In childhood, ideas of jobs such as astronaut, doctor, and teacher were easily imaginable for many. Now, such dreams often seem to be too far-fetched and unattainable. Students like junior Lindy Cornelius are proving this idea wrong, as she is attaining achievements to conquer a longtime dream of becoming a pilot.
“I’ve always wanted to fly planes since I was little. One of my first words was ‘helicopter’. So I’ve always been very interested in aviation. I actually never thought too much about the Air Force until I joined an amazing program called Civil Air Patrol and its Air Force auxiliary and they introduced me to the idea of the military. That cemented where I wanted to go,” Cornelius said.
With an influential program like Civil Air Patrol, Cornelius has gotten great preparation for achieving her dream.
“Civil Air Patrol has a program where we get to do orientation flights or rides, and we get to fly Cessnas [aircraft brand]. We fly a small, two-seater aircraft, and I have flown it. I’ve had three of my O-rides [orientation rides], and once we reach about ten thousand feet elevation, the cadets themselves get to take over the controls and actually fly the plane … It’s about a half-hour flight. I’ve gotten to take flights in C-130s, which is the plane I want to fly, and Black Hawk helicopters,” Cornelius said.
With hopeful aspirations, RHS freshman Richard Kim is turning his desire in becoming a pilot into reality with local encouragement.
“My parents, they’re definitely helping me a lot, and I thank them for that. Also, multiple flight instructors at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport. I talked with a Delta pilot in Minneapolis when I visited. I’ve been in contact with him briefly over email. He just gives me [tips] along the way,” Kim said.
Kim knows what he has to do in and after high school to follow his ambitions through help given throughout this journey.
“I will finish high school and get a degree for flying. You can only get your private pilot’s license at seventeen years old, so I’ll probably get it. And then work towards commercial, which is the [plane] I want to fly,” Kim said.
Cornelius and Kim are well on their way to making their dreams take true flight.
“I definitely hope that the military will be for the rest of my life. I am actually very sad that my cadet career is coming to an end. You can’t be a cadet in Civil Air Patrol and join the military at the same time. But I definitely see the military as something that will be a major part of my life, and I hope that, after that time period, I’ll be able to make Civil Air Patrol a part of my life as well,” Cornelius said.
Flying can seem like an isolating career on the surface, but, in reality, it’s completely the opposite. To Kim, the social aspect of flying only furthers his love and appreciation for piloting.
“Conversing with new people every day, and learning about the world. It’s something I would really want to do, because it’s just calming,” Kim said.
All of the great opportunities put in place for all ages, and dreams really do help them come true.
“Civil Air Patrol is definitely one of the greatest opportunities I’ve been offered as a young adult, and I wish more people knew about it. I hope that this will encourage people to look into it and try it, because it’s an interesting opportunity not a lot of people take,” Cornelius said.
