09/03/2024
These photos are old; they were my high school senior year photos. A story to tell with them:
I love asking pilots about what got them into aviation. For most, it’s usually a family member who was a pilot or somehow connected. For first generation pilots, the answer is much different. A lot of first generation pilots had a specific event, or something happened that made them discover aviation as a true career option or otherwise. I was similar.
I got my private pilot license during my senior year of high school which was during Covid because I graduated in 2021. When I was 14, I set a goal of getting my license before I graduated high school. I was only lucky enough to do it because of a scholarship I received to pay for most of my training. These photos my senior year were a few months before my check-ride. It felt awesome that I achieved my goal.
I love helping young people (around high school age) get into flying. It’s not easy to get into financially, which is the biggest hurdle for most people. I am a bit of an optimist. I think most people can learn to fly with the right training. I don’t think the skill floor is as high as people think. A lot of young people will tell me they think they aren’t coordinated enough or some other reason. This is rarely the case.
I consider myself a first generation pilot. In reality I’m not. My great grandfather flew helicopters back in the day, mostly in law enforcement. He was alive when I was young, but I never knew he was a pilot until he was dying. I probably exchanged a few sentences with him the entire time he was alive. I never had any aviation influence when I was young until my first young eagles flight. Never went to an air show that I remember.
If you are looking to get into flying, DM me if you have any questions. Try to be concise because I get a lot of messages but I’m happy to help.
