7 minute read
My Path to the Left Seat
BY AFTON KINKADE
I am a student pilot who is working her way towards the captain’s chair. Yes I am only 13 years old and not old enough to solo, but that has not stopped me so far! My dream is to follow in the footsteps of my personal hero International Aerobatic Champion Ms. Patty Wag-staff. Well, eventually I would like to fly aerobatic air shows on the weekends and Captain the Twin Otter aircraft for NOAA during the week.
My passion for aviation started as a small child, like 2 or 3 years old. As I looked into the sky I saw these machines soaring, I was completely mesmerized. My mother told me that those were airplanes and there are people who drive them called pilots. I asked can I do that when I grow up? She said the magic words, “of course you can!” Seriously since then I have always known I wanted to be a pilot.
I even attended a friend’s princess themed birthday party when I was 5 years old wearing a flight suit! Yes, a princess themed party and I went as a pilot!!!
Of course everyone always asks me, “so who in your family is a pilot?” I am always quick to respond “ME!” You see my Dad is in the power sports industry, and my Mom was a teacher. She has since cut her hours to take me to all of my extra curricular things. Once I introduced her as my Uber driver at a huge conference out in California, but that did not go so well !?!
My Dad started me with some simulator training at around 6 years old. However, my first actual flight lesson was at around 7 years old. Trust me that was tough, I was tiny! In fact I was born at 26 weeks weighing only 1 lb 10 oz. At 3 years old I only wore like 18 month old clothing. My Mom called MANY flight schools before someone was willing to take up a tiny aviation crazed 1st grader who was roughly the size of a preschooler.
However, that first time behind the yoke was a magical experience!!! I felt so free, yet so comfortable, I knew I was on the right path!
I joined EAA’s Young Eagles program at 8 years old. It is a program for youth interested in aviation to take actual flights with pilots. The EAA presents a flight log to the participant on their first flight and even sign off time in your log! They have definitely helped me log a few flights! Around the same time, my Mom found out about the Women In Aviation International Conference in Orlando.
I really wanted to go because my hero Ms. Patty Wagstaff was speaking. I had seen her fly, but never met her in person. That same year for Halloween I even dressed as Ms. Patty, so I had to wear her flight suit to the conference! Obvious choice right?! Everyone at WAI was super nice and made sure I got to meet my hero! They even photographed Ms. Patty and me together and the photo made the WAI magazine. Ummm super awesome! REPORTING FOR FLIGHT LESSON I loved WAI so much that I joined. I was one of the founding members of the WAI Tampa Bay Chapter and have even been elected as their Brand Ambassador.
We have awesome monthly meetings about all things aviation, tours and such. I have even gotten to be a guest speaker at a few different events we have had over the years. I love to volunteer at various air shows when I can and share my passions with fellow aviators!
Maybe even help someone else find their passion.
Flight School Association of North America or FSANA for short has also been a huge push for my aviation pursuits. They awarded me the honor of becoming their Youth Envoy. My role as the Youth Envoy is to inspire today’s youth to get involved in the aviation industry. I have had the privilege to attend various events throughout the United States to speak to many people, not just youth about the importance of Youth
At a FSANA conference I met the kind folks at Aerostar and they gave me the opportunity to fly an Airbus A320 simulator! A little nerve racking with the news crew filming me, but I got to fly an Airbus! With the help of my parents we even found a middle school that is sponsored by NASA for me to attend in Tampa, Florida. My school has an Honor Society Program for students interested in Aerospace and Aeronautics they call the John Glenn Top Gun Academy. We do lots of fun volunteer work and take amazing trips to various aviation related industries, have cool guest speakers like astronauts, rocket scientists, even awesome trips to places like Kennedy Space Center!
At 12 years old I joined the Civil Air Patrol Unit at MacDill Air Force Base and have had an amazing time. This past year I have done a rocketry bivouac that was basically an overnight camping trip completely focused on rockets. Dare I say a blast! We do lots of different things. We march in parades, help with community related volunteer work, learn about the military, but most importantly about ourselves. Heck, I even got to do a ride along on a KC-135 flight! You know, the big planes that refuel other airplanes in the air. Totally top secret. We were not even allowed to know where we were flying until wheels up. Mom and Dad found out wheels down. We flew from Florida to Alabama and back. So far I have worked and advanced to Cadet Senior Airman.
In fact, this year I was honored to attend WAI’s 2020 Conference in Orlando with United States Air Force Major Afton J.Brown. She is a C-17 & T-1 instructor pilot! Saying she is cool is an understatement!!!
However, my proudest moment so far was this past year. I was blown away to be selected as a feature aviator in a movie documentary called, “Fly Like A Girl”. “Fly Like A Girl” is a documentary about female aviators that no longer want to take a back seat to aviation.
What an honor to be able to share my drive and passion as well as other women who have my same beliefs. It has been a crazy fun adventure being a part of this amazing documentary. I even got to attend a few red carpet events meeting so many wonderful people along the way.
My path into aviation is ever evolving and to say I love it is an understatement. I’ve built models, read books, received newsletters, gone to airshows, attended aviation conferences, avid Lego enthusiast/ builder for all things that fly, and joined numerous groups (EAA, FSANA, WAI, CAP, AMA). Basically, I immerse myself in any and everything in my pursuit for the left seat. You see for me aviation is my self expression, my comfort, my passion. On the ground people are quick to judge. “You are just a kid, you are too young, you are too small, you are just a girl,” I have heard it all! You see an airplane does not care about any of those things. An airplane allows me to soar like a bird, have these amazing views, chase rainbows. That adrenaline rush of climbing into the seat, hands on the yoke, the sound and feel of the engine as I race down the runway and take flight is well, nothing short of spectacular.
I definitely plan on continuing on my journey into aviation. I have found my happy place and never want to lose that! Maybe, just maybe along the way I can inspire someone else to follow their own dreams and passions, regardless of what they might be. Remember, now is the perfect time to follow your passions. If I can do it so can you!
