Journey to Becoming a Pilot at Seventeen

JOURNEY TO BECOMING A PILOT AT SEVENTEEN

My Name is Travis Senft and I would like to share with you my journey in becoming a pilot at the age of seventeen and soloing the plane before I could drive myself to the airport for my flight lessons. While you might think my journey started by taking flying lessons at my local airport in Burlington, Wisconsin, it actually starts much earlier. It started before I ever buckled up for my first flying lesson. My journey starts as far back as I can remember learning about hard work and perseverance. I joined Cub Scouts at my local grade school in Wheatland, Wisconsin when I was seven. Here I gained many new friends and learned from many adult leaders. My friends and I learned many life skills while in the Cub Scouts. We learned about citizenship, community service and Scout skills such as swimming, hiking, and fishing. The Cub Scout experience helped to build my confidence and work ethic. Once we reached our final rank of Arrow of Light award, we joined Troop 381 Boy Scouts of America. Here again I was surrounded with everlasting friendship and leaders that were strict, tough, and always fair. I started to learn that hard work matters. I also learned about, cooking, first aid, wilderness survival and earned over 40 merit badges in a variety of subjects. I also was charged with responsibilities and learned leadership skills. My experience in Scouts helped to shape my character and provided me with a great foundation. I’ve been taught to value hard work. My education has always been important. I worked hard in grade school and earned good grades. In high school, I’ve been on the honor roll consistently. While this might not seem important as it relates to my journey to becoming a pilot, it has affected the opportunities that opened up while being on the journey. I set goals and look for opportunities. Never let an opportunity pass you by. I have learned this lesson throughout my life and it is a guiding principle I live by. The other principles I live by are “Always be prepared” and “Do a good deed daily”. Most people will recognize the last two as being from the Boy Scouts. By living out these principals, I was able to earn my rank as an Eagle Scout at the age of fifteen.

 I am very proud of this achievement. I know the value of hard work, but I also like to have fun. I was part of a state and national champion water ski show team, the Brown’s Lake Auqaducks. I skied with the team for five years performing in shows as a trick skier, doubles partner, and barefoot skier. I currently participate as a varsity shooter on the Westosha Central High School Trap Team. Our team is nearly always ranked as a top team in the state of Wisconsin and has finished at a high ranking at the national level.

So how does all this contribute to me achieving my FAA private pilot’s license at seventeen? Hard work matters and “Always be prepared”, I have been around airplanes all my life and many people reading this article might say it was fate or I was given an opportunity that others might not have. I can tell you that some of that is true but, with hard work and by taking advantage of opportunities, anyone with ambition can also be on a journey to becoming a pilot.

Here are some of my insights as a seventeen year old, hanging around the airport. You’d be amazed how easy it is to get a ride. You could attend a Young Eagles’ flight event or, if you see a hangar open, politely ask the person to teach you about his/her plane. Be open to learning new things. Ask for a ride. Work hard. Ask if you can help around the hangar or airport. Find yourself a great flight instructor. My flight instructor was Mr. Ferguson. He is an Army veteran. He flew helicopters for the Army. Side note: If you ever meet a veteran, thank him for his/her service. When you hear the National anthem, stop, remove your hat and face the flag with your right hand over the heart. Be respectful. Okay back to the journey; listen to your flight instructor, do your homework before each flight, and be prepared for each lesson. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Be dedicated to achieving your goal. You might have to put other things on hold for a while until your flight lessons are completed. You can only fly when the weather is good and your flight instructor is available so flying should be your top priority when the weather and schedules coincide. Study daily. There is a lot of information to learn. You don’t need to learn it all in one day. Study little bits each day. Have fun. You’re flying a plane. This is super cool and you should always end the lesson with a smile on your face even though not every lesson will be perfect. With practice your flying will get better.

Now that I am a pilot, my journey has only just begun. I now enjoy flying for fun and adventure. Some of these adventures include flying to pancake breakfasts, flying to airports for lunch, and flying to explore new areas of the surrounding states. I fly to many airports with my dad and we often borrow the airport car to go hiking. We also arrange to camp at the airport. Hint: Never camp under the beacon. It is loud and keeps you up all night. These adventures have quickly filled my logbook. I now have over 100 hours of flight time eight months after becoming a pilot. I plan to become a professional pilot. I will be starting my senior year of high school next year and I plan to go to college to become a professional pilot. I also started an awesome job last summer at Burlington Air Center at the Burlington airport in Wisconsin. Burlington Air Center is a high quality, full service, FAA approved, part 145 repair station that has been in business for over 30 years. I work there as an aircraft technician. I work with a great bunch of people that are willing to take the time to teach me how to service many different types of aircraft. I would like to show my appreciation to: Jake the owner, Cody: my boss, Jessica the real boss of the shop, Eric, Sam, Joe, Bob, Paul, Derek, Brett, and Logan. Thanks for being patient with me and teaching me to be a great technician.

Take your own journey. Don’t be afraid of hard work. Success will not come overnight. Always keep opportunities in front of you. Never let an opportunity pass you by. Always be prepared. Do a good deed daily. Always be respectful. Stand for the National Anthem and thank a veteran. Becoming a pilot is an attainable goal, it just takes determination and hard work. I Hope to read about your journey to becoming a pilot someday.