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More than Just a Flight School; XL Aviation is a Community
By Annamarie Buonocore
In Flight USA had the pleasure of interviewing Anna Zavrazhnova of XL Aviation in Livermore, Calif., recently. Anna is a very accomplished pilot, especially since she started her training under difficult circumstances in Russia. She came to the U.S. and completed her training, while learning English, and now sees XL Aviation as her second home. XL’s mission is to train pilots to be better and safer in the air and on the ground. Their fleet of aircraft and expert flight instructors provide exactly what you need, and meet you where you are in your training, even if you started your training in another country and are learning English, like Anna. They offer flight training in aerobatics, onset upset recovery, and air combat maneuvering. Also, they offer solo aircraft rentals and aircraft type certifications at all levels.
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BizAvJets USA: The first question I have for you today is tell me a little bit about yourself and why you wanted to come here to the USA to learn to fly?
Anna Zavrazhnova: I’m originally from Russia and
I started to fly in Russia but it was very complicated. It is very corrupt. I had to work three jobs to be able to fly just 20 minutes per week. I couldn’t get my license there. In Russia, you have to be in a school that is approved, like an FAA-approved school here, but there are less then 10 in the entire country and you have to pay a lot of money to get the license. It just so complicated and there wasn’t a school I could go to so I was in a club, not any kind of regulatory approved school, but just a club. I just couldn’t get a license legally. I did not come here alone. I came here with my husband. If it wasn’t for flying, I would have never thought of leaving Russia. I have my family and my friends there but when my husband said we should think about coming to the U.S., I thought about flying and I agreed.
BAJUSA: Does your husband also fly.
AZ: No, he’s an IT guy. I came with him because the Silicon Valley is where it was good for him to be.
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