10 Student Pilots Begin Training As Program Swells

Able Flight has seen its "greatest number of flight training scholarships for people with a disability in a single year," seeing 10 new recipients enter the training pipeline as the group heads into 2024.

The Class of 2024 will now be on their way to one of Able Flight's 2 training locations for a 2-month training program. The members include Ian Azeredo of New Jersey, Andrew Daigneau of Indiana, Jake Simmons of Pennsylvania, Natallia Mirashnichenka of New York, Omar Duran of Florida, Susan Baldwin of Arizona, Jacob Robinson of North Carolina, Jordan Sprague of Indiana, Tim Riney of Florida and Tyler Pugeda of California. The class includes 4 military veterans and two women.

Students in the course are assisted by Able Flight partners like Sporty's Pilot Shop, who has granted access to their online ground school courses. They've been working with the Class of 2024 to prep for the PPL knowledge test, working with remote instructors from Sporty's. Once ready to start their training in-person, they'll settle into 6 or 7 weeks of daily flights in specially adapted training aircraft.

"With ten new awards, it looks like a crowded stage for the Wings Pinning Ceremony at AirVenture in July," said Able Flight Executive Director Charles Stites.

FMI: www.ableflight.org