Pilot and Student Accomplishments
Here at Leighnor Aircraft, we take special pride in our pilot's and student's accomplishments. Our tagline is "Accomplish More - Fly with Leighnor!" and our students and pilots do accomplish more. This page is our celebration of our pilot's and student's successes.
Our Most Recent Accomplishments
We also had a new Instrument Instructor pass her check ride yesterday. Arinola “Rain” Ojehomon passed her check ride flying out brand new 172, N239K. Congratulations Rain!!
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Congratulations Rain ! Use it often so you don’t lose it!
We have a new instrument rating to celebrate today! Zach Huff completed his instrument rating flying N402ER this morning. Zach was working with flight instructor Przemi for his instrument rating. Congratulations Zach!!
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Congratulations 👏👏👏 And thank you for a chance to fly with you !
Congratulations!!
Congratulations!
We have a brand-new Private Pilot to celebrate today! Patrick Baize completed his check ride this morning flying N6282D. Patrick was working with flight instructor Brad Hayman. Congratulations Patrick!
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Congratulations! My favorite 172 😎
Congratulations!
We have a first solo to celebrate today! Aleana Cricks, who is EAA Chapter 952’s Ray Scholarship winner, took her first solo flight in N3436R. Pictured left to right are Tina Behr-Andres, EAA Chapter 952 President, Aleana Cricks, flight instructor Josh Gressly, and Larry Batin, EAA Chapter 952’s Young Eagles Coordinator.
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Congratulations! Welcome to the wonderful, crazy world of aviation.
We have a first solo flight to celebrate today! Nicholas Bronson had his first solo flight in N6282D this morning. Nick is working with flight instructor Hunter Vandertoll.
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Congratulations ‼️
Congratulations!
Great job
We have a first solo flight to celebrate! Bryce Stevens on May 23rd soloed in N6282D. Bryce is working with flight instructor JJ Johnson.
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Congratulations ‼️
We have a first solo to celebrate today! Matt Maxwell is pictured here after his successful solo flight with flight instructor Przemi and Cessna Skycatcher N7027F.
Congratulations Matt!
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We have another brand new CFI to celebrate! On Wednesday 4/20/2022, Ashley Carlson successfully completed her CFI check ride. She was flying N821ST and working with flight instructor Przemi. SAE Mark Rebholz was her examiner.
Congratulations Ashley!
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Congratulations indeed!
Yay….. congratulations Captain 🧑✈️ 🎈🎊🎉
Great Job!
We have a first solo cross-country flight to celebrate! On Monday, 4/20/2022, Bill Pitz successfully completed on of the big milestones in student pilot's learning - his first solo cross-country flight! Bill was flying Skycatcher N60020 and working with flight instructor Maxwell Denney.
Congratulations Bill!
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Thanks to Max and the entire Leighnor Aircraft family for helping to make my childhood dream a reality!
We have another Private Pilot to celebrate! On Wednesday, 4/20/2022, Patrick Curtis completed his check ride for a fixed-wing Private Pilot add-on. Patrick was flying N402ER and working with flight instructor Cody Gamble.
Congratulations Patrick!
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Congratulations!
We had a second first solo over the weekend on Sunday! Roark Wolfe, flying Foxbat N226AM completed his first solo flight. Roark is working with flight instructor Ken Crawford.
Congratulations Roark!
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Congratulations ‼️
Congratulations.
Congratulations!
Glad to see the red on in the flight school.
Nice Job!
We have a first solo to celebrate today!
Austin Siler, flying N35628, completed his first solo flight. Austin is working with flight instructor Przemi and you can see it here live!
Congratulations Austin!
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Congratulations! Well done!
Congratulations 🎉🎈🎊
We have a new instrument rated pilot to celebrate today! Yesterday, Michael Brewer flying N821ST, completed his instrument rating check ride with DPE John McLaughlin over in Cottonwood. Michael, CFII Chris Reinhardt and N821ST are pictured on the South Ramp after his return to Prescott.
Congratulations Michael!
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Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉
We have a first solo flight to celebrate today! Tyson Gillette successfully completed his first solo flight fly N6282D. Tyson is working with flight instructor Cody Gamble.
Congratulations Tyson!
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Congratulations ‼️
Congratulations!
It’s a twofer today! We have a newly minted Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII) today. Maxwell Denney completed his check ride with SAE Mark Rebholz flying N402ER. This was truly a team effort as many of our CFII’s helped Maxwell achieve this goal.
Congratulations Maxwell!!
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Truly a team effort! It has been amazing flying at Leighnor, a company that has, at it’s heart, general aviation. It’s been wonderful working with other CFIs from super sharp Embry Riddle folks, to seasoned Airline Captains, to hard working professionals who instruct because of the love of the sport and want to share their passion of flying. I am grateful for our diversity, it makes us very special and allows us all to grow as aviators and professionals.
Congratulations Max !
Congratulations Maxwell Denney!
Congratulations 🎉🎊🎈
Great iob
We have another new Private Pilot to celebrate today!! James Hauke successfully completed his check ride today with SAE Mark Rebholz while flying N6282D. James was a student of flight instructor Maxwell Denney.
Congratulations James!!
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Congratulations James! Was a pleasure flying with you, can’t wait for you to share the love of flying now with your fiancé.
Congratulations
Nice work
We have a new Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) to celebrate! Hunter Vandertoll passed his check ride today with DPE John McLaughlin flying Cessna 172 N35628, otherwise known as “Lucy”. (The airplane color is a hint…) Hunter was a student of flight instructor Ed Kalabus.
Congratulations Hunter!!
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If you’re a flight student and your CFI program start date is months away… ours isn’t. Start flying today! Why wait?
Congratulations!
We have ANOTHER Private Pilot to celebrate today! 👏👏👏
Nicholas Henderson did his check ride with DPE John McLaughlin in N821ST this morning over at Cottonwood Airport and is our newest Private Pilot! Nicholas was working with flight instructor Ed Kalabus.
If you've been following this page for a while, the pace of pilots and ratings has tremendously picked up! That's what Leighnor Aircraft does! We get you to your ratings and through your check ride.
Today was also special - N821ST, our brand-new roughly 200 hour Cessna 172 had her very first check ride as well and will no doubt be the first of many successful rides yet to come!
Congratulations Nicholas, we are all very proud of you!
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Great job! Excellent!
Congratulations! 👏✈️
👏👏
Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉
We have a brand-new Sport Pilot to celebrate today!
Jason McClain had his check ride this morning over at Cottonwood with DPE John McLaughlin in Skycatcher N7027F and successfully completed his practical test. Jason was a student of flight instructor Ken Crawford.
Congratulations Jason!
N7027F is a special little airplane to us. She's the first aircraft we owned and got this show we called Leighnor Aircraft off the ground in 2017; she's running on her second engine (over 3300 hours on the aircraft); and this little plane has produced dozens if not over a hundred pilots since she took to the air for the first time as a trainer in 2011. She produced another new pilot today in Jason.
For those of you that might wonder what a Sport Pilot certificate is; the answer is that it's a more restricted pilot's certificate that restricts the pilot to a specific class of airplanes, such as a Cessna 162 as well as activities - for example, you can't fly at night. However the cost and time to get a Sport Pilot certificate is quite a bit less than the Private Pilot certificate.
Leighnor Aircraft is the only company in North Central Arizona that trains Sport Pilots and has Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) available for rent.
So if you want to get in the air, there ARE less costly options out there!
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We have another new Private Pilot to celebrate!
Scott Burns took his check ride with DPE John McLaughlin on 3/11/2022 and passed. Scott was flying N6282D and working with flight instructor JJ Johnson.
Congratulations Scott!
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Hey, Scott! Congratulations on getting your PPL done! Commercial next!
We have a new Private Pilot today!
One of our own, Leighnor Aircraft's very first employee, Eric Sepulveda, passed his Private Pilot check ride this morning with DPE John McLaughlin over at Cottonwood Airport.
Eric started flying with Leighnor Aircraft in 2018. Like many pilots, he had to stop taking lessons for a while and started back up again last year and into this year, really hitting it hard with flight instructor Przemi “Shemy” Biniszkiewicz.
Due to the poor weather on Saturday, Eric sat for his oral with John on Saturday - passing that exam with flying colors. This morning, he realized a long term goal of getting his license!
His check ride was in Skycatcher N60594, who along with her sister N7027F, have created dozens of pilots since taking to the air in 2011 and 2012. Eric is pictured on the ramp in Cottonwood after his check ride, then back over here at the Leighnor Aircraft ramp with flight instructor Przemi “Shemy” Biniszkiewicz.
Congratulations Eric!
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Send more like him!
That's awesome! Congratulations! I know Eric. Please pass on my congratulations 🎈
That’s so cool, your first employee, congratulations!
Congratulations Eric!
Yay!!!!! Maddie says “Cool!” ☺️
Congratulations!
Congrats!
Congratulations!
Congratulations ‼️🛫
We have a first solo flight to celebrate! Gregory Blake Grant soloed on March 6th in N6282D! Gregory was working with flight instructor Przemi “Shemy” Biniszkiewicz and they're pictured on the Leighnor Aircraft ramp with N6282D! Congratulations Gregory!!
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Congratulations ‼️ Why does he still have his shirt tail? 😎
13 is generally considered an unlucky number, but not for Daniel-Paul Roberts! On Sunday, February 13th, in Foxbat N226AM Daniel-Paul successfully completed his Private Pilot check ride with DPE John McLaughlin. Daniel-Paul is a 4th generation pilot and he started flying with us in Cottonwood while a high school student. Daniel-Paul was a student of flight instructor Ed Kalabus.
Congratulations Daniel-Paul Roberts!
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Great Job
Congratulations!
We have another first solo to celebrate! Blair Niemela, on Sunday January 23rd, soloed in N402ER. His brother Doug Niemla is his flight instructor. Congratulations Blair!
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We have another first solo to celebrate! Megan Dawson solos in Skycatcher N60594 under the instruction of Arinola "Rain" Ojehomon on Saturday January 29th! Congratulations Megan!
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Congratulations! Onward & upward ‼️
congratulations
Congratulations! Well done !
We have another new Private Pilot to celebrate today! Tim Irwin completed a lifelong journey to his Private Pilot Certificate today in N6282D. Tim was working with flight instructor Chris Reinhardt and this was a special day for Chris too - Tim was his first student to certify making it a very special day! Tim flew with DPE John McLaughlin over in Cottonwood. Congratulations to both Tim and Chris!
This can be you too! We can help you accomplish your goals and dreams of becoming a pilot, just contact us to see how Leighnor Aircraft can help you accomplish more!
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Nice avionics in that bird between the L3 and IFD!
We had a really special first solo today. One of our front desk employees, Eric Sepulveda soloed this afternoon in N60594. But there's a bit more to this story. Eric started flying with us in 2018 but had to step away from flying for a while and this is his first solo flight after getting back to flying. Eric is working with flight instructor Przemi “Shemy” Biniszkiewicz. We even got it all on video! Congratulations Eric!!!
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Maddie says “Good job!” ☺️
One of Flight Instructor Jeff Lombardo's students, Chase Gillespie, completed his first solo on Saturday morning 12/4, just a couple of weeks after his 16th birthday. The flight took place at the Cottonwood airport in N7027F. They were able to plan things out so his parents could observe, and his grandfather (who also trains with Jeff) was also in attendance.
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We have a first solo to celebrate today!
John Bartell soloed earlier today in N7027F over in Cottonwood. John has been working with flight instructor Przemi “Shemy” Biniszkiewicz. We are always excited to see our students first solo achievements as it's the first major goal of every new pilot!
Congratulations John, you're well on your way!
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Congrats
We have another new Private Pilot to celebrate! Kyle Davidson completed his check ride on Saturday November 20th with DPE Brian Schultz in N402ER. Kyle was a student of flight instructor Doug Niemla. Congratulations Kyle!!!
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Congratulations‼️
We have a new Private Pilot in Prescott! Allen Perez completed his Private Pilot check ride with DPE John McLaughlin on November 6th! Allen was working with flight instructor JJ Johnson and flying N60594.
Congratulations Allen!
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We don't have a picture, but we have a new Sport Pilot in Cottonwood! Tim Costello on October 24th completed his Sport Pilot check ride with DPE John McLaughlin. Tim was working with flight instructor Josh Gressly in Cottonwood and was flying our Aeroprakt A22LS, N226AM (shown below)
Congratulations Tim!!!
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Congratulations!
Today we are celebrating a huge accomplishment for Rosser Adams as well as a milestone accomplishment for Leighnor Aircraft! Rosser successfully completed his Instrument Rating check ride this afternoon in N402ER. The Instrument Rating is truthfully one of the more difficult flight ratings to obtain as it requires a large breadth of knowledge as well as very precise flight management. So it's a huge accomplishment as a pilot for Rosser. For Leighnor Aircraft, this is our first Instrument Rating. We've done a lot of Private Pilots, some Sport Pilots, a few Commercial Pilots and some Flight Instructors, but no Instrument Rating - until today! The reason there were no Instrument Ratings in the past is we didn't have the aircraft to do the training and now we do. Two of our 172s are very nice instrument training aircraft and when our 182 returns shortly, she will be the premier instrument aircraft in the fleet. So if you're wanting to work on your Instrument Rating, we can help you and you can join Rosser with his head in the clouds!
Rosser was working with Flight Instructor Ed Kalabus and took his check ride in N402ER with DPE John McLaughlin. Congratulations Rosser, we're all super proud of you and your hard work to accomplish this difficult goal!
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Ed had him well prepared and Rosser ran the IFD like a pro.
Congratulations❗ Definitely one of the most difficult ratings to get.
Congratulations to all! 👍🎉
nice work
Congrats
Congratulations!
We had to wait a little bit to get the photo, but we also have a first solo to celebrate. Mary Ajodah has been working with flight instructor Przemi “Shemy” Biniszkiewicz and she achieved her first solo a few weeks back. Congratulations on a great first step along your aviation journey Mary, we're all proud of you!
Mary is pictured with flight instructor Shemy and N162BS.
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Congratulations Mary. MOST OUTSTANDING I soloed in September 1966, age 17, with 9.6 hours in a 1958 Piper PA-22 Tri Pacer.
Saturday October 2nd was actually a 2-fer! We had two new Private Pilots successfully complete their check rides on Saturday.
Earlier in the day on Saturday, Brian Sandford successfully completed his Private Pilot check ride in N402ER. Brian was working with flight instructor Daniel Mills-Thysen.
Congratulations Brian!
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