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Blue Mountain Academy Project Gains Momentum
by Eric Engen
Ricardo wears his aviation smile from the left seat.
The AWA-PA Project at Blue Mountain Academy ended the 2008-2009 school year with two flight students enrolled in the program. Over the summer, the word spread that the flight program was active again. AWA set up a display booth at the Pennsylvania Conference Campmeeting, which generated some interest in the BMA program, as well as awareness of the various AWA worldwide projects.
The 2009-2010 year started off strong. Sam Larison, a volunteer with connections to AWA, came and gave airplane rides in his Cessna Cardinal RG during the BMA Fall Picnic. Fourteen people took advantage of this opportunity, and many BMA students said that they would sign up for rides at Spring Picnic if we do it again. One student rider said he definitely wanted to take flight training next year, and would be saving up so he could make this a reality!
Kelsey conducts the pre-flight inspection while CFII Earl Binder looks on.
Earl Binder, a former flight school owner from the local area, continues to fill the role of flight instructor for the AWA-PA project. He comes with considerable experience in working with young people. He is active in the Central Air Patrol (CAP) cadet glider encampments in the summer. His aviation credentials are impressive, too. He is a CFII (certified flight instructor, instrument instructor), MEI (multi-engine instructor), CFIG (certified flight instructor in gliders), and has trained and mentored many pilots over the years. He retired from the flight school/FBO business in September of 2008. We are happy to have him.
CFII Earl Binder works with Kelsey.
The flight training has begun in earnest. We now have three students actively training toward their private pilot’s certificate, with at least one other very serious prospect. Ricardo could have graduated in one semester from his public school in New York, but he chose to attend BMA for his whole senior year so that he could learn to fly. Ohursu, a junior, came to BMA from Surinam mainly so he could take flight training here. Kelsey, also a junior, has aspirations to fly professionally. All three say their decision to attend BMA was heavily influenced by they existence of the AWA-PA flight training program.
Thanks to the generous support of friends and donors to the Pennsylvania project of Adventist World Aviation, young people are able to follow their dreams of learning to fly while attending an Adventist boarding academy. We are grateful for your continued prayers and support.
