N.Y. Member Honored for Cadet Wings Involvement

Award recipient

Capt. Martha Pickard, aerospace officer for the New York Wing’s Rochester Composite Squadron, has been honored Civil Air Patrol’s Meritorious Service Award for her contributions to CAP’s Cadet Wings program.

As a certified fight instructor Pickard has donated hundreds of hours to provide ground and primary flight instruction to nine New York Wing cadets participating in the youth aviation program. Three of the cadets have completed their private pilot certificate. A fourth is close to doing so, and five others are in various stages of flight training.

“Capt. Pickard has made it her mission to promote aviation among New York Wing cadets,” said Col. John Jones, New York Wing commander. “She has a passion for flight instruction and a desire to help young people achieve their dream of becoming a pilot. She has been a constant mentor to the wing’s cadets, steering them to achieve great things while furthering aerospace education, one of Civil Air Patrol’s main missions.”

“With the decline in general aviation and the looming pilot shortage, her continued efforts on this project have the potential to have a significant impact on the aviation community,” Jones said.

“We’re making pilots in upstate New York thanks to the Cadet Wings scholarship program, and it is awesome,” Pickard said. “For me, training cadets to fly is hugely rewarding, and does require many, many volunteer hours of flight instruction.

“It is completely worth it.”