My aviation education goes back to 2009 when I began flying constantly on Microsoft Flight Simulator X. I got all kinds of addon aircraft, from Cessna 172’s to Boeing 747. With increasing level of detail, I would plan entire airline flights, fly them with an actual schedule, follow all the airline procedures, and do this all on the VATSIM network, talking to other people working as simulated ATC. I did this for about 2 years until I decided to “go for it” and get my private pilot license.
In 2011 I took Private Pilot ground school at Glendale Community College as a “concurrent enrollment” high school student. I passed this class, and then took Navigation.
In late 2013 and early 2014 I had a number of exciting experiences that will stay with me forever.
I began flying with a friend in his experimental RV-10, gaining valuable high performance (300hp engine!) and training time. This was the first time I had ever actually consistently manipulated the flight controls of an aircraft (outside of simulation). With that said, I also had about 1500 hrs on the flight simulator when I began.
At about this same time, I started taking classes again at Glendale Community College. I took Aerodynamics & Aircraft Structures, then Meteorology, then Instrument Ground School and Technically Advanced Aircraft. I cannot speak highly enough of the GCC department’s ground classes. They are absolutely wonderful!
As a top 5 student in the Aerodynamics Class, my instructor and friend Edwin Sahakian took me and others up in his Citation Mustang. Captured by me in these videos:
Shortly after these great experiences, I performed my first solo flight, and solo cross country flights. Captured in these videos I made:
In 2014, I attained a very important goal to me : getting my Private Pilot Certificate (Single Engine Land).
Shortly after, I took my mom and sister up for a flight around our neighborhood, caught on video here:
Today, I fly a mix of the Zenith STOL CH750, Cessna 172S G1000, Cessna 172N, and Diamond DA40
For more of my aviation videos: click here
I’ve taught also taught a class about aviation & the science of flight at Learn Beyond the Book.
Jonny Hyman 