3 minute read
Pathway: Carly Shukiar
While most young girls were playing with Barbies or American Girl dolls, I spent the majority of my childhood creating my own airport in my backyard, complete with model Southwest and American Airlines jets. As a toddler, I would finish preschool and eagerly travel to the local airport to spend the afternoon watching the aircraft takeoff and land. From my earliest years, I have known that aviation would remain an integral part of my adult life.
I got seriously introduced to aviation at a career day event in October of 2015. I took my first flight in a small aircraft in May of 2016, through the EAA Young Eagles program. I caught the aviation bug, and in that moment I knew that I wanted to pursue a private pilot certificate, and later a career in the industry.
I became a private pilot in Camarillo, California over a period of 18 months. Private pilot flight training taught me more about myself than any other experience has in the past. I am extremely grateful to have found mentorship opportunities throughout the industry, and was inspired by the people who were willing to give of their time to help me succeed. I especially found this mentorship in the Ninety Nines, an organization for female pilots, and at my flight school, Channel Islands Aviation. The idea of mentorship and positive involvement in the industry has helped guide me to success in the flight training realm, as well as throughout college.
Currently, I am a freshman Commercial Aviation major at the University of North Dakota, and I plan to receive my remaining flight certifications at UND. Once my flight courses are complete, I’ll build my hours as a UND Certified Flight Instructor, and later move to the airlines, working as a regional first officer until I can move to a major airline and achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a captain.
In addition to learning valuable lessons in my flight journey, I’ve also learned about confidence and boldness. In order to act as pilot in command successfully, you must have a certain air of confidence and faith in yourself and your abilities. The confidence I learned from flight taught me to take chances and risks in terms of putting myself out there in ways I wouldn’t have dreamed of before flight training. For instance, I applied for the Women’s Air Race Classic team at UND, with the expectation that I would not get on the team since I am just a freshman. To my surprise, I was selected for the team, and will now spend the remainder of this semester and summer as one of four team members representing the UND flight department.
I applied for this team out of curiosity to see the application process firsthand, and observe it for future years where I would have a viable shot at earning a spot. However, the ambition that flying taught me gave me the confidence to try and apply, and I actually made it! In addition to the Air Race Classic team, I also work as a tour guide and student ambassador at UND Aerospace. I love the position, and it has given me the opportunity to learn more about my program, make valuable connections, and help convince prospective students that UND can be the right place for them.
Before attending UND, I had the opportunity to start an aviation club at my high school. I acted as president for two years, leading club meetings and serving as the liaison between my club and the student senate. I had an incredible opportunity to teach others about aviation, especially those who didn’t know much about it yet. This experience of helping to expose students to aviation and what it stands for, as well as my aviation experiences through the general aviation community, has inspired a specific goal. One day, I desire to own a Cessna 172, and be as active in the general aviation community as I can. Specifically, I want to use my aircraft to be a Young Eagles pilot, as well as be active in the Ninety Nines and serve as a mentor, just as others have for me.
I am absolutely determined to achieve my dream. Overall, I look forward to continuing my general aviation and commercial flight journey until I have achieved my goal of earning the title of captain, lifting my wheels off the runway and taking to the skies.