
As it enters its 20th year with 98 licensed pilots, Able Flight is counting the days until the second member of its “Class of 2025” passes their check ride to become Able Flight’s 100th licensed pilot.
Training for the “Class of 2025” at Southern Illinois University (SIU) will begin immediately after their arrival on campus on May 23rd, where they will spend up to eight weeks in an intensive program before taking their check rides in early July.
Receiving flight training scholarships this year are Ronny Ahmed of Florida, Ryan Berndt of Wisconsin, Brandi Fields of Missouri, Chris Karadjov of California, Domenico “Nick” Lazzaro of Pennsylvania and Jonathan Leonard of Utah.
The new student pilots have already received their online ground school course courtesy of Sporty’s Pilot Shop, and over the next three months they’ll prepare for their written exams with the assistance of a live remote instructor from SIU. When they arrive on campus, they will have one day of orientation to meet with their assigned instructor, and then have their first opportunity to fly the adapted Vashon Ranger training aircraft in which they will earn their pilot certificate.
Ronny Ahmed of Florida was a student at Florida State University ten years ago when he and several classmates were spending a late night studying at the school’s library. During a short break, Ronny and a friend stepped outside where a gunman opened fire, striking Ronny twice, leaving him paralyzed. After a period of rehabilitation therapy at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, he became active in an adapted scuba diving program. Eventually Ronny was able to return to school and earn his degree, and he recently became a volunteer instructor, teaching reading skills to disadvantaged youth in Tallahassee. This year, after training to earn his pilot certificate, he plans to enroll in a Masters program at FSU.
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