Soaring After My Dream – Hangar Flying

It all began on May 30, 2012, when I stepped onto a United Airlines Airbus A320 for the first time. At the time I was only four years old going to Disney World. That day I thought I was going to the happiest place on Earth, but I found my happiest place on Earth on that aircraft. I remember stepping off the airplane and telling my mom that I was going to fly an airplane like that one day. At the time she did not believe me, but I just felt this was the plan God had for me.

After that I could not wait for the next time we would fly. I would play flight simulator games on my iPad and watch Air Disasters and movies about airplanes every chance I had. For career day in 2nd grade, I told my mom I wanted to dress as a pilot. My mom was beginning to understand that this really was my dream and how passionate about it I was.

In September 2016, my mom was talking with one of her co-workers, Jackie, about how passionate I was when it came to flying. Jackie’s mom had been involved in aviation and had told Jackie about the Young Eagles program, so my mom and Jackie looked up chapters close by and found EAA Chapter 186 in Manassas, Virginia. In October they surprised me by taking me for my first Young Eagles rally. It was there that I met Mrs. Sande Miller-Long. Mrs. Sande could see my passion, and she was always so kind to me, telling my mom that she had no doubt I was going to be successful and reach my goals, and how she could not wait for that day to see me achieve them. My mom would take me to Manassas once a month on Saturdays for more than 26 Young Eagles flights that reignited that fire that started when I was four. My first Young Eagles flight was with Bob Prange, EAA 1092318, in his Beechcraft Musketeer. I was so excited because I had heard during the safety briefing that Mr. Prange was a Delta pilot.

We started getting involved in the chapter and volunteering to help, taking part in chapter events. We had heard Mrs. Sande mention that she wished they had a popcorn machine, so my mom was able to secure one, and I was able to gift it to the chapter house to thank everyone involved in the chapter for all they were doing for me. Through the Young Eagles program, I gained a lot of experience and was able to fly in some really amazing aircraft; a few of my favorites being with Paul Schafer, EAA 202519, in his Diamond DA-40, and Mr. Tim Carey, EAA 856544, in his Harmon Rocket.

My mom quickly realized that I was meant to be a pilot, as each month I would step out of the airplane with a huge smile on my face, begging to go again. My mom was hard at work finding as many resources for me as she could. When I was 11 years old on June 8, 2019, my elementary school took all the kids who passed the D.A.R.E. class to a Young Eagles D.A.R.E. rally at Winchester Airport, and Chapter 186 was hosting. Mrs. Sande reached out and asked my mom if I would be interested in volunteering that day to help walk my classmates out to the airplanes. Little did I know that the pilot they paired me with would become one of my mentors and would help to continue keeping my fire of becoming a pilot lit.

This amazing pilot works for Southwest Airlines, and whenever he is in town he tries to take me flying in his Pilatus P-3, and has provided me many resources and things to keep in mind when becoming a pilot. I feel he was sent to me by God as a role model and someone to go to for info on this journey. I am so grateful that he was placed in my life. When I turned 15, my mom and dad had gotten me a discovery flight through a local flight school. It was the coolest thing ever; it was a sunset flight, and as we headed out on the tarmac, I headed to the passenger side of the airplane. The flight instructor asked what I was doing and I replied, “Umm getting in the plane?” His response was, “Well are you flying this thing or what?” I couldn’t believe it, so I closed the door and headed over to the pilot’s seat. That was the first time I had ever had the opportunity to take off and land, but I took what I had learned from my many Young Eagles flights and did my best.

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At the next month’s Young Eagles rally, my mom was talking to Mrs. Sande and telling her about the experience, but that it was going to be very expensive. Another lady was there, and she told my mom that she needed to get me in the Civil Air Patrol, and that they would help to get my private pilot certificate at a fraction of the cost of a flight academy. I joined the Civil Air Patrol’s Winchester Composite Squadron in February 2023, and I have met so many amazing people and made so many friends. In July 2023, I started the journey toward my private pilot certificate with Lt. Col. Dean “Norm” Anderson.

In October 2023, my parents took me to Paris, France, and I finally got to fly on my favorite aircraft, the Boeing 777. I am so grateful for the amazing United pilots on that flight who invited me to sit in the cockpit of my dream aircraft, and the captain even let me wear his hat. As I exited the airplane that day, the pilot shook my hand and said, “I look forward to flying with you, one day young man.” I was even more excited than ever and couldn’t wait until my next lesson with Lt. Col. Anderson, who was pushing and helping me to prepare for my first milestone of flying solo. On January 25, 2024, my 16th birthday, I was able to complete my solo, and what an amazing feeling that was!! Following my solo flight I have been hard at work with completing my ground school and working to continue to rank up in the CAP program. I am also starting to fly into Class D airspace and working on talking with air traffic control.

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Over the last 12 years of my life, I have realized that aviation is my passion. I couldn’t be more grateful for my amazing mom and dad who continuously support my dream and help me every single day to get closer and closer to my goal of becoming a commercial pilot, as well as all of my family and friends who are on the sidelines cheering me on, and programs like Young Eagles and Civil Air Patrol. Most importantly, I have to thank God for all the amazing opportunities he has provided me with and helped me achieve. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Him, and the many blessings he has provided along this journey, and the people he has placed in my path along the way.