We are very excited to have Austin-Kenneth as a counselor at Camp Willa. We’ve known him for two years when Board member Fareed Guyot met him at a similar camp in Minnesota. We invited Austin-Kenneth to join us on staff because of his unique experience in aviation so far and that he is training for his pilot’s license this summer; all before his senior year in high school! We plan on posting as many of his updates as he is able to send along, because his first priority is to study and do well — Ed.
My name is Austin-Kenneth Jackson. I’m an incoming High School Senior in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have loved Aviation for a long time and I hope to fly for the Air Force one day. I’ve previously been active in the Civil Air Patrol and now I am in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) achieving several ranks.
While you don’t need to do all of this to become a pilot or work in Aviation, it’s been a great experience to participate and it has given me a head start.
Earlier this spring I earned a spot in an AFROTC accelerated pilot training program which has brought me to an airport in Elizabeth City, North Carolina for the next two months. Once I finish here I will have earned my Private Pilot’s License (PPL) just short of a month before my 18th birthday.
You can earn flight experience at any age but you must be at least 16 years old to solo an airplane and at least 17 to earn your PPL in most aircraft except balloons and gliders, you only have to be 16 for a license. As part of the airplane license, you must have logged a minimum of 40 hours learning how to fly the airplane, navigate from place to place, and talk to air traffic controllers. Of course, just like school, there is also a written test (multiple choice) and a flight test at the very end.
These first few weeks have been fun but challenging. I’m learning all the basic maneuvers I need to know including what to do in an emergency. I will need to know all of this before I am allowed to solo. I haven’t soloed yet. I have a progress check this week. I have to master landings before my instructor feels comfortable.
The whole transition/flare thing in the Cessna is hard. I flew a G1000 today so I had an opportunity to get a better feel for the plane when landing but still landed rough. I don’t break the plane but I guess he’s not comfortable yet. I fly perfectly and communicate great but that’s where I’m at right now. Did emergency procedures today.
This doesn’t happen at most flight schools, but when you fly under a military program they like to give you a call-sign. So, you can call me “Skyscraper” Jackson.