Page 12 - TransWISummer2025
P. 12

12 | Transportation Today Wisconsin™                                                      Online Edition: www.transportationtodaywi.com

                        Potosi Senior Literally Taking Flight



                                                                                a flight portion where you fly differ-  So far, since I have gotten my
                                                                                ent maneuvers. I started doing lessons  private pilot license, it has been so
                                                                                almost every day until my checkride,  much fun. I would have to agree with
                                                                                which was to happen the next Thurs-  Dominic Glass, a flight instructor, who
                                                                                day. For the next week, almost all I did  said “My favorite experience is taking
                                                                                was study and try to prepare for my  my parents up.” It was such a special
                                                                                checkride. During my flight lessons,  experience with them.  Another cool
                                                                                I practiced as if I was in a checkride.  experience I have had is getting to fly
                                                                                I  tried to  fly  within standards  for all  my friends around. I also have been
                                                                                of my maneuvers.  Your checkride is  enjoying the freedom of flying when
                                                                                based on the ACS (airman certification  and where I want to go.
                                                                                standards)  for  that  certification  and   At one point I thought I wanted to
                                                                                within that there are set standards for  just do it as a hobby. I thought I was
                                                                                how you fly your different maneuvers.  going to college for health care; I had
                                                                                   Then it was  Thursday. For your  even applied and been accepted. But
                                                                                checkride you have to complete an  once I started working towards my
                                                                                oral test and then a flight part. First I  pilot’s license, I knew I wanted it to be
                                                                                did the oral part, which went well, so  my career.
                                                                                I moved on to the flight part, which
                                                                                also went well. If you make it back
        Lily Zenz, Potosi School District   was super nerve-racking but also so  without  them  saying  anything  about   www.potosi.k12.wi.us
            I had always had a small thought   exciting. My parents were able to be  you failing, it means you passed. And
        of becoming a pilot in the back of my   there and watch me,  which  was very  luckily I made it. I was so excited and
        head. I told my mom and she talked to   special.                        happy. My parents were waiting at the
        one of her coworkers who is a pilot,    Then I started working on my  hangar for me and  I got to celebrate
        Randy Peterson. Randy took me for my   cross-country requirements. I flew  with them and my instructor Britney.
        first discovery flight. I was immedi-  to Monticello and Savana with my
        ately in love with flying. I soon found   instructor and then it was time for me to
        a school in Mineral Point and I started   solo to those places. But before I could
        lessons in the spring. The school is to   do solo cross-country, I had to solo to
        “go at your own pace” so you can go   Lone Rock, Lancaster, and Platteville.   Coming in our next issue!
        full-time, part-time, take a week off,   My favorite was soloing to Lancaster
                                                                                             anufacturing
        or whatever pace you                         because my parents got
        want. My reasons for                              to come  watch  me.                anufacturing
        wanting to become                                   Then you have to
        a pilot relate a                                    meet a certain time                              T
        lot  to   Britney                                   requirement  with                                TODAYODAY wiwi
        Boxrucker, a flight                                 night  flying. That
        instructor at Drift-                                was my absolute
        less Aero,  who                                     favorite flight. It                                  Success
        said “I wanted to                                  was so cool to fly
        become a pilot because I                       over towns and see all the                                 Stories
        went for an airplane ride and liked it   lights. My least favorite requirement
        a lot.”                             was ‘hood time’. This is where all you
            When you first start flying you are   can see is your instruments and you                                 Manufacturing
        pretty much just learning how to fly   have to be able to fly the plane. It is                                           Careers
        around. You aren’t really trying to do   hard because you almost have to forget
        anything specific. But once you get a   what your body is telling you and rely
        little bit of time, you figure skills out   only on what your eyes are seeing on                         Upcoming
        like landings, takeoffs, and just basic   the instruments. Also, you have to take                               Events
        flight maneuvers. You start working on   a written test. It is just another test
        ground reference maneuvers like turns   to make sure you know what you are
        around a point and S-turns. Then you   doing.
        start working on stalls, steep turns, and   About a week and a half before   We'd love to hear about how your schools are
        slow flight. All of it is so much fun and   my checkride, the preparation really   introducing students to careers in manufacturing!
        you are learning so much.           started. A checkride is a final test to get
            After I got a basic understand-  a certification as a pilot.  There is an                    Please contact:
        ing of all of that, I got to really start   oral part where you talk about different   Andria — andria@teachingtodaywi.com 715-360-4875, or
        working on meeting my requirements.   things that pertain to the certification   Renee — renee@teachingtodaywi.com 715-839-7074
        First I soloed for the first time, which   you are trying to get and then there is
   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17