CJP Bob Hoover Presidential Scholars
Brandon Baber
I’m glad to report I’ve had an amazing summer. I completed four classes and received A’s in all four. It took a lot of studying because one of the classes was Aerodynamics. I had great professors and I learned a lot. I’m really enjoying the upper level courses because they are much more aviation related. This fall, my most interesting class is going to be Electronic Flight System Management. It is an area I feel I’m weak in, so I’m ready to study and sharpen those skills.
I’m also proud to say that as of August 14, I became a Commercial Pilot. I earned my certificate and couldn’t be more excited. DE check rides always bring a lot of anxiety, but I performed very well. I’ve come a long way from where I started and look forward to continuing my aviation journey. From here, I will be moving on to earn my multi-engine rating and begin flying the DA-42.
Coming into my senior year, the reality of graduation and moving on in my future career is really setting in. I’ve been talking with Envoy to get a First Officer Cadet interview set up in Dallas and I’ve applied for the Delta Propel Program. The Delta Propel Program is the newest fast track to the majors that Delta has begun. It’s a great program and very competitive; they only choose a few people every year. I’m hoping to be one of the lucky ones.
What I’m most looking forward to this fall is attending the CJP Annual Convention in Colorado Springs! I had such a great time meeting so many of you and learning so much in San Antonio last year, I’ve been looking forward to this convention all year. Thank you for the many contributions you all have made to my pursuit of aviation and for inviting me to another convention. I wish everyone safe travels and I can’t wait to see all of you.
Jacob Cook
My final year as a student at Embry-Riddle has begun! It has been one hectic start to a semester trying to balance flight training, school work and getting settled into my apartment. Fortunately, I will be departing Orlando this weekend to head to Colorado Springs for the CJP Annual Convention. I am looking forward to meeting many of the CJP members and getting to see a convention of this caliber take place!
Currently, I am waiting for my CFI check ride, which will be taking place in the next few weeks. I am excited to become a CFI and finally be able to apply to become an Embry-Riddle flight instructor this year. Hopefully, I will be able to work part-time during my senior year as a flight instructor on campus and begin to build my hours. Also, I am finishing my commercial multi add-on at the same time! Working on both of these ratings has been time consuming and very stressful. I am almost done with CFI training which will tremendously reduce my workload. After completing my CFI check ride, I plan to jump right into my CFII training. I am really looking forward to be able to teach new aviators at Embry-Riddle, and give these new students the same great flight training experience that I received.
On top of the intensive flight training schedule I have found myself in, I have an intense class load this semester. This year I will be taking Airline Management, Airline Operations, Weather for Commercial Air Transport, Instructional Design in Aviation and Aviation Legislation. Fortunately, all of these classes interest me and heavily apply to my future. The fact I am so invested in my classes will help me in my success throughout this semester!
My flight training has been intense the last several months, and has not been cheap. This scholarship has been a tremendous amount of help in allowing me to continue my flight training this rapidly. Thank you again to all of the CJP members for making this scholarship possible. I would not be where I am today without this scholarship, so I thank you. I look forward to meeting many of you this upcoming week!
Matthew Gailey
It has been a very exciting and rewarding summer, and I am very excited to share it with you all. I have finished my internship at Southwest Airlines and as of today, I survived my first week back to school. This year, I am taking many of the final classes before graduation: Radar and Satellite Interpretation, Cross-Cultural Communication, Pilot Career Planning and Interview Techniques, Flight Safety and Airline Operations. I am waiting for an instructor assignment to finish my instrument rating by the end of 2019. The most rewarding experience of the summer had to be my trip to AirVenture!
I was hosted, along with Otto, for several days in Oshkosh to have an experience of a lifetime. We started off with the amazing people within our campsite, learning about some of aviation’s most influential people and the stories of Bob Hoover. The atmosphere was filled with every aircraft imaginable, and thousands of people walking about – not one person without a smile on their face. Otto and I were given a VIP experience with a golf cart tour of the grounds to take in the massive size of the event. Over the next few days we were given a tour of the busiest control tower (at the time), a helicopter tour of the grounds (which was the first time I had ever been in a helicopter), and even a ride with the Aeroshell aerobatic team!
Each of these events were a complete surprise to us and I was blown away with all this excitement. We were also given time to attend the career booths on the grounds to learn more information about career opportunities post-graduation. There was also some time for us to speak with the Aero News Network about our experience and learn more about Bob Hoover and what this scholarship meant to him. With the little time we had between all the events and activities, we visited the Embry-Riddle booth and learned about the deal that had just been confirmed with Textron and Diamond Aircraft.
The most rewarding part of this experience at Oshkosh had to be the networking with CJP members. Otto and I were surrounded by so many people that it became a slightly difficult to keep track of everyone’s name. We learned first-hand about Joe Kittinger’s jump, Chuck Aaron’s aerobatics in a helicopter, Alan Eustace and his contributions to the stratosphere jump, Sean Tucker and his unique aerobatics and so many others. This experience will forever live in my memory and has inspired me to take my training here at Embry-Riddle even more seriously. It has taught me that my training can take me anywhere, and that the dedication and hard work will pay off in the long run. It has ignited a flame in me as I start this next semester to push forward and achieve my goals. It has also taught me to pass along this aviation spirit within me; to inspire younger generations of people to become pilots and to follow their dreams of flight.
A special thanks must be given to Cheryl and Hugh Hardy for their hard work getting us around and facilitating the trip. Also, Tracy Forrest and Rae Lovenbury for hosting us in the camp and for facilitating the activities for us to experience.
Otto Maytag
I hope everyone had a great rest of their summer! I sure did. I was so busy during my summer break that it just flew right by. Monsoon season made for some interesting afternoons in Prescott. The hot and bumpy flights were a fun challenge while under the hood, but I am proud to inform you I am officially an instrument rated pilot! Although challenging, instrument training was a fun process. The knowledge and skills I learned make me a safer pilot as I can use an airplane to its full potential. With instrument under my belt, the next step is commercial single-engine. I am very excited to continue the journey and see what commercial has in store.
During my break, I worked two jobs. Bringing old Jeeps back to life is always a fun process. When owners pick up their finished vehicle, their facial expression says it all. However, bringing an airplane back to life is even more exciting. Working on the Helio Courier has taught me a lot about aircraft structure. It is eye-opening to know how small some of the bolts and tubes are. Due to a prop strike, the engine had to be removed and sent to a shop for the inspection. I am glad to have been a part of this process as I gained more knowledge about aircraft systems and maintenance.
The highlight of my summer was the trip to AirVenture in Oshkosh. Huge thanks to everyone at CJP who made the trip possible for Matthew and me. Tracy and Rae Forrest went above and beyond hosting us at the event. And Hugh and Cheryl Hardy gave us the best possible tour of Oshkosh. Although it was my second year at AirVenture, I was still in awe at the size of the event. This year was full of “firsts” for me. What better way to experience a helicopter for the first time than at Oshkosh? The view of the airport was breath taking from the air. Another amazing view was from the control tower! (First time in a tower). To top it all off was a ride with the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team! Not only did we fly in close formation, we flew some of the maneuvers from their routine! I was extremely impressed with how they flew so close and precise while making it look easy.
The highlight of the trip was meeting the CJP community and putting faces to names. Truly an amazing organization that I am thankful to be a part of. During my short stay, I met several people who have had a tremendous impact on the aviation community. To name a few, I had the pleasure of meeting Chuck Aaron, one of the few aerobatic helicopter pilots. I also met aerobatic pilot, Sean Tucker and former test pilot and balloon jumper, Joe Kittinger.
Throughout my time in Oshkosh, I really enjoyed hearing stories of Bob Hoover from those who have met him. No matter who was telling a story, they always had a smile on their face. The positive impact he had on everyone he met is very inspiring. Oshkosh was an amazing experience this year thanks to CJP and the Bob Hoover Legacy Foundation. I look forward to seeing many of you again in the near future!