2022 WINTER
AT TR ACT, EDUCATE & EMPOWER YOUTH IN AVIATION
INSIDE Focus: Louisiana The Fight for Flight: Daniel Linnert’s Story of Survival The American Dream
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Focus: Louisiana......................................................................................................... 4 Team LAC Captures Gold.................................................................................... 6-7 A Different Approach to Working in Aviation............................................8-9 The Fight for Flight: Daniel Linnert’s Story of Survival........................10-13 The American Dream.........................................................................................14-16 Q&A: Alex Donato, NOAA Meteorologist.................................................. 18-19 Be Brave, Be Kind, and Fly High..................................................................20-23 Dreams in the Making......................................................................................24-26 Captain Kirks of the Future?......................................................................... 28-29 Bravo, Mooney! You Rock-et!........................................................................30-31 STEM Learning Labs at the Aerospace Center for Excellence........ 32-33 My Journey Continues…… College Bound...............................................36-38 How an Aviation Art Career Was Born.....................................................42-43
2022 WINTER
AT TR ACT, EDUCATE & EMPOWER YOUTH IN AVIATION
Focus: Louisiana The Fight for Flight: Daniel Linnert’s Story of Survival The American Dream
$5.00 | www.avinationusa.com
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vival pg 10-1 iel Linnert’s Story of Sur
INSIDE
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The Fight for Flight: Dan
ALSIM............................................................................ 41 Aviation Insurance Resources (AIR) ................46 Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.................. 39 Central Florida Aircraft Services........................40 Citadel Completions............................................... 22 Culver Props...............................................................46 Diamond Mobile Detailing....................................46 Duncan Aviation....................................................... 27 Endeavor Air..............................................................48 Envoy Air..................................................................... 35 Flying Legend USA.................................................. 31 Flying Musicians Association................................ 41 General Aviation News...........................................46 Just Aircraft................................................................34 LIFT Academy..............................................................5 Lockwood Aviation..................................................45 MATCO mfg...................................................................7 Metro Aviation........................................................... 25 Nationl Flight Academy......................................... 47 Open Air Flight Club................................................ 17 Rans Aircraft............................................................... 41 Schweiss Doors.........................................................46 Sebring Flight Academy.......................................46 Sensenich Propeller.................................................34 SOAR............................................................................ 26 Southern University Shreveport Louisiana (SUSLA)....................................................................... 23 Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology...........................................................2 STEM Pilot......................................................................3 The American Civil Wings Society....................40 Triple Tree Aerodrome............................................ 41 Zenith Aircraft Company......................................44
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Focus: Louisiana
By Tom Flavin
About AviNation AviNation exists to attract, educate and empower youth in aviation. AviNation magazine strives to give readers insight into the future of aviation by focusing on aviation students, programs, events and innovative approaches to the promotion and continued growth of the aviation industry.
Worldwide, more pilots, A&P mechanics, engineers, and future aviation/aerospace leaders are needed. AviNation focuses on connecting two things simultaneously i.e. current industry leaders and tomorrow’s industry leaders (Mentors/Mentees). AviNation’s horizon! Focus: Louisiana is fittingly titled because AviNation has committed the Winter and Spring issues to feature a special section sharing Louisiana’s aviation community.
Staff & Contributors Publisher: Jacob Peed Copy Editor: Vicky Rink Administrative Coordinator: Jessica Peed Design & Production: Barb Betts, Lime Valley Mankato, MN Business Development: Thomas W. Flavin Phone: (310) 709-0844 E-mail: Tom-flavin@roadrunner.com
Why focus on Louisiana?
Correspondence Editorial submissions and other correspondence E-mail: jppeed@gmail.com Phone: (515) 408-3763 www.avinationusa.com
In this special issue, you will find four inspirational stories featured about aviators in Baton Rouge, Belle Chasse, Ruston, and a meteorologist in Lake Charles. Despite hurdles and challenges, these contributors share that the American spirit and dream are both alive and well in Louisiana.
Advertising Phone: (515) 408-3763 E-mail: jppeed@gmail.com www.avinationusa.com Contributing Writers Alex Donato Andrew Campbell Anna Hare Cameron Van Daniel Linnert Lance Thies Matt Ferrari Mike Machat Nick Poucher Paige Bova Rose Rivera Tom Flavin Travis Senft
Amid the Worldwide Covid pandemic, Louisiana has uniquely endured devastating hurricanes including Laura, Delta, and Ida over the past few years. And yes, a severe winter storm and freeze. During these catastrophic events, very little focus nationally was placed on Louisiana. Today is a new day! Outstanding talent, great educational institutions, and many perfect industry jobs are available, now in Louisiana! Community, teamwork, and perseverance are part of the fabric. Yes great food can be found here too, but this for yet another article!
To get here, AviNation had a meeting with Citadel Completions of Lake Charles, Louisiana. We quickly learned; excellence is the focus of Citadel Completions. Mr. Joe Bonita, General Manager, is an early supporter of AviNation’s mission. We are grateful for his support. Some photos from the NBAA-BACE show and Mr. Bonita’s invitation to the Citadel Completions Louisiana-style hospitality event appear here. Citadel Completions is World Class. Visit www.citadelcompletions.com and visit Louisiana! Earlier in 2021, AviNation met with Ms. Nell Chennault, CEO of the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Monroe, Louisiana (www.chennaultmuseum.org). She is a great-granddaughter of General Claire Chennault of the Flying Tigers. She is an early supporter of AviNation’s Museum section. One of the articles in this issue is also thanks to her and the Chennault Air Museum! Make sure to visit their upcoming Red, White, and Blue Airshow: Saluting America’s Heros, June 17-18, 2022! AviNation is grateful to all of our advertisers, content supporters, article contributors, and readers. We welcome your continued support! Laissez les bon temps rouler,
Thank you to our Cornerstone Supporter
m 4 www.avinationusa.co 4
Tom Flavin AviNation
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Team LAC Captures Gold With the help of many of our high school members we were able to post a combined take off and landing score of 330 feet and win the new light sport class. While many times during and after the event people were giving me the credit for winning, it was important for me to ensure that everyone knew it was a team win, a win for the Lakeland Aero Club. What I noticed was common in most of aviation is that the pilots are almost always the ones that get the credit and are most glamorized. But it is important to understand that everyone on the team has a role to play that is equally important, especially in our world of aviation. At the beginning of December, I had the privilege of representing the Lakeland Aero Club by flying in the National STOL competition at Sun ‘n Fun. We had the opportunity to use the new Patriot Recruit Cub that our members built during Sun ‘n Fun 2021.
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The reality is that without a team of people helping me practice and get feedback weeks ahead of time I would not have been prepared to compete at a high level. Without a team of mechanics helping prepare the airplane to push itself to its performance limits I never could have flown. Without a team of people
By Nick Poucher
supporting me and the aircraft during the competition I may have had to scratch myself from the event. While the headline might read something along the lines of an individual winning the event, the real story is about everyone understanding their role and performing at 100%. In aviation it is crucial that everyone not only understands their role, but understands how important it is to completing the mission. That includes everyone from pilots, mechanics, ATC, and even someone who offers water to someone when they need it, it all matters.
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A Different Approach to Working in Aviation By Anna Hare
and loving the sight and sound of T-38’s taking off nearby.
Emily Norman grew up surrounded by aviation. Her father is a retired Army helicopter pilot, and her mother is a flight attendant for United Airlines. Still, she never thought she would end up working in the aviation industry, let alone become a pilot herself one day. Growing up in a small Texas suburb near Houston, aerospace and aviation was a way of life that shaped Emily’s childhood. She even recalls driving by NASA’s Johnson Space Center every day on her way to school
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Despite growing up in this environment and developing a fascination with airplanes, she was terrified to fly, especially in small aircraft. Her father was an exceptional pilot, but she had a hard time building the courage to join him in his four-seater Piper Arrow. “One day I decided I needed to overcome this fear and asked if he would take me up for a ride,” Emily said. “As soon as my dad handed me the controls and I saw where I grew up from an aerial perspective, I caught the aviation bug. After landing, we walked over to the flight school on the field, I signed up for my first lesson, and I’ve been flying ever since.” Emily now has her Private Pilot’s License and works for ForeFlight, a leading aviation software company
that develops industry leading apps for pilots and flight departments. “ForeFlight helped me become more confident in the cockpit, and we’re constantly changing the game for pilots of any level,” she says. Emily joined the ForeFlight team in 2018 as Community Marketing Coordinator and quickly realized she could turn her passion for flying into a career. She now oversees the company’s social media channels and leads its influencer marketing efforts, while also hosting ForeFlight’s video and podcast series, Between Two Wings, where she interviews industry professionals and aviation enthusiasts. As the company’s social media liaison, Emily interacts with customers daily and loves hearing about how the app has impacted their lives - whether by making them better, more confident pilots, or even by helping them out of dangerous situations.
Another perk to the job is ForeFlight’s flight stipend, which the company provides to invest in their employees’ growth and aviation knowledge. Employees can apply this stipend to most flight expenses as well as training costs, from their first ground school lesson all the way to a Commercial rating. With more than half of the company actively flying or in training, using the app in real-world flights is fundamental to ForeFlight’s culture and development process. With over 200 flight hours logged, Emily knows a thing or two about the real-world issues that pilots face, such as planning for rough terrain or weather, practicing for emergency landings, and handling radio comms. However, like many who are learning to fly, she initially lacked confidence in her capabilities as a pilot. But as time passed, she learned to trust herself and her proficiency at the controls. Emily is a true testament to the opportunities that exist in any industry. You don’t have to fly for a living to find a fulfilling job that supports your passion for aviation, just like you don’t have to be a computer scientist or developer to work at a tech company like ForeFlight. But, confidently following your passion will take you places you never thought possible, and with a dash of experience and education, success is sure to follow.
“It’s incredible to work for a company that is saving lives, and it motivates me every day,” she says, adding that her favorite part of the job is getting a behind-the-scenes look at how ForeFlight makes flying easier and safer. Emily’s job also takes her to popular aviation events like EAA’s AirVenture convention and airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the largest in the world. Here she can meet customers face-to-face, gain more insight into how they use the app, and share flying stories with fellow avgeeks.
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THE FIGHT FOR FLIGHT: DANIEL LINNERT’S STORY OF SURVIVAL
By Paige Bova with Daniel Linnert
There is no “correct path” that you take to get into aviation—and I am no exception. We all have a unique story and I’m proud to share mine—hoping it inspires others to overcome what seems to be impossible.
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I
had to push pause on my training after being diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly after obtaining my private pilot certificate. But I fought hard against and beat the cancer and was able to resume flight training at LIFT Academy! When I first began the search for the right flight school for me, I found Leadership In Flight Training (LIFT) Academy. What made LIFT stand out compared to other flight schools? LIFT is owned and operated by a regional airline, Republic Airways. Republic operates about 1,000 flights per day on behalf of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Because LIFT is owned and operated by Republic – I have a job waiting for me as a Republic Airways pilot once I complete my flight training and time building. When I first visited LIFT the environment felt like a family and that feeling hasn’t changed. That environment was certainly impactful in my fight against cancer. LIFT also was created with the intention to be more affordable than other pilot training programs. Making a career in aviation more attainable and attractive to those who thought becoming a pilot was not within their reach. LIFT is a rigorous flight training program that requires dedication both in and out of the cockpit, but that doesn’t stop the staff, instructors and student body from being supportive—we are a family. At age 36, I can say that I have pursued a few different careers before finally finding one that fits – aviation. I pursued public safety in high school and after graduating, I started nursing school. I soon figured out nursing school was not for me. Through my early 20s I worked different trades and settled on working in oil and gas exploration. I enjoyed the job but did not see it as my forever career. Flying was always in the back of my head, a fantasy if you will. Growing up, from time to time, my dad took me to work with him at the approach and departure runways for Pittsburgh International Airport, and I was immediately hooked. Until the summer of 2018, however, flight training seemed like an unattainable goal. What flipped the switch for me? I googled “careers in flight” and found LIFT Academy in Indianapolis, Indiana. After applying and taking the flight aptitude test I was accepted! My dreams quickly became my reality in July 2019 when I started flight training at LIFT.
I had just obtained my private pilot certificate and was studying and training for my instrument rating while working the flight line at LIFT in their maintenance department. I felt like something was off—something just wasn’t right. So, I made a doctor’s appointment to look into why I wasn’t feeling like I normally did. It is hard to explain what it feels like to find out you have cancer. I remember the doctor coming into the room and placing his hand on my shoulder, as he gently told me about my testicular cancer diagnosis. I was hit with a wave of emotions. It’s nothing. It can’t be true. This is the end of the world. Adrenaline flooded through me and I knew I was going to take on this fight like David fought Goliath. I cried a few tears – followed by many expletives – my doctor encouraged it—let it out. Strangely something that was on my mind quickly after my diagnosis was flight training. I was worried. I had given up my career, and moved away from my family and friends in Pittsburgh to Indianapolis. I was afraid that all would end up being a waste. I had finally found something I loved doing and I didn’t want to lose it, not any part of it. My treatment plan included chemotherapy. I was initially a little hesitant, but I didn’t have another option and chemotherapy saved my life. I began my chemotherapy treatment in Indianapolis. I knew I would be in good hands with my doctor and the local hospital, IU Health, which is known for their pioneering treatment of testicular cancer. The first month wasn’t too hard on my body; I had taken to chemotherapy very well, initially.
I decided to return home to Pittsburgh to finish my first round of chemotherapy so I could be closer to my family and friends. I ended up needing not just one round of chemotherapy but four rounds. It really started to take a toll on my body. I was in for the fight for my life. By the end of my treatment, I was sleeping 17-18 hours a day and I often felt like giving up. But I as a true Pittsburgher, with the built-in DNA of a blue-collar steelworker, managed to push through with tenacity and strength. I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and knew I needed to get back to the sunny skies. I was lucky to have an amazing support network both through my treatment and my flight training. From my girlfriend, my mom, my brother and many other close family and friends—they supported me, took care of me and brightened my day. I am forever grateful for their support. LIFT Academy and Republic Airways also had a huge impact in supporting me. I will always believe that you are only as strong as the people you have behind you. I believe that my support system was integral to my treatment and beating cancer and also in getting me back to flight training and continuing my success as a pilot. I have had an incredible show of support and I am truly lucky to have these amazing people in my life.
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I give recognition to LIFT Academy for allowing me to stay enrolled and ultimately resuming my flight training after an extended period of time. I am truly thankful that they believed in me. I also have to give special recognition to Mike Petrucci, a fellow LIFT student, aviator, dear friend and overall fantastic human being for his unwavering support during my treatment and my transition back to LIFT. He unselfishly took time out of his busy schedule to make sure I was back on track. With his help and that of LIFT’s management and instructors, upon my return to LIFT, I completed my instrument rating and received my commercial certificate. I am currently time building before I head to Hyannis, Massachusetts to fly as a Cape Air pilot in January 2022 as part of the LIFT and Cape Air partnership! Since flight training was a second career for me, I feel that I have the drive and motivation needed to make it as a commercial airline pilot. My diagnosis only added fuel to my fire. I know that for others, their diagnosis and outcomes aren’t always as positive as mine was. Therefore, I am taking this new lease on life and taking full advantage of it! Before I was able to come back to LIFT, I was chomping at the bit to be able to return to the skies. And here I am!
Cancer doesn’t discriminate. No matter your gender, race, socioeconomic status, it’s a monster living inside of you. It sets your priorities straight, tests who you thought you were and ultimately shows you your resilience and limitations. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it and let people be there for you. You don’t always have to be a warrior on your own. Bad days happen, but maintain positivity in the long run. I feel like I am 100 times stronger after what I have gone through. If I can overcome this, I can do just about anything.
I am looking forward to obtaining my Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and having a rewarding, long career in aviation. I am lucky enough to be on my way to my dream job and I won’t take it for granted! I look forward to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and find my new normal. I also hope to be a patient advocate for anyone, especially in aviation that needs support fighting cancer. See you in the skies!
COME FLY WITH LIFT powered by
flywithlift.com / 317-484-2200 @flywithlift www.avinationusa.com
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SHREVEPORT
RUSTON
A while back I received a letter via email, it began with… “What could a regular young man from Cameroon have to do with airplanes, apart from dreaming of boarding one to get to the USA for greener pastures?”
MONROE
ALEXANDRIA
BATON ROUGE LAKE CHARLES
LAFAYETTE
NEW ORLEANS
Moise Banga, AMT
The American Dream By Matt Ferrari
Everyone has a story, a journey that he or she has followed to get to where they are right now, at this moment in time. We all have goals, dreams, and desires. We also have obstacles, real or imagined, that seem at times, to keep us from achieving our objectives, from reaching our highest potential and achieving the highest form of ourselves. We also have inside each of us, the power to make those dreams come true. Every once in a while, I meet someone who has a certain glow, an energy that surrounds them as they move about their day, a magnetic force that draws me toward them, that says “I want to know who you are.” Moise Banga came into this world on June 24th, 1983. His life started in Douala, a coastal city located on the Gulf of Guinea in the Central African country of Cameroon. The youngest of eight children born to his mother Therese Marie Nkomideo Epsi Evina, he was the only one to survive past the age of twelve. Therese Marie, having left her marriage, set out on her own with young Moise with the determination to raise him well and the hope of one day sending him to America for a better life. While growing up, Moise found himself interested in the game of basketball. As it turns out, he was gifted with a great talent for the game and worked hard to develop his skills. He gained notice and was recruited to play on some of the best national teams in Cameroon where he became one of the top players. As Moise worked hard on his basketball, his mother worked hard never losing focus on her dream for a better life for her son. Saving all that she could and having sold most everything she owned, she raised enough to send Moise to the U.S. Having made contact with an agent who promised, for a fee, that he could arrange for a student visa to the U.S., she was told that the visa would allow Moise to continue his education and play college basketball with the hopes of going pro. She paid her money and sent her son to America. In June of 2009, Moise set out on his own. Arriving in New York full of hope and ambition for a bright future, he moved in with a family friend in Connecticut. His excitement was dampened a bit when he found that the “agent” who arranged for his student visa didn’t actually do as promised. The travel documents he provided for Moise was not a student visa and left Moise neither able to attend school nor able to legally work here. His mother worried from afar as he attempted to sort this mess out. In the meantime, he did odd jobs for cash to get by, always seeking a solution to the situation that he found himself in and looking for opportunities for a better life. During this time, he met a young lady named Cynthia.
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Ultimately unable to get his student visa, in 2011 Moise set out for Louisiana with a friend, whose family lived there, with hopes of finding work and better times. Struggling along for a couple years, he decided it would be a good idea to head back to the Northeast. In early 2013, he set off for Maryland to be near Cynthia. That seemed to work out pretty well for him, as they were married
shortly after he arrived in Baltimore. Cynthia came to our country in 2003, after her family fled from the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo and has become a Naturalized American Citizen. Ironically, Cynthia settled for a time in Cameroon, not far from Moise, before coming to the United States, but their paths never crossed. Through his marriage to Cynthia, Moise gained legal immigrant status. With the ability to legally work, Moise soon had two jobs, working hard to earn his way toward financial stability. In 2014, a friend down in Louisiana proposed a business opportunity to Moise, where he could come to work at his tire shop. If things worked out, he would sell him part ownership in the business. So back to Louisiana they went. Moise worked hard at the tire business and in 2015, he and Cynthia welcomed to their family a son, born in June, they named him Basile. The year 2016 brought much sadness to Moise when he lost his father after a long illness. Making the loss worse was the fact that he could not afford to go back to Cameroon for his dad’s burial. Considering his options and constantly looking for ways to improve things for his family, Moise decided to leave the tire business and in 2017 he opened a cleaning business. He experienced success with the business for a while but in time things began to slow as contracts for work just didn’t come in. In 2019, he went to work for Menzies, an aviation contractor, accepting a position as an aircraft fueler at the New Orleans International Airport. Between fueling operations, he would watch the airplanes takeoff and land. He was amazed with the magic that was taking place in front of his eyes, he couldn’t imagine what made them fly or how it was even possible that they left the ground and returned the way that they did! A curiosity was sparked and a desire to know was kicked into gear. A few months later, he saw a job posting for a Ramp Agent with Delta Airlines. He applied and was hired for the position. He met a co-worker at Delta, a line mechanic, who Moise became friends with. He asked many questions and his friend patiently explained what made airplanes work. After a while, this friend saw something in Moise, something familiar, not just a passing curiosity in airplanes, but that the aviation bug had sunk its teeth deeply into Moise and he was
bitten hard! The only way to satisfy this was to welcome him deeper into the aviation family. He suggested that Moise consider going to school, earn his A&P certificates and become an Aviation Maintenance Technician like he was. Moise met other aircraft mechanics who explained the process of becoming an AMT, cheered him on and encouraged him to go to school, assuring him that they would be there to help find him work once he finished. Having considered this for a while, doing some research and with the encouragement of friends and family, Moise enrolled in the AMT program at the Baton Rouge Community College. Here he spent the next two years learning the trade and honing the required skills. All the while, he worked full time to support his family. A typical day would begin about six in the morning, start with the one-hour drive to school, a full day of academics and hands-on shop work, an hour drive to work, a full shift on the Delta ramp, followed by the drive home with the day often ending well past midnight. During his time at the BRCC, he found two instructors - turned mentors that took personal interest in his progress. Moise credits Mr. Dan Sillinger and Mr. Curtis Johnston for much of his success in the AMT program, saying “They played an immense role in my schooling journey, they never ceased to encourage me and remind me of the great potential that I have. They were there for me beyond the classroom. They became father figures to me, something that I went without for a good while. I can go on and on about them and the great and positive impact they’ve had on my career, and my life!” Moise also credits his success to the long-distance encouragement that he received from his mother, Therese Marie, who he said “was always on the phone from Cameroon, checking in on everything!” and his mother in-law, Nathalie Sakiovu, reaching out from the Congo. On those long days of school and work and the tired drive home to his wife, always waiting up for him, he found the strength needed to press on and persevere. Picture in your mind the journey we’ve been on so far, following Moise from Cameroon, to his arrival in New York, a brief stop in Connecticut, a move to Louisiana, a move to Maryland, then back to Louisiana. All the hard work, the ups and the downs. Are you exhausted yet? Like the late-night TV ads say, “But wait, there’s more!” Not only did Moise persevere, he excelled, and in a big way! In the spring of 2021, he Graduated with Honors
www.avinationusa.com 1515
with a GPA of 4.0, became a certified AMT, and was awarded Best Student of the BRCC Technical School 2021. In June of 2021, he was able to file immigration papers for his mom and after twelve years apart, she arrived in the USA just before his birthday! A note about Moise’s mother, having never met but hearing much about her from Moise, I’d bet she’s the type of person that if you saw her walking toward you on the sidewalk and you squinted your eyes, and held your head just so, that you would see her surrounded by a golden glow, and in that glow you’d find perched above her head a halo, and through the mist of shimmering light you’d see perfectly affixed to her a set of Angel’s wings.
even when the workload is much. I come out feeling accomplished at the end of a work shift, knowing that I played a part in making someone’s trip on the plane safer, and I get to learn more about the aircraft. I see myself having a lifelong career in aviation, regardless of the part I may find myself in. I can say that I love what I wake up to do, every day, at work. I am grateful to be paid doing what I love! My interest in aircraft started when I first worked at Menzies, fueling aircraft. But I doubt that I would have taken the leap of faith to dive into the work of an aircraft mechanic if not for Mr. Eddy, my co-worker at Delta Airlines, who spoke to me about it. My journey continues as I intend to go to flight school and get my pilot’s license and I am working toward finishing my Associates Degree in Applied Science. If ever given the chance, I would love to advise other young people to look into and explore this field.” And he ended the letter with, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY, I COULDN’T HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT HIM, JESUS THE MASTER PLANNER!” Yes, in all capital letters.
Things continue to look up for Moise! Just out of school, he had six very attractive job offers by some serious players in the aviation world. After much consideration, he accepted a position with Omni Air International as a Line Mechanic, based back up in Maryland at the Baltimore airport. Before we part, I want to share with you some more from the letter that this story started with, in Moise’s own words; “What could a regular young man from Cameroon have to do with airplanes, apart from dreaming of boarding one to get to the USA for greener pastures? Through my journey of hard work and hope, I found myself at Delta Airlines, developed the interest in airplanes, met people along the way that fueled the interest which turned into love, and today I am a certified AMT mechanic! Everyday I wake up ready to go to work,
Mr. Moise Banga, AMT-A&P, you are the American dream!
(A note to my readers, We all have a story, and yours is important! No matter how lofty your dreams may appear, how far off in the distance they seem, or if it feels like you are standing at the shores of a great ocean, the tide rising up over your toes, looking out over the vast seas separating you from your goal, please know that inside you is the power to make those dreams come true! If you ever need a word of encouragement in your aviation journey, I am here and will be your biggest cheerleader! ~ Matt) Matt Ferrari can be contacted via email at: gypsyskywriter@gmail.com
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FOR YOUTH • FOR PARENTS • FOR TEACHERS We are dedicated to providing resources, opportunities and education in the field of aviation. Did you know students can solo a glider at age 14? Aviation education needs to happen at younger ages than previously thought. With thousands of career opportunities, aviation is a viable future when making a career decision. Our programs also supplement S.T.E.A.M (A. for Aviation) curriculum.
AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR: JEFF JORGENSON FOUNDER: OPEN AIR EDUCATION
Aviation touches nearly everyone, few understand how and why it works. Armed with experience as an aircraft owner and flight instructor, retired Navy Veteran and stay-at-home dad, Jeff Jorgenson, set out on a journey to inspire his kids and others with a holistic vision of how accessible aviation can be in our rapidly changing world.
SHREVEPORT
RUSTON
How old were you when you thought about becoming a meteorologist or took notice of the weather? MONROE
I was giving my parents weather forecast presentations when I was seven years old. Although I do not remember the exact moment that I became interested in weather, I had strong interests in it from a very early age.
ALEXANDRIA
Where did you grow up and with what weather conditions?
BATON ROUGE LAKE CHARLES
LAFAYETTE
NEW ORLEANS
I spent a significant part of my childhood in Virginia. I experienced several significant weather events as I was growing up in Virginia that influenced my interest in weather. I experienced a heavy snowfall event that caused several feet of snow, a tornado passed near my house which caused damage to a neighbor’s roof and a tree to fall in my driveway, and I also remember Hurricane Isabel (2003) which impacted my area as a tropical storm.
Point out major hurdles that you faced pursuing your education, career goals, accomplishments and how did you overcome them?
Q&A: Alex Donato, NOAA Meteorologist By Alex Donato
The coursework during my undergraduate studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University was a major hurdle to overcome. Some of the material was challenging and grades are very important. The support from my professors and colleagues was a huge part of my success. Having a positive learning environment was crucial, and Embry-Riddle absolutely provided that. I was often sitting next to pilots and engineers in my classes and I was able to share in their passion for flight and aerospace while I pursued my passion for meteorology. It was an incredible feeling to walk around campus and see Cessna airplanes flying nearby (which were piloted by some of my colleagues). They were learning about aspects of flight while I was learning how the weather could impact their flight. After graduating with my B.S. in Meteorology in 2018, it was the experience that I had at Embry-Riddle that gave me the motivation to continue my education and obtain an M.S. in Meteorology from Florida State University in 2020. I have already used a significant amount of what I learned over the years while working at NOAA’s National Weather Service office in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This was especially so during the 2021 hurricane season dealing with several tropical systems, including Hurricane Ida.
Who were your inspirational or helpful people/professors? Why? Dr. Thomas Guinn and Dr. Randell Barry were among the most helpful and inspirational people for me. They were my academic and research advisors respectively at Embry-Riddle. I always considered their work ethic and professionalism as a gold standard that I try to adhere to.
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What advice do you have on things that worked for you and on things that you did not understand until later? If any... I have made plenty of mistakes over the years. But the important point is that I recognized those mistakes and tried to improve and become a better person. I feel that always trying to improve myself is a large part of how I achieved what I wanted to achieve.
What is the driving force of your perseverance? What technology do you find most helpful in your day-to-day job? I would have to say the radar is the most helpful technology in my day-to-day job. It is our best indication of what is happening in our area. We get new scans of the atmosphere every five to six minutes which allows us to make decisions based on data that is nearly real-time.
How often do you use weather balloons? I launch weather balloons very often, typically every week. Sometimes I launch weather balloons several times a week.
Tell us about your experience with the weather in Lake Charles, in Louisiana, and specifically the Hurricanes? The years 2020 and 2021 were very challenging for the people of Louisiana. They have been through a lot. I first arrived in Lake Charles in November 2020, not long after Hurricane Laura. There was still a lot of visible damage as well as ongoing cleanup. However, I thought it was remarkable that the city was functioning again. I think that is a testament to how resilient the people in the area are and their ability to recover. The year 2021 ended up being a year of extremes in our area. In February we saw a cold air outbreak with 16 degrees Fahrenheit experienced in Lake Charles as well as ice and sleet. During the spring there were a number of tornadoes in Southern and Central Louisiana, one of them being an EF3. In May there was a flooding event that brought 12.49 inches of rain to Lake Charles in a day. Over the summer, our office was affected by three tropical cyclones, one of which was Hurricane Ida. Our neighboring office to the east saw the vast majority of the impacts from Hurricane Ida. Going through these events can be very stressful and it was important to have good teamwork and coordination with colleagues.
Trying to help society has always been a huge driving force for me. We have so many incredible inventions in society today, such as airplanes. To have the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of technology or help in communication of information, even if it were only a small contribution, it would be incredibly gratifying to me. I absolutely feel that I am helping society to be part of NOAA.
What is your Geaux (go) to favorite Louisiana food in winter and summer seasons? I would say Gumbo. It is great especially for the cooler seasons, but I think it is nice to have any time of year.
What do you like most about living in Louisiana? The food is what I like the most. I love spicy food, and there is plenty of spicy food in Louisiana.
Charitable Organizations that support the Louisiana communities and families affected by the hurricanes: Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana www.foundationswla.org Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana https://lnkd.in/gFCmek2 United Way of Southwest Louisiana www.Unitedwayswla.org American Red Cross, Lake Charles, LA https://lnkd.in/gPEhUtr New Orleans Hurricane Ida relief resources https://www.gnof.org/donors/ways-to-give/donate/ Interested donors simply need to indicate “Hurricane Ida Disaster Response and Restoration Fund” in the “Select A Fund” section
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SHREVEPORT
RUSTON
When you see powerful jets soaring across the sky, it’s hard to envision that you have any place up there with them. To me, a small-town kid from Louisiana, that has always been the challenge of flight. My name is Cameron Van. I’m a senior in Louisiana Tech University’s Professional Aviation program, soon to enter commercial pilot training, and this is the story of my transition from small beginnings to big skies.
MONROE
ALEXANDRIA
BATON ROUGE LAKE CHARLES
LAFAYETTE
NEW ORLEANS
Cameron Van
Be Brave, Be Kind, and Fly High By Cameron Van
20 20 www.avinationusa.com
In the little town where I was raised, there was hardly any room for adventure or discovery. As kids, what we saw on TV is all we knew about the world. And growing up, many of us had never even truly seen an airplane. Being the rare spectacle that they were, I still vividly remember my first glimpse into the elusive world of aviation. It was 2015. Terrorists had just placed themselves upon the global stage by striking Paris, and it seemed as if the world was desperate for some form of action. The night following the attacks, I remember watching on TV as two French fighters thundered off into the void of night with bombs strapped underneath their wings. It’s as if, within the roar of those engines, I heard the anger and conviction of the entire French people. I knew their target, and I knew that millions were pinning their faith upon the change that these two jets would begin. In that moment, watching those fighters rumble into the uncertain, I was utterly and unexplainably captivated. Over the course of my high school career, my fascination with this event quickly developed into a maddening obsession with military aviation. I was a small-town kid with little world experience immersed in the stories of daring, adventurous pilots who pushed the limits of life. I found great meaning in the legacy of men and women who wielded their indomitable ambition to enact progress. Hawker Typhoons over France… Vought Corsairs soaring across the Pacific… The greatest generation of aviators filled my imagination to the brim day after day. I wondered in the back of my mind if someone like me was worthy to follow in the footsteps of legends like them. Sure enough, some fateful encounters helped push me towards my answer. Around this time, I met Mrs. Stewart—a well-beloved schoolteacher who originates from a long line of military aviators. In high school, her generous enthusiasm and encouragement catalyzed my initial desire for flight training. In exploration of that possibility, I later found the local Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, whose halls—decorated with the incredible stories of history’s aviators—made me question the limits of what was possible in my own story. By junior year, I worked up the courage to interview for my dream flight school at Louisiana Tech University–and much to my surprise, I was offered a slot! But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. In the meeting, the department head explained to me the enormous costs of flight training. My shock and disappointment were evident. “If you want a slot in our program, you’ve got it”—he said—”but I want you to be sure… Do you want this?” I was torn. I
love with Rie’s perspectives on exploration and life. Being exposed to such heightened appreciation for the world brought to me a new drive to eventually fly and explore it for myself. On the last day of our journey, French fighters flew directly over us, low enough for me to see the separate panels of the airframe. I recognized these aircraft. They were the same type of fighters that I had seen in that dramatic video all those years ago. Feeling the excitement in my heart as they thundered off into the horizon, I knew that I wanted to fly—that I wanted to be worthy—and that I wanted to make it all work somehow. knew I couldn’t meet the financial demands of the program, but gosh... I still wanted this more than anything. We both agreed to revisit this decision after I put some further thought into it. As I walked outside with the sun descending in the distance, I saw a Cessna Skyhawk fly overhead. “I wonder if that could be me one day,” I thought. While undergoing this internal debate, I was given a scholarship for my merits in military aviation by the National WWII Museum to study in France’s Normandy region. Only one other student, named Rie, was selected for this honor alongside me. Day after day, we hopped across Normandy exploring the history in a journey that we couldn’t believe. In retrospect, such a trip contained many important ‘firsts’ for me too. It was my first time seeing such icons of history, like the Hawker Typhoon or P-47 Thunderbolt, in person. But it was also my first encounter with someone— my friend Rie—who possessed such a contagious enthusiasm for both people and the world. I fell in
I returned to Louisiana in 2018 for my senior year overboiling with ambition. My ceaseless reflections of France made me dead-set on defeating the financial goliath of flight school. There was no certainty to it, but like the pilots that I read extensively about, I decided to take a chance and trust in myself. In the following months, I told the department head of Professional Aviation to expect me for the new class. That year, I studied hard, emerged as a valedictorian of my high school, and secured a scholarship that would temporarily keep me afloat. I joined the ranks of Louisiana Tech’s pilots in 2019, and I still remember that magical moment of stepping out onto the ramp for the first time: Imagine an airport booming with activity. Before you, a sea of aircraft decorated in the insignias and colors that define us at Louisiana Tech. All around, planes are roaring to life, taxing out to the runway, or landing—and you can do nothing but gawk in amazement. This was just the beginning for me. My joining into the world of aviation was nothing short of magical. Nevertheless, the pressure was still on to prove myself. As the months passed, I still struggled with an unshakeable case of imposter syndrome. Compared to many of my peers, my training progression was not as steep, and I felt alienated having not come from a
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family of pilots. To top it off, the growing financial weight of training threatened to put an end to my dream. Even as I was nearing my private pilot certification, I wondered if I—a smalltown kid with no inherent belonging to the world of aviation—truly had a place up there in the sky.
high,” I wrote to myself endlessly. Against the crushing odds, I concluded that I wanted to be a pilot that could one day explore the world. With dreams as big as my own, I knew I had no room in my heart to question my worthiness or capabilities. It was just a matter of diving in.
As these doubts reached their maximum pressure, the pandemic struck and gave me some isolation to think. Financially, academically, and emotionally, it seemed to me that I was at the end of my dream. But in some part, I suppose I still believed in the magic of life that I had found in France. I visited Rie in a lull in the pandemic and, yet again, through my friend’s company discovered an angle of the world that overfilled me with love and ambition. “Be brave, be kind, and fly
As I resumed my training, I worked harder in class to make room for a full-time job that could support me through flight school. I no longer focused on where I was in life, but instead, focused on where I could be. In the thick of it all, the pressure was on to push forward any throttle left in me. And so I did, firewalling my way onwards to the end of my cloudy situation where I knew there was a sunset. Desperately, I wanted to meet it.
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At the time of this writing, I’m a 4.0 GPA senior readying to embrace the challenges of commercial pilot training. I am far from the endgame, but that never stops me from looking back to appreciate the journey, where I started as a naïve kid scouring the internet for tales of brave pilots. Even in reflection, I don’t find myself particularly incredible. Instead, I think you could call me lucky, as each step of this adventure has been catalyzed by some incredible people in my life. I owe everything to my parents, Mrs. Stewart, and the Chennault Aviation Museum—for their undying support, to Rie—for being the most inspiring friend to ever live, to the department of Professional Aviation—for welcoming me warmly into their family, and to my flight instructor Jared—who has always possessed boundless care and patience for his students. It would be impossible to imagine any lift under these wings without these incredible people to propel me forward. When you see powerful jets soaring across the sky, it’s hard to envision that you have any place up there with them. But as I’ve learned, the sky is for the adventurous, the determined, and for those that take a chance on life—all of which are traits that only we control for ourselves. In my journey, I have only ever persevered by carrying the love of the world in my heart. Regardless of the stage you’re in right now, I hope you can read my story and believe in the power of life and, most importantly, yourself. There are grand adventures hiding around the corner for all of us. And so, I urge you: Be brave, be kind, and fly high.
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SHREVEPORT
RUSTON
MONROE
ALEXANDRIA
BATON ROUGE LAKE CHARLES
LAFAYETTE
NEW ORLEANS
Lieutenant Junior Grade Andrew Campbell
Dreams in the Making By Andrew Campbell
24 24 www.avinationusa.com
I am an MH-65D helicopter pilot for the United States Coast Guard, currently stationed in New Orleans, Louisiana. I primarily conduct search and rescue missions in addition to supporting Law Enforcement and Marine Environmental Protection efforts, under all-weather conditions. Our area of responsibility spans the over 600 mile coastline from Lake Charles, Louisiana to Apalachicola, Florida and offshore over 200 miles. As a designated Co-pilot at the air station, I am responsible for safe operation, communication, navigation, and fuel planning for a variety of missions. As a member of the air station, we stand on alert duty for 24 hours at a time, similar to a fire department. While standing duty we are required to be ready to launch within 30 minutes of getting called to respond to people in distress. What made me want to be an aviator? My biggest hero…my Dad! My father was a U.S. Navy pilot and flew F/A-18 Hornets and LTV A-7s. I looked up to him as a kid and still do to this day. I am proud to call him my father and hope my future children see me as a role model like I see him. As a kid, I pursued my passion for aviation by going to work with my father and attending local air shows. He is the first person I call when I have any military or aviation questions. I am beyond blessed to have him as my mentor. Growing up I always knew I wanted to fly. Whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up it was an easy answer, “I want to be a pilot.” However, the path was not as straightforward as I thought it would be. I did not start getting involved in aviation clubs or organizations until I attended college. My parents instilled in me that whatever you are working towards, whether it be grades, sports, personal goals, etc., you do it with 100% effort. While in high school I stayed very busy with academics. I also spent the majority of my free time swimming competitively. I would attend practice every day after school for two hours and then go straight home to finish my homework. As I began my sophomore year of high school, I started thinking of the steps to take in order to become an aviator. The first being, “how am I going to get into a Service Academy (Naval, Military, Air Force, or Coast Guard)?” I spoke with local recruiters and learned that in order to attend a Service Academy I would have to be one of the top performers against other students nationwide in a variety of physical, social, and academic requirements. To be honest, I was not the smartest in school, but I made sure to be the hardest worker. I was not the fastest swimmer on my team at the start but by the end I was voted team captain and always gave it my all during practices and swim meets. My passion for swimming and sports came from my mom. She introduced me to the water at a very young age and there was no going back from there. I knew I wanted to share that same passion with other kids so I volunteered my time to work beside my mom and teach younger kids in the community how to swim and water safety skills. Towards the end of my time in high school, I had taken the ACT and SAT multiple times to better my score when applying to Service Academies and other universities. I knew what it would take to be accepted into these institutions of higher learning so I made sure to be a well-rounded individual and competitive in all aspects of the application process.
25 YEARS OLD | COAST GUARD AVIATOR U.S. COAST GUARD AIR STATION NEW ORLEANS
My dad attended the U.S. Naval Academy, so that was always my dream school. Coming from a Navy family, I always envisioned myself following my dad’s footsteps and graduating from the academy just as he did. While applying for the Naval Academy I knew I wanted to continue my swimming career so I reached out to the Navy swim coach in hopes of joining the team. Although I knew I was a very hard worker, my times just fell short of the required competitive time standards of a Division 1 swimming program. After months and months of intense academic and athletic evaluations as well as numerous interviews I learned I was not accepted into the Naval Academy…I was heartbroken. That was a very hard pill to swallow knowing how much I wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps. I am a firm believer that all things happen for a reason, so my dream was not yet lost. Although the Naval Academy was my number one choice, I was also applying to other Service Academies, one in particular was the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. After speaking with multiple active and retired Coast Guard members, I learned more and more that the Coast Guard Academy was a hidden gem in the military community. What really sold me were the stories they shared about their time at the Academy and how proud they were to be an alumni and member of the Coast Guard. After more research and talking with my family I knew that this is where I was meant to be. I also felt pride knowing that although I would be going down a different path than that of my family members, I would still be serving my country and hopefully become a Naval aviator (like my father, but in a different military service). I attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in the spring of 2018. The Academy was both a very rigorous and very rewarding experience. Transitioning from a public high school to a Service Academy as a student athlete was not easy to say the least. The challenging academic requirements pushed me far past my comfort zone. Learning to balance academics, athletics, and military obligations was not easy. I would not have made it without the help of my close friends and guidance from faculty members that helped me to find a routine that worked for me. Now that I had achieved the first step of my dream, I had to work even harder to stand out in school in order to distinguish myself as a top candidate to be considered eligible for Naval flight training after graduation. Similarly, as I did in high school, my senior year at the Academy I began another application process, but this time it was for flight training. After months of waiting and dreaming I soon after found out that my original plan would not turn out as I hoped, I was not accepted into the flight training program. Just as it happened before, I was heartbroken, questioning if I was meant to accomplish my dream of becoming a pilot. Although things did not turn out as planned, I was fortunate to be selected as a Deck Watch Officer (DWO) on the USCG Cutter MAPLE in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. While stationed at USCG Fort Macon, I was an acting DWO for 10 months. During that time all I could think about was what my parents always told me, “Whatever you are working towards, whether it be grades, sports, personal goals, etc., you do it with 100% effort”. So that is what I did. I had to personally change my perspective and learned to take pride and ownership in an operation that I had little interest in before becoming a member of the unit. I began to take pride in what I did, became good at my duties, formed lasting relationships with crewmembers, and loved sharing information with new
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crew members about their duties aboard the cutter. This was definitely a speed bump on the path towards my dream; however, my time aboard the cutter MAPLE was invaluable. I learned skills that I would not have had the opportunity to learn if I was immediately accepted to flight school. I learned the importance of communication among a crew, investing in and caring for your people, and showing up to work every day eager and ready to learn. In order to reapply for flight training, I needed a command endorsement from my Commanding Officer. I hit the books hard, qualifying in everything I could while managing members in my division. After demonstrating to my command my drive and commitment, they approved my application for flight training. I was accepted into the flight program after my second application and finally began flight training in Milton, Florida in the spring of 2019. I thought the Academy was hard, but Naval flight training was the most challenging experience I have encountered thus far. It required a ton of studying with my classmates, chair flying, and preparing for flight briefs. It was like learning a new language that I had never heard of in conversations with my dad. The only way to overcome such a steep learning curve was to fully dedicate myself to studying and working with my classmates. Every day I was being continuously tested; in the books, simulators, and in the aircraft. The first aircraft I learned how to fly was the Cessna 172 and I have been hooked on aviation ever since. After training for weeks, the aviation language began to make sense and the flights became more enjoyable. In primary flight training, I was privileged to fly the T-6B Texan where I learned aerobatics, formations, and instrument flying. As a member of the Coast Guard, I knew I wanted to fly helicopters because I could be a part of the team responsible for hoisting people from the water and providing help for people in distress. Thus, after completing primary training I was selected to the rotary wing advanced training program. I began rotary training in the summer of 2020 where I learned to fly the TH-57 Sea Ranger. In this aircraft I learned tactical maneuvers, low level navigation, formations, and received my instrument rating. The highest achievement and one of the most memorable days of my life was receiving my ‘Wings of Gold’ and becoming a designated Naval Aviator in January 2021! I had finally achieved my lifetime goal of becoming a pilot and serving in the military to help others. After earning my aviator designation, I was stationed at Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, Louisiana. During my time here as a designated Co-pilot I have faced some of the most challenging flying conditions, frequent search and rescue missions, responding as the first helicopter to fly into New Orleans after Hurricane IDA, and actively participating in Marine Environmental Protection. I cannot put into
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words how blessed and grateful I am to be in the position I am, getting to live out my dream daily. I’d like my story to show that one day you can achieve your goals with hard work, time spent, and effort! I started out wanting to follow my dad’s footsteps as a Navy fighter pilot. However, after carving my own path with all the obstacles I have overcome, I am fortunate to live out my dream of being a pilot every day. In retrospect, the hurdles I have faced taught me resilience, persistence, determination, discipline, and patience. The Coast Guard requires these skills of its members to execute missions safely and efficiently whether it be afloat on a cutter or in the air on an aircraft. I now welcome hurdles in my career knowing that after hardship, there will always be growth.
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Captain Kirks of the Future? By Lance Thies
Can you believe it? A private shuttle took Captain Kirk to space for real! So what is next for aerospace and who’s going to lead the way? Two students from Lockport Township High School (LTHS) in Lockport, Illinois believe that they are going to be part of the adventure. One, Ahmad Kawash, has been challenging himself academically throughout his high school career with difficult classes and the willingness to explore his own boundaries to find a passion. The other, Jack Thies, has thought about what he could do to be a part of the aerospace industry since his dad first painted clouds and stars on his bedroom ceiling. Enter two teachers from the high school, Jeff Brown and Corey Duzan, and their engineering classes to provide the clarity that Ahmad needed to find his passion and the drive Jack needed to refine his skill.
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What both students love about their coursework in their engineering classes is the challenge that Mr. Brown and Mr. Duzan lay out in each assignment. Digital modeling, making the famous balsa wood models, collaborating in teams and exploring the range of questions and
answers to problems have invigorated both Ahmad and Jack. The connection between Ahmad’s physics and calculus and his engineering problems has opened his eyes to the fact that, even though the classes are tough and they push his abilities to the limit, he loves it because he sees how his knowledge in one class ties directly into the model he creates in engineering. Jack thrives in team projects and the wide range of solutions that each student brings to a problem which has led him to engage in the high school’s robotics team, exposing him to high pressure competitions and the ultimate tests of teamwork. That teamwork gives him an opportunity to see different viewpoints, learn about collaboration and be a good team-focused leader. Engineering, to both young men, has become a transport to make a career from what they love doing. Ahmad wants to work on the technology involved in moving people through space and wants to be part of the next generation of aerospace engineers who find a way to get an astronaut onto a new planet. Lofty goals from a high school senior, but if the drive Ahmad has shown so far keeps his path clear, we could see that footprint on Mars in real life and not just in the movies! Jack sees his path in project management, finding the best, most efficient and cost effective way to make travel to space a regular occurrence, almost like taking
a trip to the beach in Florida. That might involve asking Jeff Bezos or Richard Branson if he can take Blue Horizon and the Unity rockets beyond where even they think it can go! How do they get there? Jack is just starting to think about those next steps. He is starting to look into where he can continue to pursue his passion. Lewis University, close to home, has a collaborative dual degree program in Physics and Aerospace Engineering with the Illinois Institute of Technology. That would allow him to have a home-cooked meal regularly. But the prestige of a place like
MIT is exciting to ponder and worth the reach. Ahmad, being a senior, is in the most exciting yet nerve-wracking phase of high school. Where is he going to continue to challenge himself in college? Being a Midwestern young man, and wanting to find the best opportunities where family and friends can be a part of his exploration, Purdue University, the University of Illinois and Iowa State University have all risen to the top of the list for places he has applied to. Not knowing where that next step will be can be stomach churning, but he is laserfocused on being part of the aerospace community. All are great schools that will allow them both to soar! Is one of them the next Captain Kirk guiding a real ship through space? We will see. What we do know, though, is that high school engineering education is a critical component to allowing students like Ahmad and Jack to find their passion and explore that passion with a laptop, models, teammates and teachers who care about their future success. When asked why they started the engineering program at LTHS, Mr. Duzan, a PLTW Master Teacher, said “Our answer is simple and it ties directly with the curriculum that we teach every day in our STEM and Technology and Engineering classes. Engineering can be defined as the application of Science, Technology, and Math principles to better the life of everyone around us. From the obvious applications like transportation to the things that we take for granted like turning on a light switch, those are all solutions created with a conscientious effort to better the lives of others. We challenge our students to take the skills and experiences from these classes and curricula and improve the world by applying Engineering.” And that is reason enough to give special students like Ahmad and Jack the opportunity to explore the next frontier!
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By Rose Rivera, Squadron 534
Bravo, Mooney! You Rock-et! It is ten o’ clock on Saturday morning. But today’s Saturday plans are far from ordinary. There are four of us who gather in the front room of the Sun Air Aviation building in Leesburg, Florida. We sit and do a pre-flight briefing. I listen carefully to Joel Hargis, as my pilot in command explains in detail our flight plans for the day. Flying from the Leesburg International Airport (KLEE), we take a west-east transition across the Orlando International Airport (KMCO) and its restricted Bravo airspace. This will be followed by a low pass over the space shuttle landing facility at the NASA Kennedy Space Center. Joel carefully details to me the outlying Bravo airspace and the altitudes of each shelf in the air so we can tell exactly when we will be entering the airspace at our flight level of 3,000 feet. My role on this trip is to handle the radio work. I am an aspiring student pilot who has just received Ray Scholarship funds through my local EAA Chapter 534. Bravo airspace is new ground for me, and it sounds intimidating. However, my pilot Joel and my fellow flight members Mike and Gretchen, also EAA Chapter 534 members, alleviate my concerns and encourage me to have fun. After all, that is one of the most important aspects of flying.
Sunny skies and a hint of Florida fall air, tantalize us as we hop into the awaiting Mooney. A couple of radio calls to KLEE ground and tower, and we are off. Taking in the sights and getting ready for the adventure ahead, I examine the airspace layout on the navigation equipment. Bravo airspace is fast approaching. Joel makes the initial call, getting us cleared in and doing a special request for our special trip. But then, it is up to me. He helps me along the way to know what to say on the radio calls. After being cleared into the area, things get busy fast. The controller contacts us with vectoring instructions. I respond with the appropriate vectors. Joel then helps me request a lower flight altitude to stay clear of the clouds. They accept, and we continue on our merry way. A lot of traffic keeps things interesting for our little group. The tower gives us several calls about traffic on the left side, or one o’ clock on the right. I also learned the “right” way of responding to sighted traffic- “Tally ho!” A little down the road (or air), we listen to the Titusville weather in preparation for a low pass over some special scenery. We request to begin our descent towards the destination. The Mooney Screaming Eagle with a 310-horsepower engine takes us, its passengers, ever closer to some very cool sites. Just out in the distance, a little northeast lies the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy. We can easily spot it before other sites because of its considerable height. Indicating the course we should take, the VAB leads us to the rocket garden and of course Tango Tango Sierra, the runway itself.
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sightseeing KMCO and KFSB, as well as a low pass over the Shuttle Landing Facility? What a day! I did most of the radio calls through Bravo airspace. Although I had a lot of help hearing and responding to the calls, just the experience of having done it taught me so much. It gives me confidence to one day try it on my own. Talking on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF), we prepare to do a low pass over the 15,000-foot- long runway. Another airplane is coming from the opposite direction with the same intention, so our group keeps a sharp eye out for him. Descending to just 150 feet, we roar over the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility. I take in the sights. I feel privileged to be here at this moment. Out the window on the east side of the runway is the model space shuttle. I will not forget this day for a long time. After taking in the sights, we head back towards Leesburg and home. Flying through Charlie airspace, and another restricted altitude, we pass the busy Sanford Airport on our right. After a quick reentry into Leesburg’s Delta airspace, the Mooney is lined up for a left downwind for runway 13, back in familiar air. After landing, we taxi back to the hangar. “So, what did you think?” asked Joel. “It was awesome,” I answered. What other response is appropriate for a first flight through Bravo airspace,
I am so appreciative to have mentors like Joel and other members of EAA Chapter 534. It is such an encouragement to know someone has been in my shoes before and has succeeded. Not only did they succeed, but they are more than willing to help me succeed as well. With the Ray Aviation funds I just received, I hope to complete my private pilot license requirements soon. I hope to become a medical missionary, flying supplies and people in Africa. I know for a fact that flying would not be in my future were it not for EAA Chapter 534 with members like Joel, willing to advise, train, and cheer me on, or for the Mooney who flies us. Bravo, Mooney!
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STEM LEARNING LABS AT THE AEROSPACE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE
The Ramus SkyLab Innovation Center is a gathering hub of emerging technologies built on a solid foundation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). With 8,000 square feet of convertible educational space, ACE can utilize an open, cross-sectional design to create a community of STEM learners. This space enables students to work hands-on with a variety of learning tools that allow them to learn at their own pace. Thanks to our internship program, our students had the opportunity to write about each classroom from their perspective.
Redbird Flight Simulator Laboratory By: Braden Terry, ACE Jr. Intern, CFAA student - 10th Grade The Flight Simulator Lab will get anyone started with flying. Redbird Flight Simulations donated twenty-two Redbird Jay Flight Simulators to be used as an introduction to flying. These simulators are very durable so that anyone from elementary to collegiate levels can experiment with flight. Each simulator has been programmed for situations specifically for newer pilots. For instance, one program helps someone understand how to land on a runway. It starts the simulation on a perfect glide slope near the runway, which anyone can practice landing. There are so many possibilities here at ACE, starting with the Redbird Flight Simulator Room.
UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Laboratory By: Ashlee Driskel, ACE Jr. Intern, CFAA student - 9th Grade Our UAS Lab enables the students to explore the area of drones and rockets in the aerospace field, which includes flying, assembling, and testing these systems. It allows us to see that not everything is controlled by a person but also by robots or gravity. The drones give a good example of using a controller or device to control the flying robot instead of using a yoke for an airplane. These drones can teach you how to take videos or photos, tricks, and even fly a drone from the touch of a mobile device. The rockets, however, have absolutely no control, but they teach you how Earth affects these rockets by bringing them back to the ground. In conclusion, this room will not only open the studnets eyes when seeking a pilot or engineering career, but both could inspire future drone pilots to join the aerospace field.
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3D Printing Laboratory By: Anthony Benash, ACE Jr. Intern, CFAA student - 9th Grade In the 3D Printing Lab at ACE, we will be teaching students who visit during field trips or events how to 3D print, design basic models in CAD, and convert files to print. The 3D print side of SkyLab will be a collaborative part of all things ACE. We will assist the UAS Laboratory, Redbird Flight Simulations Laboratory, and the NOAA Laboratory (Science on a Sphere). Some things guests might do while they are here is help design and brainstorm ideas for future projects, including designing accessories, small drones, tools or parts for different things. They may also be given a problem that is affecting a community. Another project could be finding part of the Earth with Science on a Sphere and they will have to come up with a way to solve it with 3D printing.
Science on a Sphere Laboratory By: Will Coral, ACE Jr. Intern, CFAA student - 10th Grade Science on a Sphere is a system that projects images onto a sphere to be observed from practically any angle. This allows for a unique experience where you can view planets, moons, or even real-time weather without reducing the object onto a flat map. There are over one hundred seventy Science on a Spheres worldwide, but ACE’s sphere is the only one that can be lifted to the ceiling, allowing the room to be converted into a usable hangar space. There are currently one hundred data sets loaded into the system, including all the planets of the Solar System, moons, real-time weather information, and even a real-time view of the Sun. There is also the ability to add custom data sets, allowing us to project practically any spherical object.
At the the Ramus SkyLab Innovation Center, all students can engage with the future of STEM, aeroSTEM, and aviation by using its’ five tools of learning. With hands-on activities readily available, this is a place where some of the best and brightest future STEM professionals in the world will become modern innovators. Once here, youth and adult aviators can be educated in just about any topic imaginable on the world’s first purposely built STEM, aeroSTEM, and aviation campus ecosystem. We at ACE are a proud provider of educational tourism and museum sciences learning opportunities.
Be sure to visit the RAMUS SKYLAB INNOVATION CENTER at SUN ‘n FUN 2022. Your ticket purchase includes entry to this amazing facility. SEE YOU IN APRIL!
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MY JOURNEY CONTINUES…COL
My name is Travis Senft and I hope you had a chance to read my article “Journey to Become a Pilot at Seventeen” in the Spring 2021 magazine. In this article, I spoke about not being afraid of hard work, keeping opportunities always in front of you, and always being prepared. I found these simple principles have served me well in my journey. I am confident it can also serve you just as well as you define your journey. I am now navigating to my next waypoint. Unfortunately, navigating to my next waypoint is not as easy as putting the information into my navigational device, verifying the information, pushing the “Direct To” button, and letting the autopilot put me on a course to my next waypoint. The autopilot not only puts me on a direct course, it also corrects my heading for crosswinds. While I am preparing to depart for college, I have checked the weather, NOTAMS, and runway information; I am prepared for changing crosswinds that might cause me to make heading changes to my course. I find myself referring back to the Boy Scout motto “Be prepared”. I would also encourage you to always be prepared for crosswinds that might blow you off course. Remember, just because you have to correct for crosswinds on your journey, you still can reach your destination safely. How did I prepare for my flight to college? Research, college visits, and asking lots of questions was the plan that helped me navigate to the right college for me. I started at AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I took time to visit almost every college and university booth at the annual airshow. I did not stop at every booth because I had already decided that I would like to attend a college within a few hour flight of my home in Wisconsin. Although great choices, this eliminated colleges like Liberty, Embry Riddle, and the University of North Dakota. With the more distant colleges eliminated, I started my tour of all the other colleges at the airshow.
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This included Southern Illinois University, Dubuque University, Western Michigan University, Saint Louis University, and Minnesota State University Mankato. All of the colleges had excellent representatives that could answer questions about the aviation programs and the college. Many also had students that flew a plane into the show. This was especially helpful because I could ask the question directly to flight students and check out the planes that I would be flying. Most of my questions focused on flying as a first-year student already having a private pilot’s license. After my initial visit to AirVenture, I eliminated Western Michigan University and Saint Louis University. Although both schools have award-winning programs, they were not the right fit for my needs and situation. This started the second phase of my flight plan. I started to contact each school to set up a tour of the college and aviation centers. This process was super easy and everyone was helpful. I started at Minnesota State University Mankato. I set up a campus tour to meet with the Director of Aviation on Monday morning. My dad booked a hotel room and rental car. More about the rental car later. It was a beautiful fall Sunday morning. I completed my preflight, pulled the RV-12 out of the hangar and we started on our two and a half hour crosscountry flight to Mankato. The flight was uneventful and the scenery was breathtaking. Until we got within ten nautical miles of the airport. Wow, we were being innovated with airplanes. Airplanes are everywhere in every direction. The ADS-B screen was filled with traffic at every altitude, speed, and direction. What is going on? This little airport just south of the Twin Cities was blowing up with air traffic. We were just going crazy looking for traffic and flying the airplane. I was able to fly a perfect pattern despite the formation of two aircraft cutting me off. Once on the ground, I looked over towards the ramp and it was packed with airplanes and
LLEGE BOUND
people. It was a pancake breakfast day. Upon taxing, we were marshaled onto the overflow ramp. After I shut down the plane, a nice gentleman greeted us, “Welcome to Mankato” and handed us a free breakfast pass. Still, a little stunned over the number of people, we asked if there were any tie-downs because we were staying the night. With a confused look on the gentleman’s face, we replied, “We are okay.” He replied, “Okay enjoy your breakfast.” After looking around, we decided to pull the plane through the middle of the crowd and park the plane next to the University planes. While pulling the plane, we were stopped by a local newspaper reporter doing a story on the event. He interviewed us, took our pictures, and wrote down our names. We then proceeded to secure the plane and figure out the location of our rental car. We found the car we nicknamed “Little Red” as it was the smallest car I had ever seen or driven. The next morning we ate breakfast and met the Director of Aviation at the airport. While touring the facilities, the dispatcher stopped us and said, “Hey, are you the people on the front page of the newspaper?” With a puzzled look and equally puzzling response, we said “I don’t know.” She then proceeded to get a copy of the newspaper. What do you know, we made the front page news with a picture of us pulling our plane through the crowd of people. We continued our tour of the facilities at Mankato. They had amazing planes, 32 of them. They had multiple Redbird full-motion flight simulators and a nicely equipped classroom. I thought I found my new home. After we toured the airport, we took Little Red to campus and took a tour of the campus. It was also equally beautiful. They had an amazing campus and sports complexes. We flew out with a good feeling about the program at Mankato.
By Travis Senft
Our next tour was Southern Illinois University. Once again, we made our hotel and car rental reservations. We flew out on another beautiful Sunday morning with our tour scheduled for Monday. During the two and a half hour flight, we questioned if there was going to be a pancake breakfast and if we were going to make the front page of the newspaper again. No such luck and the flight was uneventful. Again, we secured the plane and made our way to the FBO and the rental car. The rental car was once again a small red car. We called this car just “Red” because it was bigger than the car at Mankato. The SIU Aviation and Transportation Education Center was new, only being open for a few years. We took a comprehensive tour of the center and the campus. The most interesting parts of their program were all the different minors I could receive. This included Air Traffic Control, UAV, all the way to Dispatcher certification. The aviation program was bigger than Mankato and afforded more diversity in programs. They also had a variety of aircraft. While most aircraft are C-172’s, the avionics packages varied. The other big advantage SIU has is their weather. Carbondale, Illinois only receives about 10 inches of snow annually. Being from Wisconsin, this sounds amazing. The major drawback that ultimately led me to eliminate SIU as a college of choice was the scope and sequence of their flight courses. I would be entering the program as a private pilot. This is okay, the first course would be flying and building hours for your commercial certification. This is not a good fit for my unique situation. I am a senior in high school with over a year before I enter college. I have a full year to build hours in our school plane at a cost significantly lower than at the university. While a great school with many amazing aviation programs, it was not the school for me and I quickly eliminated SIU from my list. Dubuque University was next. This is only a 45 minute flight from my home airport of Burlington, Wisconsin. No
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MY JOURNEY CONTINUES…COLLEGE BOUND
need to stay overnight but we did get a rental car. Can you guess the color? You would be correct, Red. This was a midsize car. We had the nickname “Big Red”. Dubuque airport was a controlled airport with regional flights scheduled daily. Dubuque was an extremely beautiful campus and area. Located in the driftless area with breathtaking views just west of the Mississippi River. Everyone was super friendly and made me feel like a V.I.P. I sat down with a professor of the Aviation Department and just had a one-on-one talk. This was super-inclusive, warm, and friendly. This is a nice school with a friendly atmosphere. It was a clean campus with flowers, green grass, and the sidewalk was free from gum or debris. You can tell pride runs deep at this school. The aviation center was new and impressive. The classrooms were well lit and had the technology to support virtual learning. The flight programs were well designed and even included helicopter certification. This was a well-run flight school. The one unique thing at Dubuque is that every graduate gets a brick with his or her name and degree permanently installed on the campus walkway. This school is definitely in the running. Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois was my next stop. This is only a 34 minute flight or one and a half hour drive from my home in Wisconsin. This was a fun flight as we had to stay under Chicago’s Class B airspace. What color do you think the rental car was? Wrong! Lewis University has an airport on campus. No rental car is needed. We took the short flight on another nice fall day. After a short flight with triple seven’s flying overhead, we landed at Lewis. We taxied over to the Lewis hangar and proceeded to get out of the airplane. Two students greeted us and asked if we were lost and if we needed directions to the FBO. We said NO, we are here for a campus tour. He replied with “oh, let me find out where you can park.” After all, we did park in the middle of their flight operation spaces. We were instructed to park just to the side of the hangar out of the way of Lewis flight operations. We met with the aviation advisor
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and took a tour of the aviation center. This also was a newer building and was amazing. The advisor told us all about the flight programs at Lewis. They also had many impressive programs similar to SIU. We also learned that the college was started in 1932 as a flight school and their mascot is the Flyers. We also took a great tour of the campus with a friendly student from enrollment services and admissions. They fly C-172 all equipped with G1000’s. Their program would allow me to continue to build hours during my senior year of high school. This flexibility allows me to start my course work and flight experience as a sophomore. I would start my instrument flying along with my commercial ground school. I would also get a minor in Aircraft Dispatch and Air Traffic Control. The campus is clean with a lot of green spaces. Everyone I have met has been super friendly and willing to help. Lewis seems to have everything I am looking for in a college. It is only a 35 minute flight from Wisconsin, has a diversity of aviation programs, is ranked as one of the top-flight schools in the nation, and has a unique four plus one master program. This program allows a student to become a flight instructor while Lewis pays for their Master’s degree. Lewis also has a top-notch scholastic flight team and the only college I have visited that has a drone racing team. Lewis also has an airport on campus. All the other schools had about a fifteen to twenty minute drive from campus. I can see how this might get tiresome when you have to make the trip several times each day. Having the airport on campus is awesome and waking from your dorm room to the plane is a positive experience. I think I found my school. Lewis University seems to be the best course for my journey. I have set my navigational aid to Lewis University. While I have set my Direct To location, I realize that I might have some course corrections to make to reach my final destination as a commercial pilot. I am confident with the support I will receive from the staff and faculty at Lewis, my course and landings will be smooth. Stay tuned for more of my journey. How do I pay for flight school?
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INSPIRED BY GREA How an Aviation Art Career Was Born
Originally from Long Island, New York, noted aviation artist, author, and historian Mike Machat served in the U.S. Air Force and with the National Security Agency before relocating to Los Angeles and earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach. He was hired by the Douglas Aircraft Company and McDonnell Douglas Corporation as a technical illustrator, and advanced through the ranks to become a Staff Artist and corporate representative. In 1984, Machat established his own aviation art studio and was elected first president of the American Society of Aviation Artists. He served for 25 years as a senior flight-rated artist for the U.S. Air Force Documentary Art Program, and his award-winning murals grace the Bob Hope Airport terminal building in Burbank, CA, the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards AFB, and the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, CA. As an aviator, Machat holds an FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate, and has logged more than 2,000 flights in sailplanes. He has flown in nearly 250 different types of aircraft and was the first Air Force Artist to fly in the Rockwell B-1B Lancer and Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Mike has four paintings in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum as well as eight paintings in the Pentagon. He has also written four best-selling books on aviation history. Machat describes his career as “a dream come true, and then some,” fully realizing that his many opportunities to fly in high-performance military aircraft and work on art assignments with the true legends of aviation history over a 40-year period came about strictly because he was an artist. In Machat’s own words, here’s the story of how it all began.
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The date was Sunday, July 22, 1956, a day that changed my life forever. I only know that date because it is written on a certificate issued to passengers who flew aboard inaugural flights of Eastern Air Line’s brand new Douglas DC-7B. Dubbed the “Golden Falcon,” these aircraft were introduced to upgrade the airline’s image from a staid businessman’s conveyance to a true First Class luxury carrier during the absolute zenith of the piston era of air travel. That Sunday, my father returned from a business trip to Florida, flying home to New York’s Idlewild Airport (now JFK) on an Eastern DC-7B. The entire flight crew signed the certificate, a treasured keepsake to this day. Another souvenir from that trip was a 16”x 20” color lithograph showing the “Golden Falcon” majestically flying over Miami Beach. As a fledgling artist, I was speechless, and simply in awe seeing this incredible image. I was astonished by the precision of this artwork. The lettering was perfect and the detail seemed beyond the ability of mere mortals. My Dad explained that the painting was created by an artist who worked for the company that built the airplane. His signature was simply “g. akimoto,” and his office was in the Douglas factory in Santa Monica, California. His job? Design and produce paintings of aircraft to show Douglas customers (airlines and the military as I later learned) exactly what their airplanes would look like. Staring wide-eyed at that litho at the impressionable age of nine, I suddenly knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I was going to be an ‘airplane artist’ just like Mr. Akimoto, and maybe if I was lucky, I’d get to work in a big airplane factory out in California. At age 12, I sent a colored
Rendering by Douglas Staff Illustrator George Akimoto depicts an Eastern DC-7B flying over Miami Beach and the Fontainebleau Hotel in 1956.
TNESS
By Mike Machat
Machat’s concept rendering depicts a McDonnell Douglas KC-10 tanker refueling an F-15 Strike Eagle. Neither aircraft had flown yet when he produced this painting for the Air Force.
pencil drawing of the DC-8 jetliner to Mr. Donald W. Douglas with a letter explaining that someday I hoped to work for him. The thoughtful reply, along with a bevy of company photos and lithos, came as quite a surprise. After years of art school studies, an enlistment in the Air Force, and countless hours of drawing and painting to develop my craft, I hired into the Presentations Department at Douglas Long Beach in June 1977. There I met now-Chief Illustrator George Akimoto, and eventually collaborated with him on an ad showing Douglas-built Navy aircraft for AVIATION WEEK Magazine. Another memorable experience was being assigned to fly in a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels aerial demonstration squadron prior to painting the team’s 35th Anniversary brochure cover. One day, while sorting through photo files in the company archives, I found a series of black-and-white 8x10 prints showing an Eastern DC-7B rolling-out of the final assembly building in Santa Monica in 1955, plus shots showing that aircraft being completed on the Douglas ramp. Its tail number was “N801D” – the very same airplane my Father flew aboard in July 1956! Finding those photographs confirmed my career path, and became living proof that when you are truly inspired by greatness, dreams can come true.
Photo discovered in the Douglas archives in 1977 showing the actual aircraft Machat’s father flew on in 1956, being outfitted on the Santa Monica ramp.
EPILOGUE: After a 40-year career in aviation, Mike Machat now serves as Curator and Historian for the Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Airport, which houses rare original artifacts and displays from the Douglas plant once located on the North side of that airport. Aside from conceiving and designing new exhibits and displays for the Museum, Machat painted three 10-ft. by 20-ft. murals depicting the famed Douglas “DC” airliners, Douglas Navy aircraft aboard the USS Forrestal, and record-breaking Douglas ‘X-Planes.’ A copy of the letter Machat received from Mr. Douglas in 1959 when he was 12 years old adorns the wall below one of his murals. The address on the company letterhead reads “General Office, Santa Monica, CA,” on Ocean Park Blvd., a location less than one-half mile from the Museum of Flying today. I guess you could say Machat’s notable career has come full circle.
In a modern-day iteration of George Akimoto’s DC-7 over Miami Beach, Machat illustrated an Air Canada Airbus A319 over Niagara Falls, one of a series of airliner paintings he produced for Airbus Industrie in the 1990s.
Photo taken by Machat’s Father while boarding an Eastern DC-7B Golden Falcon in Miami shows registration number “N801D” on its tail fin.
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