Shaylene Abrey-Webster

2021 FMA Solo Recipient

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It is with much pleasure that we announce the 2021 FMA Solo program scholarship recipient, Shaylene Abrey-Webster. We received thirty-three nominees from across North America including Canada, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Shaylene, a Canadian, was selected from five outstanding finalists. With this announcement, FMA has now awarded 14 learn to fly scholarships to high school music students in seven years – 3 in Canada. A few words from our 2021 FMA Solo Program Scholarship Recipient. My name is Shaylene Abrey-Webster and I was born and raised in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. I am currently attending Hunting Hills High School in Red Deer. I have achieved Honours with Distinction from grade… Read More

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My Journey to Flight vol. 1.2

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Destination Aviation This 3 part story journals FMA student member Autumn Pepper Rhodes’ quest of flight. After joining EAA Chapter 66, I spent the next year volunteering at the monthly Young Eagle Rallies and attended Build Night when I could. The concepts behind the forces of flight came naturally to me and I loved learning and flying. As summer approached, I was given the opportunity to apply for the chapter scholarship to Destination Aviation, a weeklong aviation camp at Sun-n-Fun in Lakeland, Florida. This week at camp allowed my passion for aviation to really blossom! My week of Destination Aviation had daytime students and overnight students, aged 11-13. There were… Read More

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My Journey to Flight vol. 1

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This 3 part story journals FMA student member Autumn Pepper Rhodes’ quest of flight. When I was younger, I was a girly-girl. I liked playing with My Little Pony and dressing up like the Disney Princesses. Around the age of 8, these interests slowly faded. The gifted program introduced more interesting topics like engineering and science, and it was great exploring these new avenues. Around this time, I developed an interest in owls. I thought they were so majestic, and I envied their ability to fly. That concept of flight was so interesting to me. I started collecting owl pictures, figurines, bags, and shirts – all with different types of… Read More

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2021 FMA Solo Nominees

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We are so fortunate to have received thirty-three nominations from North America, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. It was stressed to all that pilots use checklist to ensure accuracy and completeness. In order to succeed, they too will learn to use a checklist. Checklist is similar to sight reading music in that you must first look over the piece become familiar with the basics structure and the nuances that pertain to you. There are cases where you do not have time to consult a checklist. For these instances you must have the basics memorized. The breakdown of nominees is as follows: 25 – sr, 8 – jr, 12 – f, 21… Read More

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Will Adcox Solos

Will Solos

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Soloing an aircraft is one of the greatest achievements, remembered forever, by a pilot. FMA student member, Will Adcox, soloed on December 4, 2020. Below is his account of this momentous event. On December 4, 2020, I had just gotten out of school and was going to what I thought would be a normal flight lesson. After I pre-flighted the plane, my instructor took me inside the flight school and had me fill out a form for my first solo. Before I knew it, I finished two touch-and goes with my flight instructor and he was telling me that he would step out of the plane and that I would… Read More

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Jacob Solos

Jacob Solos

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The final 2020 FMA Solo recipient has soloed. Jacob Burdette from Ohio has flown an aircraft, alone, on November 21, 2020, all while attending Kent State University, studying aviation, and performing with Kent State Marching Golden Flash. Jacob accomplished this with the assistance of Paul Marchky, flight instructor, in a Cessna 152 (Kemt 2) at the Kent State University flight school. “I finally got to fly a plane by myself for the first time after 16 hours of training, and I felt invincible. I will never forget November 21, 2020. I taxied to the runway and lined up with the centerline and pushed the throttle to full power. Before I… Read More

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Jennifer Solos

Jennifer Solos

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Pharmacist Fills Flight Prescription Jennifer Miller came one step further to her lifelong dream of becoming a pilot on November 6, 2020 by flying a Light Sport aircraft as its sole occupant. Miller, originally from Texas, has been receiving flight training for nearly five months at AvSport LLC, the sport flying school on the Piper Memorial Airport. “Jennifer has immersed herself in her studies,” says Prof. H. Paul Shuch, her flight instructor and the founder of AvSport. “She has become an active member of several aviation organizations, including the Flying Musicians Association, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, and the 99s, the international association of woman pilots. Through those memberships,… Read More

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Chloe Litteral Solos

Chloe Solos

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Chloe Litteral is a 2020 FMA Solo finalist from Lake Charles, Louisiana. We are so happy and proud of her. She is already a very valuable member of the FMA network. “After completing King’s School Aviation Course online on 9/15/2020, I took the FAA exam on 9/25/2020 and passed. Much of my course prep was during the months of August and September. Difficulty in course prep came when both Hurricane Laura and Delta hit our hometown. The sound of our generator running to provide electricity for our home was unbearable at times but I pushed through the abnormalities knowing it would not be forever. I started flight instruction immediately after… Read More

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