United Flight Systems

September 24, 2026. Bruno Mendez walks out of the checkride — certificate in hand, pilot for life. ✈️

Getting a Private Pilot Certificate is no small thing. It's hours of pattern work, cross-country flights logged in every kind of weather, relentless study for the written and oral, and the grit to show up to the checkride and perform. Bruno put in every bit of that work and made it count.

Tip of the cap to Jaime Gray, CFI, CFII — the instruction, the prep, and the steady hand that brought Bruno from student to certificated pilot.

Wheels up on the next chapter, Bruno. The cockpit's yours.

Hand on the yoke, city in the window, checklist in the mind. Aviation doesn't ask how far you've come — only where you're pointed next. ✈️

📸 Photo by Cadence Johns

The IFR world just got a new teacher. Jeff Marshall earned their CFII — and it's now their turn to bring the next wave of pilots into the clouds.

Earning a Certified Flight Instructor — Instrument certificate means not only mastering holds, approaches, partial panel, and every nuance of instrument flight, but developing the skill to explain it clearly under pressure. Jeff put in the work and walked out with the rating to prove it.

Full credit goes to Jiri Brejnik, CFI, CFII — their expertise and mentorship made this checkride a success.

Here's to a long career of producing exceptional IFR pilots, Jeff. The instrument community is lucky to have you. 🎓

From first lesson to certificated pilot — Dylan Pantin made the jump on September 22, 2026. ✈️

Earning a Private Pilot Certificate takes everything: dedicated ground school sessions, hours of pattern work, cross-country flights logged under all conditions, and the mental toughness to stand up to a checkride when it counts. Dylan put in every bit of that effort and delivered a performance worth celebrating.

Couldn't have done it without Christian Montanez, CFI, CFII — the preparation, the precision, and the confidence to walk into that checkride ready to perform.

The logbook is filling up, Dylan. The skies are wide open.

Two great instructors. One checkride. One brand-new Private Pilot. ✈️

Earning a Private Pilot Certificate is a serious milestone — it takes months of dedication, from ground school and pattern work to cross-country flights and the pressure of checkride day. Teagan Holmes put in that work and showed up ready on September 22, 2026. The examiner signed off, and just like that — Private Pilot.

It's not every day a student gets two outstanding CFIs backing them up. Having Brian Dalzell, CFI, CFII, MEI and Brian Rose, CFI, CFII in their corner was clearly a winning combination. The preparation, the experience, and the instruction speak for themselves.

From student to pilot — that's the journey, Teagan. Enjoy every flight that comes next.

DPE Wally Mulhearn reveals what really scares examiners on checkrides and why checklist discipline can make or break your ride. Part II of Ask the DPE is packed with real scenarios and pro tips.

Zero visibility. Full confidence. That's Brooke Eadie's new normal. ✈️

Earning an Instrument Rating means learning to fly a completely different way — trusting the gauges over your gut, flying published approaches down to minimums, holding steady in busy airspace, and staying calm when the horizon disappears into gray. Brooke logged every one of those hours and brought it all together on checkride day.

Couldn't have done it without Mary Harris, CFI, CFII — whose sharp, patient coaching walked Brooke through the syllabus one approach at a time.

Fog, low ceilings, gray days — none of it slows Brooke down anymore.