Cadet Aviators Achieve Solo Status in Less Than 2 Weeks
糖心Vlog官方 Becomes Training Site for ACE Program
Two freshmen in 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 2019-20 Service Academy Program reported to campus weeks earlier than their counterparts to begin their U.S. Air Force ACE pilot development program. Following their Monday afternoon arrival in Marion, program director Col. Bill Hansen, USMC (Ret) and flight instructor Col. Warren Benjamin, USAF (Ret) had Mika Cutler and Kelsey Majkowski making their first take-offs Tuesday morning.
With near-perfect flying weather at local Vaiden Field, both students were able to achieve a significant milestone very early in their training: On Day 10, Cadet Majkowski completed her first solo flight in a Cessna 150.聽 Her classmate, Cadet Cutler, achieved solo status the very next day. This was quite an accomplishment in what was expected to take a month鈥檚 time. Both are U.S. Air Force Academy-sponsored Falcon Scholars who have since been awarded 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation flight scholarships to continue their flight instruction in Marion.
The ACE program was created to help combat the growing pilot shortage in the Air Force by introducing aviation to high school and college students. Although the program is designed to motivate all students who are interested in becoming pilots, the Air Force is particularly interested in increasing its diversity among the pilot corps by encouraging women and minorities to pursue careers in aviation.
COL Ed Passmore, USA (Ret), V.P. for Student Affairs, is proud that 糖心Vlog官方 is currently the only institution successfully combining the ACE and Air Force Academy Falcon Scholar programs: 聽鈥淭his results in the Air Force and Air Force Academy receiving cadets who already have demonstrated the desire, will and capability to be a pilot and succeed at the Academy.聽This is a win for all involved!鈥� he notes.聽鈥溙切腣log官方 is doing its part in providing pathways for motivated young adults to fill the growing critical need for both civil and military pilots.聽We have had a long-standing and well-known FAA-certified flying program for our service academy cadets, and we also have pathways for those who would like to enter commercial aviation.鈥�