CJP Bob Hoover Scholar Updates
Brandon Baber
Hello CJP!
I’m excited to say that my junior year is officially completed! I had my last final yesterday. The previous two weeks have been full of studying and living in tutor labs. Specifically, physics has been the most challenging, and I am relieved to have completed it. I now look forward to moving on to the next upper-level classes in Aeronautical Science. I will be taking “Aerodynamics and Instructional Design in Aviation” and “Domestic International Navigation and Aircraft Performance” during the summer.
My flying has been a lot of fun lately with a couple of first-time experiences. I completed a solo cross country from Daytona Beach down to Marathon in Key West. It was beautiful flying along the island chain! So many different shades of blue and green in the water that I’ve never seen. There were several moments involving aeronautical decision making as far as maintaining VFR around all the clouds and staying within gliding distance of the shore when over water. I learned a lot on that flight while having a lot of fun. Also, I completed three solo night flights. Those were my first night solos. It is certainly a different experience being up there at night by myself. I used the instruments frequently and discovered that it is much harder to find airports at night than you expect.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be focusing on preparing for my Commercial check ride and applying to be a cadet with different regional airlines. I hope everyone is having a great start to their summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone in the future!
Jacob Cook
Hello CJP Members!
The semester is over, and it is time for summer break! It has been a hectic semester but I have accomplished a lot, and I am looking forward to spending time at home with my family and friends.
Since my last update, I have completed my Commercial Single Engine rating, and have gotten about halfway done with my multi-engine add on. I have put my flight training on hold for the summer because I will be heading to New York to spend some time at home. While I am home, I will be working on my Certified Flight Instructor certificate. I am fortunate to have a nice flight school very close to home, and I should be able to become a CFI before my return to school in the fall. If all goes well, I will be on track to start working as a part-time instructor on campus when I return.
Academically, I did very well this semester, finishing with only one B in Jet Transport Systems. Learning all the components on the Boeing 747 and 787 was a lot, and I wasn’t able to achieve an A. Either way, I learned a ton this semester about jet transport aircraft, CRM, weather radars and flight management computers. All in all, it was a fantastic semester and I am looking forward to my senior year!
Over the summer, I will be working as a head lifeguard at a local town pool to help support my schooling. What is unique about this job is that I get to teach swimming lessons all summer to young children. I have found a passion for teaching, and teaching swimming the past several years will certainly help me moving forward with teaching student pilots.
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending an event at Mr. Forrest’s hangar in Sanford, where I got to meet several members from CJP. It was a real pleasure meeting some of you, and I look forward to hopefully getting to know more of you. I also got to fly alongside Mr. Forrest and fly his jet into the Kennedy Space Center Airstrip! That was one of the coolest experiences in my life and a memory I will cherish forever. Upon landing, another surprise awaited. We attended a lunch hosted by Starfighters Aerospace where they also put on an airshow with the F-104! So many great experiences in one day, and it wouldn’t have been possible without CJP, so thank you all. I really enjoy being able to talk and share stories with experienced aviators who share the same love for flying.
Again, thank all of you who made this opportunity possible. I am grateful to have received this scholarship as it has helped my family and me a tremendous amount. It has already been an incredible experience, and there is much more to come – and I cannot wait. Thank you!
Matthew Gailey
Hello and happy summer! March and April flew by fast, and the density altitude is rising quickly. I have completed all my finals for the semester with 4 A’s and 1 B. I learned quite a bit in the classroom over the last semester and officially have two capstone courses behind me and one large research project complete. In my jet transport systems class, I presented on the Integrated Drive Generator to the college of aviation. My presentation was on the history and development of the IDG and how it operated. I was awarded the Presentation of the Semester by my professor. The award is displaying my poster presentation in the offices of the College of Aviation in Prescott.
My most challenging class of the semester was WX 363 Thunderstorms. I had the pleasure of taking the class with Dr. Curtis James on this topic, which I most looked forward to for my weather minor. The level of difficulty presented challenges that were enriching to overcome. The most difficult part was creating a Day 1 Convective Outlook for a particular day in the past. I was given only the necessary weather products to forecast what weather hazards may exist on that day. This happened to be my only B for the semester, however, I believe that what I learned in the class is much more important than the grade that I received. I have the tools I need to circumnavigate storms, forecast potential hazards and make my flying safer.
My most fun class for the semester had to be AS 435 Electronic Flight Management Systems. In this class, we mastered the Flight Management Computer on the CRJ-700/900 for the first half of the semester and then the A320 during the second half. At the end of the semester, our class teamed up with the air traffic management students and created a fully functional simulated environment with 18 aircraft taking off, flown by students and controlled by ATC students. This exercise tested our knowledge of the aircraft and was a fun way to integrate the flight students with the ATC students.
My flight progress is well underway before the summer break. I completed the first stage of the instrument course and began partial panel operations. This is much more difficult than I anticipated, however, I am moving along. Timed turns, magnetic heading turns, VDMONA, UNOS…I must say that it is fun to learn how to fly the airplane in a new way. So far, I have only been in the simulator partial panel and look forward to flying in the aircraft as it will be a challenge. Due to my internship with Southwest Airlines this summer, I will have a short break in my training. Due to the placement of my course progress, I am in a good place and will be able to return from the internship and jump right back into training.
Thanks again for the opportunity to live out my dream and fly! I am excited about the progress I have made and look forward to updating you all later this summer.
Otto Maytag
Hello, CJP!
I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the warmer weather. While it is the first week of May, the final exams for the spring semester are completed! My first two years of college have flown by as I am already half way to my bachelor’s degree. This has been my favorite semester since I had a diverse class schedule from United States History to Aircraft Performance. This spring, I also joined the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. I was honored to be invited to this organization, and I am excited to be a part of the Prescott chapter.
Last week, I flew my first IFR cross-countries with the longest being to Tucson, Arizona. Since the entire flight was simulated instrument, I did not get to enjoy the desert views. However, both flights were rewarding experiences. After countless practices with my instructor, I finally got to copy a real IFR clearance. Of course, it would be too easy for air traffic control to clear me as filed. After relaying the clearance, ATC replied, “Read-back correct.” What a relief! Flying on instruments from departure all the way through approach to a different airport was tiring to say the least. Now that I have brought each phase of an instrument flight into one, I feel one step closer to my dream of being a professional pilot.
I am staying in school for the first summer semester. During this time, I will continue reviewing for the stage check and instrument check-ride. I will also be taking two classes, Speech and Propulsion Plant Investigation. While I am not overly excited to take a speech class, I know it will be beneficial for my career and life in general. Propulsion Plant
Investigation is another class to go toward my minor in Safety. I really look forward to this class and disassembling a Lycoming IO-360 engine. Learning each aircraft system in depth is interesting and builds my overall knowledge and skill as a pilot.
The second half of the summer, I look forward to taking a break at home in Cave Creek. I will also be working full time at The Jeep Farm restoring old Jeeps. This is a job I really enjoy as I get to expand my mechanical skills and experience. It is also helping prepare me for an airframe and powerplant certificate.
2019 has been an amazing year so far and has much more in store. Thank you all who made this scholarship possible. I greatly appreciate your support of my passion for aviation, and I look forward to meeting many of you soon!
2018 Scholars
Andrius Logvinenka
Hello CJP, it is great to talk to you again. It seems like this year just started, but it’s already flying by (no pun intended). Since I came to Embry Riddle with a lot of transfer credits, I was able to finish all of my academic courses last December and I am currently focused on my flight training. It is crazy to think that just a couple years ago I came to Embry Riddle with very little aeronautical knowledge and now I will be graduating in May!
Due to some bad weather days, aircraft delays and an instructor change, it took me a little longer to finish my commercial single-engine training. But as of April 25, I am proud to say that I have passed my commercial single check ride! The course was difficult in a lot of aspects. The most challenging maneuvers for me were the short-field landings and power-off 180s. Both of these precision landings require a lot of practice and mastery of the aircraft. But, with my instructor’s help, I was able to nail those landings and pass all of check rides the first time around!
Due to an influx of students finishing commercial single-engine and a lack of resources, I am currently on the waitlist to start training for my commercial multi-engine. I am very excited to start this course as it will entail flying all-new aircraft, the DA-42. This will be a big change from flying the mighty Cessna 172 for all of my previous flight training. I am currently preparing for the course by memorizing all of the checklist flows and learning about the new systems and aerodynamics of the aircraft. I hope to get an instructor this May, and with some luck, finish this course by the end of the summer.
I was also able to obtain another license this April by becoming an FAA licensed dispatcher. Since I came to Embry Riddle, I wanted to solidify a backup plan because a flying career relies on having a first-class medical, and it does not take much to take that away. I took the dispatcher class last fall, which makes you eligible to take the Dispatcher Practical Exam. After passing my written exam (ADX), with 94 percent, I was determined to get my dispatcher licenses. I worked for months with my professor and fellow CJP scholarship recipient Dillon Smith, then took the six-hour practical exam in April. The exam consists of a three-hour portion of making a flight plan scenario, followed by questions about that flight plan for the next three hours. Although it was the longest check ride I have ever had, it was worth every second I invested. The dispatcher license never expires, which means I can use it for the rest of my career!
After finishing my commercial multi-engine course, I plan on moving back home to Reno, Nevada. I am planning on going to American Flyers Flight School for their accelerated CFI course to become an instructor. After a lot of research and talking to airlines, the majority of them would prefer that I would have my CFI. After obtaining my CFI, I am planning on working back home and meeting the 1,000-hour ATP requirement. I also recently joined the Skywest Cadet program and flew out to their Salt Lake City headquarters for an orientation at their facilities. Skywest has really caught my eye with their passion for being worker-friendly.
Thank you once again to everyone at Citation Jet Pilot Association for this once in a lifetime opportunity. You have helped me create some great connections and accomplish my childhood dreams. I hope everyone has a magnificent summer, and I hope to talk to you soon!
Mariano Quintero
My junior year of college has come to a close, and I’m proud to announce that I have earned all A’s for the second semester in a row! But classes are only half the battle; my CFI-Airplane check ride is coming up within the next few weeks, and I’ve been dedicating my full focus towards fine-tuning my teaching skills and making sure I have the requisite knowledge to pass on my first attempt.
In my previous update, I briefly mentioned my plans to tour a very special aircraft. Last March, I had a chance to visit the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital (see photo). Seeing it up close and in person was a phenomenal experience! Orbis was founded by a corporate pilot who worked for Juan Trippe in the 1970s. It was initially only a cargo plane and a vision for helping patients in poverty, but over the years has evolved into an organization that’s directly helped thousands of people see again, and benefited countless others through the doctors they’ve trained. Now on their third-generation aircraft, Orbis flies an MD-10. Essentially, it is a DC-10 with a cockpit swap from the MD-11 which brings together the best of both worlds. The DC-10 was always a favorite of mine, and I’m thrilled to see one that’s alive and well, performing missions that change the world for the better. After this trip, I’m hoping to save up a bit and visit more aircraft, museums and airshows around the country.
This summer, I’ll be staying busy with two classes, flight training, and work. In the fall semester, I will be taking courses towards my Aircraft Dispatcher certification and my dual minors in Business and Finance. My hard work has paid off so far, and I see myself getting closer and closer to my ultimate goal of flying in the airlines with each passing day. As always, thank you for all your support in helping me get there!