Where Are They Now: FMA Solo Scholarship Winners

Where Are They Now:

FMA SOLO SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Copyright ©2018 by Tim Kern, for use of FMA and AviNation.All rights reserved.

Everybody seems to be lamenting the lack of new pilots, and a few institutions are doing something about it, but the Flying Musicians Association decided to look at factors that make a good pilot and tailor a program that would maximize success. Among the things that make a good pilot – crew management and working as a team; timing; motor and cognitive skills – airlines and the Air Force have long recognized these traits as common to successful pilot candidates.

Like the airlines and the Air Force, so have Music Directors looked for these traits. Split-second timing, holding a group together when the edges are unraveling, using each person on the team to coordinate a successful performance, and stepping into leadership, without being asked but when needed for the success of the mission – band directors rely on these students.

Band directors, because they see their students truly get tested every day and usually over several years, are also the closest to their students; they hear the dreams and disappointments, see the successes and failures (and the response to them). They are in unique relationships with high schoolers.

Music teachers, not because they know what makes good pilots, but what makes good musicians – are good spotters of innate flying talent. And they know what their students’ dreams are. Maybe the student musician also wants to fly. So the FMA receives nominations for the students from music teachers.

Then there’s the question of finance. Many organizations award scholarships to aspiring flight students, but, sadly, we know that most student starts don’t make it to solo, and even more never

matriculate to that golden PPL. And one of the biggest obstacles isn’t a lack of motivation; it’s a lack of funding.

In 2015, the FMA began a new program, designed to look at those young musicians most likely to complete their flight training and get a license, taking into all these aspects. And the FMA Board came up with a program to do this.

Since the FMA literally is “Pilot Musicians sharing their passion while encouraging and educating youth (& adults) in the science and art of aeronautics and music,” a goal of encouraging music students in their parallel quest to reach for the sky seemed like a good idea.

FMA realizes that throwing money at a recipient is not the key. Scholarships are precious, and scholarships run like a lottery expect results no better than the lottery. The FMA decided to get the most from sponsors’ money; the expected result is success.

The true hidden gem in the FMA program is that each student is also mentored by the FMA network of pilot/ musicians. This vast (over 600 members) network consist of those who are reaching for success and those who have succeeded. Members are encouraged to reach out to assist not only the recipients but all the nominees who are now part of FMA as student members. Follow along and lend your support at www. FMAsolo.org.

But there’s still that thing about finances. FMA knew that supplying resources to get students into the air was critical, but if that student could not continue flying (for valid financial reasons), the dream, the short-lived opportunity would be just that – a dream, and perhaps even a bitter one.

So FMA structured the scholarship so that the payment would go to the student, to reimburse his or her flight training, through solo -- get a student used to paying for time, and all that. Not only did that weed out unserious students, it meant that the serious ones would be able to continue flying.

Has it worked? In a word, yes. Of the eight students so far awarded scholarships, six have soloed and two have earned their tickets, with more in the pipeline.

2015 awardee Drew Medina is now a Junior at the University of Florida. Drew recently was recently a Distinguished Graduate (top 10%) of the AFROTC Field Training. He has soloed, and is working on his written exam, towards his Private.

Drew Medina at University of Florida - AFROTC

Sarah Coffelt, 2016 scholarship recipient, has soloed and has logged hours in a 172, ultralights, and an experimental as she builds hours and experience toward her PPL. She’s a sophomore, studying Civil Engineering at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, looking to play with a student-led ensemble this fall. Sarah works at the Tullahoma Regional Airport in the summer.

Sarah Coffelt

In 2017, Aaron Smokovitz of Michigan received the FMA scholarship, and has firewalled his flying since then, having earned his Private Pilot certificate. He continues his music as a freshman with a music scholarship at Oakland University of Michigan in the OU symphonic band, freshman band, brass band, and jazz band, with a Mechanical Engineering major and Music minor. Putting flying and engineering together, he is also building a Legal Eagle ultralight with a 1/2 VW powerplant.

Aaron Smokovitz

Tennessee’s own Isaac Hill also received a FMA Solo Scholarship in 2017 (thank you, Sponsors -- four scholarships in 2017!) and is building time, having already earned his PPL. He’s a freshman at the University of Tennessee with a major in Aerospace Engineering. He’s keeping up his music, too, as a member of the Pride of the Southland Band at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Isaac Hill

Immanuel Santos of Florida was a finalist in 2017. He has completed his PPL while now continuing his instrument training at Embry

Riddle in Daytona, and plays clarinet in ERAU’s Pep Band. Another dedicated student, already a Private pilot!

Immanuel Santos after a successful Checkride

William Knauth of Pennsylvania) is FMA’s fourth 2017 Solo Scholarship recipient, and he has already soloed. William is a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University.

William Knauth

FMA’s 2018 scholarship recipients, John Laughman of Ohio and Nathan Nothelle of Michigan, are both working toward their solo flights. John is also finishing his A&P Certification, and continues his musicianship as a freshman at Sinclair Community College, majoring in Aviation. Nathan is a freshman at Western Michigan University, and is continuing studies in Aviation Technical Operations while marching with the Bronco band.

John Laughman

Nathan Nothelle at WMU Broncos band camp

Thank you, Sponsors.

An idea is only as good as its results, and so far, the FMA Student Scholarship winners have shown that the program is encouraging and helpful. Not only have the awardees flourished in both music and aviation, but many of the finalists, too, have soloed, with a couple also having earned their PPLs. FMA has been told that the encouragement and focus of the application process have spurred them on to “getting on with it.” And we have more pilots.

To FMA’s program sponsors, the organization is eternally grateful. Special thanks go to Bose Aviation, BOSE, Sporty’s Pilot Shop, MYGOFLIGHT, Gleim Aviation, Hartzell Propellers, Daher, ForeFlight. Honda Power Equipment. FMA also acknowledges Aviators Hot Line, Trade-A-Plane, AviNation, and 121five.com for their extensive help in raising awareness for these and other FMA programs.

More: http://flyingmusicians.org/members/page.php?49