It has been such an honor and joy for us to read these personal stories of triumphs from so many Ray Scholars in this series, and we are fortunate that we can share these with our readers. Please enjoy this next group of stories in our February edition, as we continue to believe that you are enjoying these stories as much as we are. Remember to help spread these around to inspire other aviation enthusiasts who long to start a life in the skies. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Cadence Bomgardner
When I thought of aviation when I was younger, I thought of my grandfather. My mom told me that he flew C-47s during WWII and flew Beech 18s in the corporate world after the war. It never occurred to me that I had the potential to become a pilot like my grandfather. It wasn’t until I received a phone call from my local EAA chapter about a Young Eagles flight that would take place on a blustery day in January 2021. I caught the “flying bug” when I climbed into the chapter president’s RV-12. Later that day, I was told about the Ray Scholarship offered by the chapter.
Fifteen-year-old me had no idea what she had to look forward to. It started with volunteering with EAA 34, then attending weekly ground school, passing the written exam, and beginning flight training. I was awarded the scholarship in 2022. From the moment I received the scholarship, it was full steam ahead.
I completed my PPL checkride on my seventeenth birthday! I kept progressing through my ratings and completed my CFI, CFII, and MEI before graduating high school. When it comes to my future in aviation, there is no doubt that I will be doing something I love (most likely aerobatics). I currently run an aircraft rental company at Dallas Executive called Cadenza Aviation. I have acquired two airplanes for training and rental and have just recently started brokering aircraft.
I have learned so many things through running a company in high school and through flight training. There is something to be said when you handle yourself as a young professional. Knowing when to say thank you, to apologize, or to stand up for yourself is imperative. Aviation is a small world, so it behooves a young person in aviation to be a source of light to others. Having learned these things has helped me get to where I am at eighteen. The Ray Scholarship allowed me to follow my dreams and now I get to fly every day with my Lightspeed Zulu 3s.
Tyler Mullen
I can’t say for certain what made me want to be a pilot other than it was a feeling I’ve always had. I know I was influenced by my dad who served in the Air Force as an Air Battle Manager aboard the E-3. I visited his office frequently, looking at the pictures and models of airplanes on his walls and shelves. On occasion, we would sit together in the back of his pickup truck and watch various aircraft to include the F-22, takeoff from the fence line. After my dad’s retirement we moved to Western New York where I was exposed to the sounds of general aviation. Watching them fly overhead I knew I would be a pilot and live my childhood dream.
Five years ago, I took my first Young Eagle flight with my local EAA Chapter, EAA 44. I learned about the chapter’s new restoration project of a 1956 Corben Baby Ace and joined the chapter and the Baby Ace Restoration Team (BART) that same day. Chapter members became not only my friends but my mentors, supporting my efforts and expanding my knowledge, allowing me to experience first-hand the disassembling and reassembling of a rag and tube home-built. Occasionally, a pilot would fly in for BART nights and take me up, strengthening my determination to learn to fly.
I learned of the Ray Aviation Scholarship program through my chapter and was fortunate to have been awarded, becoming my chapter’s first candidate in 2020. I passed my Private Pilot checkride nine months after receiving my award, working around the newfound hardships of covid and the complex New York winters.
At seventeen I achieved my dream of becoming a pilot but knew I wanted more. The restoration project ignited my passion for aviation, directing me towards pursuing a career in aviation research and development. I was accepted into Purdue University’s Aeronautical Engineering Technology program and will enter my second year this August. My goal is to use my experience and skill as a pilot with my bachelor’s degree to advance and develop aviation with new technologies, safety features and enhancements.
All I needed was an opportunity, and then I realized that one opportunity is all anyone needs. I am where I am today because of one Young Eagle flight. I decided, while training for my pilot’s license, that I would provide opportunities for others by becoming a Young Eagle pilot. Within three months of receiving my license have done just that and can proudly say I am part of the world’s largest logbook. I will continue to be a Young Eagle pilot for as long as I can fly.
While I have always had an interest in aviation and knew, someday, I would be a pilot, it was through the influence, support and mentorship of others that shaped my future. My advice to anyone who wants to fly would be to follow your dreams, be open minded, never quit on yourself, persevere no matter what obstacles present themselves, and enjoy the ride.
Kritti Prasad
What made you interested in becoming a pilot? This is an interesting question that I get quite often, and for good reason. It’s what most people ask pilots when they first meet them. I say it’s an interesting question because in all honesty, I don’t know what made me interested in becoming a pilot. It isn’t a singular moment or motivator I can pinpoint. It is several factors that amalgamated into what became my drive to becoming a private pilot. With the idea of becoming an engineer (being in STEM Engineering during high school) quickly diminishing and the sudden announcement of our high school gaining the first aviation program in our district, the idea of becoming a pilot felt like fate. I ended up checking out the half a million-dollar flight lab our school gained and was extremely captivated by the technology that laid before me. After a few simulated flights and eventually a young eagle flight, I became certain that becoming a pilot was meant to be.
The funny thing is my scholarship coordinator is who inspired me to apply. His wife approached me one day while I was on flight line duty with Civil Air Patrol. She had noticed that I was always out actively and enthusiastically doing my due diligence as a Young Eagles volunteer. It wasn’t until she approached me to explain the Ray Scholarship opportunity her husband Dave Cheney was providing that I decided to apply.
Currently I am an instrument student training out of California Aeronautical University in Bakersfield. I am close to finishing with only 3 months remaining, and upon completion, I will continue to get my commercial rating. Beyond that I plan to get all of my certifications and ratings, including becoming a CFI to get my hours required to become an airline pilot. I want to fly for United or Delta.
My advice to those who want to follow in my footsteps is go for it. More often than not people see the path to becoming a pilot as an impossible feat, myself included. If flying is your passion, then pursue it. I had several individuals ask me about my pathway to aviation, how I got there, what got me into it, how did I feel about it, etc. But the most frequently asked was always “is it really difficult?” Now I’d be lying if I said it was easy, but in reality, it’s whatever you make it. If you have the drive, the passion, the commitment, the motivation, and the enthusiasm to be a pilot, it is a smooth flight with tailwinds getting there. Several of these individuals applied for the same scholarship I did, one of them even got it! Others pursued aviation without applying for the scholarship. But they all pursued it nonetheless because they decided to follow their passion and just do it.
Alayna McKinnon
I was interested in becoming a pilot since I was in middle school. I have always loved the feeling of flying. My Ray Scholarship mentor had inspired me to apply. She knew that my dream job is to become a professional pilot, and this is the first step. My plans for after my training is to go to college and get my degree in professional piloting. The advice that I would give to someone who would follow in my footsteps is to fly as much as you can and take the advice of people that have done it before you
Faris Soliman
My discovery happened at the curious age of five. My mother, sister and I were traveling from the United States to visit our relatives overseas. On the flight, I plopped into my window seat and suddenly just couldn’t keep myself from looking out of the window, in awe at what I was seeing. From my seat, I was struck by the plane’s never-ending wing and domineeringly massive jet engine. I still clearly remember my forehead superglued to the window for at least an hour, from well before take-off until reaching our cruising altitude. I still remember my mother reaching over to gently lift up my bottom jaw after my mouth had remained open in amazement for so long. How was this happening?! How could these colossal pieces of metal fly so high up in the air at such incredibly high speeds?! Here began my deep lifelong passion for aviation.
It would be impossible for me to narrow down to just one person who inspired me to become a Ray Scholar. Whether it was the many pilots I met through my chapter, seeing my friends get their pilot’s licenses, or my grandfather who inspired me to take opportunities when they arrive and pursue my dreams no matter how impossible they seem, all of these people played significant factors in my interest in applying for the Ray Scholarship.
Ever since I got my license, I’ve come across many other youths who dream of becoming pilots and flying, but most aren’t given the opportunity to even just go up on a single flight. It isn’t the fact that there aren’t any willing pilots (come by EAA 309 any day and you’ll find dozens of pilots willing to take anybody up on a flight if they ever asked), but there seems to be a lack of awareness and a lack of confidence amongst the youth who feel they aren’t capable or up to the task of being a pilot. Along with pursuing further ratings like getting my instrument rating, I plan on using my license to inspire more people into aviation and give them the opportunities that the EAA and Ray Scholarship gave me.
No matter how hard it becomes, no matter how awful your landings will be (…believe me, they will be horrible at times), never ever give up. I got my PPL while balancing flight training and studying engineering at NC State University. There were many hiccups in my training due to issues with renting an airplane and many factors, which delayed my training and lead to
frustration at times. I can’t count how many days where I lost confidence in my ability, felt like I wasn’t made for it and should give up, and how much I felt like a failure when my instructor would have to explain something to me over and over and over again. But the feeling of defeat from all of these failures will never stack up to the feeling of rejuvenation, excitement, happiness, and pride that came when my checkride examiner signed that sheet of paper saying I’m officially a pilot.
Kaitlyn Robinson
I became interested in becoming a pilot on my 16th birthday, when my parents took me for my discovery flight. When the instructor let me take the controls, I realized how freeing it was to control an airplane – I knew at that moment I wanted to be a pilot. This is what I wanted to do for as long as possible.
My cousin who is an airline pilot told me about the Ray Scholarship. He has been a huge part of my journey. He has encouraged me, sent me advice, kept with my milestones and progress, and has just been an overall mentor.
Once I have completed all my training and licensing, my plan is to be an airline pilot, as well as an active member of my local EAA Chapter, help with Young Eagles events, and give back to the community that has given me so much!
The advice I would give someone who is following in my footsteps is to take every opportunity you can to do ground school. Push through, don’t give up. Although the ground portion is long and challenging, do it. You have to get through it in order to fly. It’s worth the work. You can do this!
Stay tuned for more stories from these determined pilots. We have collected many more months’ worth of stories that we will share over the near future. Congratulations to all of these pilots and Blue Skies!
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