Private pilot ground school begins January 5
November 8, 2011

 

by Ashley Glaza

 

Paula Lee
It's dark early these days, the snow is in the mountains and the clouds are rolling in. This is the time of year for reading a good book by a warm fire and learning a new skill. If you have ever dreamed of freeing yourself from clutches of gravity to soar above the birds, to touch the sky and dance on the clouds, to look down on the unclimbed peaks and all the wildlife that has eluded you this fall perhaps its time you learned to fly!

 

Northern Air will be teaching the Private Pilot Ground School course starting January 5. Each three-hour class will be held one night a week for 13 weeks. The information in the course will prepare the student to take the private pilot knowledge exam required to earn their pilot license.

 

Ground school can be done on its own, or the student can begin flight training with an instructor in conjunction with the ground school training as soon as the student has passed an aviation medical exam and received a medical certificate that serves as the student pilot license.

 

Jeremy Belford-Cave
Paula Lee of Sandpoint is realizing her dream of becoming a pilot. On October 25 she took her first solo flight. Paula has been dreaming of becoming a pilot since she was in high school, but life got busy. Now with the encouragement and support of her husband, Jan Lee (also a pilot), she is making it happen!

 

Jeremy Belford-Cave came all the way from Australia to learn to fly with Northern Air this summer. Jeremy had researched flight schools in the US and found Northern Air to be where he wanted to learn to fly. He arrived in mid-June with no previous flight training experience and by the 26th of the month he had taken his first solo flight. On August 2 he passed his private pilot exam. A week later he flew one of Northern Air’s rental planes to Reno with a friend to see the Reno Air races. When he returned, he buckled down and started studying for his instrument rating, which he successfully completed on October 25th. Jeremy has headed back to the summer sunshine in Australia, but he will be back here next year to work on his commercial pilot license. Jeremy was an inspiring example someone with focus and determination who saw his dreams and realized them.

 

If you are interested in learning to fly or would like to just schedule a scenic flight around this beautiful valley contact Northern Air via the website www.northernair.biz, or call 208 267 4359, or stop by the airport and visit with the friendly staff.

 

The local EAA chapter #757 is providing a Youth Aviation Scholarship worth $2500 towards flight training with Northern Air. If you live in Boundary County are between the age of 16 and 18 and have an interest in aviation, apply now! The deadline for applications for this scholarship is December 1st and training will begin with Ground School on January 5th. Applications can be picked up at Northern Air or found online at www.757.eaachapter.org.