Video: FLIGHT TEST: Young Airmen Fly Solo For First Time

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second story in a regular series by WCBI Reporter/Anchor Emily Cassulo following the lives of young airmen as they begin a year of pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base.

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — WCBI continues to look at 22 Columbus Air Force Base student pilots, as they complete their year of training.

WCBI told you about the academic phase last month.

Now they’re in Phase II, where they’ll fly a plane. Some just started flying by themselves.

Student pilots with class 15-07 are taking lessons from the classroom into the cockpit for the first time.

“They’re doing academics and flying at the same time,” said 2nd Lt. Shawn Delmez, instructor pilot.

2nd Lt. Christian Minnick has finished 12 flights with an instructor pilot.

Now he’s on his own.

“It was exciting, but I’m glad we had a pre-flight before we went up by ourselves, and it was nice just to knock the nerves out with an instructor pilot up there just in case anything went wrong, and then from there it was just business as usual, really,” Minnick said.

But before Minnick could fly by himself for the first time, it’s tradition to borrow his instructor’s name tag with wings as a sign of good luck.

It was only a few months ago when Delmez was a student pilot himself.

Delmez says he misses flying, but still enjoys teaching.

“It’s really cool to see these guys progress and see it start to click, and see them turn from civilians to pilots,” he said.

Delmez says the more often these students fly, the easier it gets. The key is to have confidence, and stay calm.

“Once he [Minnick] calmed down, he started flying the plane a lot better, and I think just being relaxed in the aircraft is a big part of how well you fly,” Delmez said.

After Minnick finished up his first solo ride, some of his fellow student pilots dunked him, and other classmates in a boat full of water to celebrate the accomplishment.

“It’s reassuring that you realize you can fly the plane by yourself, but at the same time you know you have a lot of bigger challenges ahead, and it’s just something, it’s a good checkpoint,” Minnick said. “It’s a good validation of all your skills so far, but there’s a lot of work to do still.”

Minnick and his classmates will get plenty more practice in the T-6 these next few months until they’re ready to fly the T-1 or T-38 to finish out their training.

Minnick says he hopes to fly the T-1.

“I really like the idea of crew mentality,” he said. “As much fun as the solo was, it’ll be nice to have a couple people up there to help you out.”

Class 15-07 will start Phase III of their training in September.

To read WCBI’s first story on Phase I, go here: http://www.wcbi.com/wcbi/flight-test-airmen-begin-first-steps-toward-their-wings.

Categories: Local News

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