NORWICH – Christmas came early for Annette Mertz of Sidney. On Wednesday Dec. 6, 19 days early in fact, when she successfully passed the FAA private pilot check ride at the Norwich airport. Mertz completed her pilot training at Norwich Flight Instruction and Rental, which is based at the Norwich Airport.

Fred Stagnaro, owner of Norwich Flight Instruction and Rental, was informed by the Federal Aviation Administration designated Pilot Examiner Gary Bedick (a US Airways Captain), that Mertz performed all of the required private pilot tasks successfully.