John Gray flight club members train, fly in Florida
Three months later, nine students from John Gray flight club are still flying high after being given the chance to pilot a real plane.
For one eager 12-year-old, it was more than awesome.
“The experience was nerve-racking but great. It was a surprisingly beautiful view flying the plane … It was my first trip and first flight, and I can’t wait to go back next year,” said Benjamin Harding.
At the close of the 2013-2014 school year, the flight club, under the leadership of Philip Manyeh, participated in the flight camp in Melbourne, Florida.
According to Mr. Manveh, every child from the Cayman Islands who participated in the flight camp gets a US$15,000 grant toward attending FIT, which the university has agreed to in an open letter sent to the Cayman school.
The group stayed at the Florida Institute of Technology and took part in a variety of sessions daily, including talks with pilots, visiting the air traffic control towers and airport terminal, operating simulators, building model aircraft, visiting airport rescue and fire-fighting departments and participating in safety practices and procedures before, during and after landing.
The high point of the camp was assuming the duties of pilot in one of eight Piper Warriors – non-pressurized, single-engine planes popularly used in flight training. Each participant – staff and students alike – under the guidance of a supervisor, completed preliminary checks before taxiing and taking off. At the end of the 30 minutes, each was required to carry out a safe landing. All flights were executed without any mishaps.
Benjamin Harding said it was a beautiful day in Melbourne when he took to the skies accompanied by an instructor and another student. “We were given a brief meeting before boarding the plane, and then I taxing down the runway for take off.
From Melbourne International Airport, young Benjamin flew to Brevard County Valkaria Airport, 9 miles south, and landed. The other student on board took over the controls and flew the plane back to Melbourne.
“Taking off was nerve-racking and scary, but once in the air I felt comfortable. When we landed back in Melbourne, the instructor said it was a good flight.”
Later in the day, Benjamin got together with other students to discuss how the flight went.
“In Cayman, students at the flight club only get to use flight simulators, and this was my first experience in a real plane…I can’t wait to get back,” he said.
The trip was made possible through partnership with Cayman Airways and sponsorships from DART and Rotary Club Central.
The John Gray flight club is open to all students in Cayman, and is facilitated at Clifton Hunter and John Gray high schools
The club encourages students to develop an interest in aviation from an early age, and culminates its activities each year with a flight camp.
The club was started by Hugh Chin-Sinn in 2001. The idea for the club formed when a number of JGHS students voiced interest in becoming pilots. The club has been the starting point for many Caymanian pilots and young students to pursue training for a private pilot licence at age 16.
Representatives from the Florida Institute of Technology will be in Cayman on Oct. 17 to meet with students and parents at John Gray High School.
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