My Aviation Journey

By Brian Di Mascio

Aviation has been at the center of my life as long as I can remember. I’m not really sure what started it. Maybe it was my father’s decision to surround my room with books about aviation legends, biographies of great aviators and pioneers, and diecast models of airplanes and LEGO sets of spacecraft. Maybe it was my hometown—Lyndhurst, NJ, under the approach path of both Newark and Teterboro. A day without the constant whining sounds of turbines was an unusual one.

However, my path through flight has been one covered in doubt, struggle, and failure. Just like any other goal, at the beginning it feels as an impassable barrier. The whole concept of a checkride and oral exam seemed daunting. And don’t even get me started on the written test—that was a whole other world to me. Not to mention the enormous financial cost attributed to the whole endeavor. An average single engine land private pilot certificate may knock a student back 15,000 dollars!

But that all changed when I actually got there. By the time I was scheduled to take my written exam, the ground school training kicked in—paid for by the EAA, Young Eagles, and Sporty’s. When I began my flight training, my instructor made it all connect. The communication, the legalese, and the airmanship began to all come together. It felt natural in a way I had never expected it to. And best of all—my years of dedication and service to the Civil Air Patrol gave back. The use of a CAP airplane and instructor saved my family thousands and made my dream of flight possible as early as 17. Later on during my flight training, I was selected for the CAP Cadet Wings scholarship, which paid for my exam, any remaining instruction, and nearly two hours a month free until I turn 21.

When I finally passed my checkride in April 2021, it was surreal. I knew I had always wanted to fly but always had an insecurity—one removed after hours of studying, training, learning, and passion. But that checkride only remains the start of my journey.

I had always admired the cowboys and desert pioneers: the Yeagers, Hoovers, Carpenters, Crossfields, Glenns, and Armstrongs of the world. Their commitment to service and willingness to push the envelope inspired me to set my end goal to be a United States Air Force Test Pilot.

Next semester, I begin the next chapter, as I enroll in AFROTC and begin my university education as an aerospace engineer. I plan on living one step at a time, but never losing track of where my path leads to.

I often doubt now whether I have the “right stuff” to get there, but often as I did years ago, I have an inner feeling that those doubts will be surpassed by hard work, dedication, passion for aviation, and a never-ending dream to (as read by one Magee Jr.) ‘put out my hand and touch the face of God’.