Wright State University honored 28 aviation students who have earned their first FAA pilot certification with a ceremonial wing pinning and presentation of a flight jacket, name patch and earned level of wings. This milestone achievement recognizes completion of the rigorous first year of collegiate flight training and took place at the Dayton Air Show.<\/p>\n
Incoming students were invited to attend, offering both inspiration and a chance to connect with peers in the same program, as well as gain a better understanding of the rigors of flight training.<\/p>\n
\u2018I\u2019m excited to meet some of the first-year students who just received their licenses,\u201d said Kate Hardesty, an incoming first-year student who is planning to major in aviation science and technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n In just two years, students with little or no prior aviation experience can become paid professional instructors training the next class of Wright State students and on their way to help address the nation\u2019s pilot shortage.<\/p>\n Wright State students in the Aviation Science and Technology Program<\/a> receive hands-on flight training at First Flight Aviation, an educational training facility at the Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport in Miamisburg.<\/p>\n \u201cOur job is to be one of the best in the nation,\u201d said Mick Phillips, Wright State\u2019s chief flight instructor.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are named after the Wright brothers, we have an airplane on our logo, we cannot be an average school,\u201d said Phillips.<\/p>\n Students who were recognized have successfully earned a Federal Aviation Administration pilot certification through the aviation program. To do so, students must complete a ground course and then be endorsed by their instructor to take the FAA Knowledge Exam.<\/p>\n After passing the exam, students continue to complete their remaining training requirements \u2014 including flight training hours, specific maneuvers and ground instruction \u2014 and take the FAA check ride with an FAA-designated pilot examiner. Achieving all of this is just the first step in a four-year program to attain their Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science and Technology.<\/p>\n The Dayton Air Show, which took place on June 13\u201314 at Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, highlights the human and technological advancements in aviation, bringing together industry leaders, aviation enthusiasts and the public. The event also celebrates the region\u2019s enduring aviation legacy, tracing its roots to the pioneering work of the Wright brothers in Dayton, Ohio \u2014 the heart of the National Aviation Heritage Area.<\/p>\n Stephens Spofford watched the professional acrobatic pilots perform and hopes to do something similar in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d really like to do this someday,\u201d said Spofford. \u201cMaybe have Wright State aviation acrobatics or something this cool, it\u2019s a wild thought.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wright State University honored 28 aviation students who have earned their first FAA pilot certification. Continue reading