Latest news with #flighttraining
CNN
7 days ago
- General
- CNN
Watch Pete Muntean experience what it's like when air traffic control ‘goes dark'
CNN's Pete Muntean reports from a flight simulator, demonstrating the challenges pilots face during an air traffic control "blackout."
CNN
28-05-2025
- General
- CNN
Watch Pete Muntean experience what it's like when air traffic control ‘goes dark'
CNN's Pete Muntean reports from a flight simulator, demonstrating the challenges pilots face during an air traffic control "blackout."
CNN
28-05-2025
- General
- CNN
Watch Pete Muntean experience what it's like when air traffic control ‘goes dark'
CNN's Pete Muntean reports from a flight simulator, demonstrating the challenges pilots face during an air traffic control "blackout."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Frankford High student pilot becomes certified flight instructor ready to teach next generation
The Brief A Frankford High School student pilot becomes a certified flight instructor who's now giving back to the younger generation. The program is a partnership between Frankford High's Aviation Academy and Tailwinds Academy of Aviation at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Students are exposed to viable career paths in the field of aviation where job demand is strong due to a shortage of pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians. NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA - Frankford High School's Aviation Academy is coming full circle now that one of their first student pilots has become a certified flight instructor at Tailwinds Academy of Aviation at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The backstory "I've always been traveling from here to the Dominican Republic. That's usually where my family is… every time I would take a plane, I've always been curious," said Jonathan Suarez, a flight instructor at Tailwinds Academy of Aviation. "I am more centered and focused on helping the new generation that's coming up from the Frankford program be able to show them the path that I took in order for them to get all their certificates and be successful in this industry." The flight program in the School District of Philadelphia is a partnership between Frankford High School and Tailwinds providing students with a scholarship to undergo flight training and become pilots. "We try to recruit them from like 8th graders, 9th graders try to get them to come to Frankford and join the program," said Josh Bergerson, Aviation Teacher at Frankford High. "In our mind like six, seven years ago that was our end goal, you know, we have these students go train and come back and give back to the school right away while he's making good money working as a flight instructor." Bergerson said the program offers introductory courses on aviation and exposes students to viable career paths in the field. They can include flight training, drone training and aviation maintenance training. Viable career path "We've come full circle. We're very excited. We know that flight training is a life-transforming experience. These kids have learned so much and they've changed and it's a privilege for me to watch them change," said Howard Cooper, the Founder and Executive Director of Tailwinds Academy of Aviation. "We like to fly so we're going to need more and more pilots, and we're delighted to add to that as a real viable career path." Now, Malachi Vinns is following in the footsteps of Suarez as one of the student pilots from the Frankford Aviation Academy. In just one year, he did his first solo flight, passed the written exam, got his private license and is currently undergoing further training. "I always admired pilots, but I never had any goal of becoming one until the opportunity arose and then I realized this is really an amazing thing to do," said Vinns. Now Suarez and Vinns both share the goal of eventually becoming pilots for one of the airlines. To qualify, candidates must log a total of 1,500 hours of flight time which usually takes a few years to achieve.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Colorado aviation program providing pipeline for industry in need of applicants
A program in Colorado is offering high school students real-world experience and preparing them for a future in aviation. Airports across the country are experiencing a shortage of air traffic controllers and other staff. Shortages have led to major delays and cancellations at airports like Newark Liberty International Airport. The issues led Senator Chuck Schumer to demand investigations earlier this month. Michael Metzger and Kora Redenbarger CBS But at Warren Tech, the next generation of aviation employees is being trained. Michael Metzger and Kora Redenbarger are two such students. Hanging out in the program's FAA approved flight simulator, they finished their preflight check and took off for a quick simulated flight around Centennial Airport. "When I saw the simulators, saw them being turned on at first, I said 'I wanna do that'," Metzger, who graduated last week, told CBS Colorado. "It's a little overwhelming sometimes, but it's really cool to just feel the different ways the plane acts in all the things you do," Redenbarger. Keegan McCrae CBS Just a couple of doors down the hall, Keegan McCrae took a walk around the two propeller planes that are in the Warren Tech hangar. One is fully operational and is used as a real-life test object for students like him. McCrae initially wanted to be an engineer, but craved something with a bit more activity. "I don't work very well with a desk job," he joked. "I wanted something that was more hands-on." All three applied for the program as students within the Jefferson County School District and told CBS Colorado that they were inspired by the aviation programs, from flying to mechanical work. They graduated this past month, and each will go to a four year university to enter programs with some relation to the area of study. CBS "I know where I want to go," Metzger said. "I didn't know before this program. I'm gonna go off to college and get my ratings there, hopefully make it to a commercial plane relatively shortly. Hopefully by the time I'm 25." While Metzger and Redenbarger found themselves enamored with flying planes, McCrae enjoyed working on keeping them in the air. "Hearing it, feeling it, smelling it, it's all great," he said. "I love it." The program provides a pipeline to an industry in desperate need of qualified applicants who will be in aviation for the next handful of decades. "People need to get everywhere for every reason imaginable, and being a part of making that happen is so important," said Redenbarger.
