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It was a journey of discovery that led Michael to become a pilot. A journey filled with challenges, a journey that started almost by accident. His story is one of experimentation, hard work, and perseverance. Today (2025) he has more than 750 hours of flight, he teaches others, manages the ground school program at his school, and is well on his way to flying jets for a regional airline.
Early in his adolescence Michael stopped attending boy scouts. He loved the scouts but he wanted to build games. So, he made a deal with his parents – a laptop in exchange for one year commitment to a team sport. The parents dropped in a class on video game design to ensure success.
There was a lot of fun to be sure. Several games came out of it, but the “team sport,” requirement was not fulfilled. Dad, found a VEX Robotics club and the two of them would go twice a week across the San Francisco Bay to practice for the robotics club. There were weekly competitions, and eventually the team, did so well and ended up going to Nationals competition in Louisville, KY.
The year went by fast and slow. There were fun times, and tough times, but they persevered together. Michael met a friend who liked taking pictures of airplanes at the VEX Robotics club. Eventually Michael earned enough money to buy himself a small RC (radio controlled) Airplane to play with. But the poor airplane’s biggest accomplishment was landing on the neighbor’s house. Disappointment was beginning to set in. And that’s when dad found a RC Club in town. This was right at the start of COVID lockdowns.
The club, because it met outside, was able to continue meeting. With a small investment in foam airplanes Michael was ready to practice and learn how to fly these planes. At the club he found a group of likeminded RC aviators who encouraged him, taught him, and became his community. They were retired enthusiasts, former pilots, and RC airplane racers. Here he flourished.
However, the story would stop at a hobby if that’s all there was. But, as they do every year, the EAA announced a flight day for any youngster who wished to see what it is like to be in an airplane. For weeks after the event Michael bragged to the family that while they are driving to grandma’s house, he flew the route over grandma’s house. You could see a spark of interest there, a joy, a delight. So the family tried another experiment.
The parents paid for a flight lesson. An official flight lesson with a local flight school. Michael, because he had spent enough time on Microsoft Flight Simulator, impressed the instructor. In fact, Michael took off without the aid of the instructor. After they returned from the flight, not only did the instructor complement him on his calmness and experience but you could see the ear-to-ear grin on Michale’s face. He was hooked.
Over the next two years, he washed dishes at a local restaurant and paid for half of his flight classes. The parents pitched in for the other half. This is no small feat since whole process cost about $20K. There were also canceled flights, bad weather, and a change of schools along the way, but Michael persevered. He had made it his passion at this point, and the parents were consulting when he needed help.
When he needed to change schools, and pay for a chunk of hours at once the parents agreed to front him the money. He started keeping a meticulous spreadsheet with payments and costs to demonstrate that he was paying his fair share. Regardless the challenges, he finished his Private Pilot license before he graduated High School and went on to complete Commercial certificate, Flight Instructor and other certifications. Today he teaches and is building hours to “go to the airlines.”
Reflection Questions:
- Why are experiments a good way to learn?
- What fears does a young person have to overcome in order to do something like this?
- Why is failure important at this age?