36112,
20
July
2021
|
15:07 PM
America/Chicago

13 Solo at S.W. Region Powered Flight Academy

End of the day
End of the day
The sun sets behind the Southwest Region Powered Flight Academy aircraft. Photo by 1st Lt. Tamara Shannon, Oklahoma Wing

Capt. Crystal Sommers
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Capt. Brandon Lunsford
Public Affairs Officer
Oklahoma Wing

Thirteen cadets from 10 wings in seven regions soloed and seven others were pinned with pre-solo wings after receiving ground school and flight training at the Southwest Region Powered Flight Academy in Shawnee, Oklahoma,

“Getting to solo is special,” said Lt. Col. Robin Rowden, the academy’s director. “It’s an indication to other students and pilots that you have the skillset, attitude and aptitude to not only handle the aircraft, but to be successful in that airplane.

 “After completing the academy, the cadet student pilots now have a logbook of flight hours that they can now use for a leg up in their training for their private pilot’s certification. That is the next step on a life of flight.”

Soloing participants were:

  • Cadet Lt. Col. Winston Maa, Jon E. Kramer Composite Squadron 10, California Wing
     
  • Cadet Maj. Michael Ramirez, Las Vegas Composite Squadron 70, Nevada Wing
     
  • Cadet 1st Lt. Keon den Hoed, Sioux Falls Composite Squadron, South Dakota Wing
     
  • Cadet 1st Lt. Katherine "Katie" Perez, Cobb County Composite Squadron, Georgia Wing
     
  • Cadet 1st Lt. Cayden Smith, Columbus Composite Squadron, Ohio Wing
     
  • Cadet 1st Lt. Jonah Titus, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron, Missouri Wing
     
  • Cadet 2nd Lt. Sophia Byrd, Colorado Springs Cadet Squadron, Colorado Wing
     
  • Cadet 2nd Lt. Riley Mendiola, Wheeler Composite Squadron, Hawaii Wing
     
  • Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Byrd, Colorado Springs Cadet Squadron, Colorado Wing
     
  • Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Kyrin Rodewald, Air Academy Cadet Squadron, Colorado Wing
     
  • Cadet Chief Master Sgt. James Thomas, Arlington Composite Squadron, National Capital Wing
     
  • Cadet Master Sgt. Jayden Vann, Edmond Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing
     
  • Cadet Senior Airman Ezra Thompson, Gordon Cooper Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing

Pre-solo participants were:

  • Cadet Maj. Cameron Meyer, Eagle Rock Composite Squadron, Idaho Wing
     
  • Cadet 1st Lt. Clara Bruecks, Edmond Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing
     
  • Cadet 2nd Lt. Angelo Arriaga, Laughlin Air Force Base Flight, Texas Wing
     
  • Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Seamus Donahue, Flying Castle Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing
     
  • Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Samuel Kinman, Gordon Cooper Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing
     
  • Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Sophia Bledsoe, San Diego Cadet Squadron 144, California Wing
     
  • Cadet Master Sgt. Sonia Bledsoe, San Diego Cadet Squadron 144, California Wing

Cadet Staff were:

  • Cadet Maj. Logan Williams, Gordon Cooper Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing
     
  • Cadet Capt. Madeline Thompson, 107th Composite Squadron, Arkansas Wing
     
  • Cadet 2nd Lt. Matthew Huber, Broken Arrow Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing
     
  • Cadet 2nd Lt. Chloe Shannon, Broken Arrow Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing
     
  • Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Brianna Sommers Gordon Cooper Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing