03/11/2026
Ever since he was a kid, Vinod Raja Coimbatore Rajendiran has dreamed of becoming a pilot. And only just a few days ago, he took the J3 Cub to Miami University airport (KOXD) to make that dream a reality; and so, on Sunday, March 8th, 2026, he was presented with his Sport Pilot’s Certificate!
Everyone at Hogan’s Flying Service is really proud of his accomplishment and wanted to share his story. We reached out to him after his big day and this is what he had to say:
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“My childhood dream was to become a pilot, but life took me in different directions and I couldn’t pursue it then. When I moved to the U.S., I realized how massive general aviation is here and how many opportunities exist. But with work and responsibilities, the thought slowly faded away.
In 2024, while driving around Middletown Regional Airport I saw several small airplanes circling and landing in the pattern. That moment sparked something again. I went home, started researching pilot licenses that could fit my work schedule, and discovered the Sport Pilot path.
I joined a Facebook group for future LSA pilots and asked if there was any sport pilot training around me. On March 6, 2024, Leonora reached out. For someone who had never even sat in a small airplane before, suddenly becoming PIC felt overwhelming — almost unreal. But that’s where the journey truly began.
I was scared of heights, scared of steep turns, and at times I asked myself, “What am I doing?” But step by step, I worked through my anxiety and focused on improving my weak areas.
Billy pointed out many things I needed to correct. After working on them, I soloed. When I came back, he said, “You’re a good Cub pilot.” Hearing that from an F-15 pilot meant a lot to me.
Then I continued flying with Tim, Josh, and Nathan — each of them helped fine-tune my techniques and pushed me to become a better pilot.
And finally came the big one — Tom. His inputs and guidance were incredible
Hogan’s will never fail you.”
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