The program is rigorous and rewarding . Avinash is a student in the current TeenFlight cohort which began earlier this fall . Avi was surprised to hear that he would actually be able to build a plane . “ As someone who learns better while doing hands-on projects , I knew I would learn and thrive from this program . It also benefits my future as colleges would be looking for something like this .”
The scope of the RV-12 building project can seem daunting at times , so Avi had to quickly learn how to advocate for himself . “ The first task … was to cut a large piece of plastic into four parts . I was assigned to do this and I was in fear that I was going to somehow mess it up . I realized that nothing was going to happen if I don ’ t speak for myself . Today on the back of the plane I can see the same plastic parts that I cut — which are attached to the plane — it shows how much we accomplished and how we grew .”
For some of the students in the program , TeenFlight is a fun way to spend their Saturdays during the school year . For others , it is the catalyst that will determine their career paths . Zsoee participated in TeenFlight in 2018 for a total of 500 hours . She calls TeenFlight “ the foundation of my career as a pilot .” Zsoee was vice-president of Eagle Aero Sport club at Embry-Riddle University and graduated in the spring of 2022 . She now works as a certified flight instructor ( CFI ) to build her hours so she can become a commercial airline pilot .
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