrats Doug and welcome aboard!

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With myself, Katie, Tim, Kristen and Zeke present, Brendon Ashe soloed up at Norwood this past Saturday morning. Despite temperatures that would make even the most hardened New Englander wince, Brendon was out there in the pattern for his three takeoffs and landings. Brendon is a student at Bridgewater State University that only started flying with Katie this past October. He ultimately hopes to fly for FedEx. Of course, it all starts in a Cessna 172. Congrats Brendon!

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To say that Vikki's progress through her flight training has been anything less than meteoric would be an understatement. Her first lesson with us was on October 26, 2006. In the course of just over a year she went from zero experience to a Commercial Pilot certificate and is merely weeks ago from obtaining her Certified Flight Instructor's license. All of us here are very proud of her accomplishments and look forward to seeing her on the other side of the desk teaching a whole new crowd of folks the art of flying.

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Rooks Turner flew with Gene Bielecki today and obtained his Commercial Pilot certificate. Rooks is following in his father's footsteps as a commercial pilot and hopes to be flying "the big jets" sometime in the near future. Up next for Rooks...either Multi Engine training or CFI. Keep posted for updates!

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Ben Emerick has a collection of nicknames around the school. Bemerick, Benji, Glass...whichever one we decide to use on a given day we have to follow it with CFI. Ben has been a career student with Horizon from the get go and has worked diligently towards his CFI for a few months now. He will be joining the staff here at Horizon immediately and we couldn't be happier.

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John McCullough took his first flight with us back in July as an Airman's Flight. Now, 5 months later, John is a fully licensed Private Pilot having logged less than 50 hours in obtaining his license. He will be enjoying his license for now but is already looking towards the instrument rating in the future. Congratulations John!

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Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and...James Muto? It's Christmas Eve and yet the ever determined James Muto is here with with ever festive Gene Bielecki after passing his Private Pilot checkride. I doubt very highly that anyone got a better holiday gift than a Private Pilot license, and we could not be happier. Congratulations Jim!

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If you were to look up the words perseverance or dedication in the dictionary, there is a very good chance that you would find a picture of Rachel. Rachel had a number of obstacles that popped up during her training, not the least of which was her hour commute each way to fly with us. She stuck with it every step of the way and is now a Private Pilot. All of us here at Horizon Aviation could not be more proud of her. Congratulations Rachel!

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Michael Botelho flew with Mr. Gene Bielecki this afternoon and was awarded his Private Pilot Certificate. Mike is going to enjoy his PPL for awhile before beginning work on his IFR rating. Mike's photo is probably my favorite student accomplishment photo I've taken thus far. Not only does it highlight Mike's excitement, but it showcases a Gene Bielecki trademark jelly donut. Congrats Mike!

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Tim Barrett came to us a few months ago...slightly frustrated. He had been flying but his training was cut short when his instructor left to go fly for the airlines. In just a few weeks Tim was able to finish up his PPL with us. He plans on enjoying his PPl a bit before beginning work on his instrument flying.

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Justin Dias became our first career student to solo out of Norwood on Thursday. Justin was bit by the flying bug pretty hard, flying with us multiple times per week and working for the local FBO at Norwood. He is cruising through the training and should have his PPL shortly. Congrats Justin.

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Chase Denhoff is our ramp agent on the weekends. Long before he was a member of the Horizon team, Chase was obsessed with aviation as much as anyone can be. He has gone on several trips with us, including our Dulles NASM and Oshkosh trips. After the Oshkosh trip, the pilot he flew with paid him a great compliment, saying that all his radio communication and navigation was spot on. Now that he has soloed, he is one step closer to using all that experience for himself. At only 17 years of age, he is well on his way to his dreams of being a professional pilot.

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What can we say about Mel... He is nuts about airplanes, a great student, and has the best laugh we have ever heard. Mel joined us this year on our Oshkosh trip and it was a pleasure having him along. As you can see, he was quite happy to have his IFR license in hand.

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Seth Griffin came to us after his Freshman year of college. Enrolled in the aviation program at the school, Seth was not completely pleased with the flight training they were providing. He wanted to finish up his license before the new semester started and he wanted to finish it at Horizon. After only a few weeks and a handful of hours in the air, Seth is now a licensed Private Pilot.

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Damian Almada is America's latest CFI. With aspirations to be an Air Force pilot, Damian can now teach to the primary, and commercial level. Hoping to expand his instruction certifications to include his CFII, and MEI, Damian is almost done with his professional training. Congratulations Damian!

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The second of our Fantastic Four was Michael Botelho's first solo! I met Michael at the airshow this year. He mentioned that he had wanted to fly for the longest time, had saved up enough money for it and was ready to go. We had him flying a few weeks later, flying four times each week. Having also put in less than 20 hours, Michael is well on his way to the PPL. Congratulations!

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What can be said about Doug Auclair? We can now say that Doug is a Commercial Pilot. In the time that Doug has been flying with us he has consistently impressed us with his motivation and ability. A fixture around the school, Doug is always happy to talk with potential students about learning to fly. His goal: own a plane with Sharktooth artwork on it ala the Flying Tigers...even if it is a Cessna 150. Congratulations Doug!

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Ross Cibella soloed today! Ross came in to Horizon on June 1st...the day we opened our Norwood location. We are proud to announce that Ross marks the first Horizon Norwood student to solo! The Private Pilot License should be just around the corner for Ross. Stay tuned for more updates!

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Conal Crawley soloed today, despite it being Friday the 13th. Conal has been driving down from the Boston area just to fly with us and we have love having him around. He is always telling us stories about old WWII warbirds buried in lakes and under wheat fields back in Ireland. Now if we can just find one and rebuild it.... Congrats Conal!

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Vicky LeBlanc is a familiar face around Horizon. Since October she has already logged close to 200 hours of flying. We are pleased to announce that she obtained her Instrument License today. Not stopping to rest, she is jumping straight into her Commercial training and will probably wrap that up just as quick!

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Andrew Hochhaus received his Multi Engine license today. Andrew's training was done solely on the weekends and only took a few months to complete. He was also able to use his VA Benefits to help pay for his training. Congratulations Andrew!

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Ken Mateo became the first person to receive a license flying with Horizon Aviation at our Norwood location. Congratulations Ken!

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Brian Falvey has been to Oshkosh with us. He has been to the Air and Space Museum, Sun 'N Fun, and just about every other trip that we have ever been on. He used his VA Benefits to help fund his training. He is an active participant in the Civil Air Patrol. He even has some P-51 time in his logbook. In short, Brian is as big an airplane geek as I am. We are all excited to see him get his MEI and hope to see him around the school more as he starts working on next license

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Greg Germanowski soloed today. The first day Greg came into the school, it was instantly clear to me that I had another airplane junkie on my hands. I know that Greg will remember this day just as clearly as I remember mine. Congrats Greg...almost there!

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Justin Grant received his IFR license today. Justin has been flying with us since his first hour and is taking advantage of our affiliation with CCRI to receive college credit for his flying. He will be starting his Commercial Pilot training next week!

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The United States Coast Guard students all completed their soloes today. The students were given three weeks to solo within only 15 hours worth of flying time. We are happy to report that all four cadets completed their objectives and are now eligible for Navy pilot training. Congrats cadets!

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Ryan Leveille came to us a few months ago in search of an instrument rating. With his VA Benefits available to him, Ryan opted to do all of his IFR training in our Twin Comanche to give his multi hours a boost. Traveling all the way from Bethel, ME, Ryan was checked out today and looks forward to pursuing his Commercial Multi Engine license shortly!

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Christoph Gibel soloed today for the first time off of ry23 up at SFZ. Christoph is here for a few months all the way from Austria to get his Private Pilot's License. Congratulations Christoph and keep up the good work!

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John Santos - Private Pilot!!! John has been working with us since last July to get his Private Pilot's License. An accomplished scuba diver, John can now go down or up depending on what he feels like doing. Congratulations John!

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Jacob Hoffman - Commercial Airplane Single Engine Land. Next up? Certified Flight Instructor!