Capt. Crystal SommersAssistant Public Affairs OfficerCapt. Brandon LunsfordPublic Affairs OfficerOklahoma 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
