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Able Flight’s Class of 2025 Will Include its 100th Licensed Pilot

 

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, and Domenico “Nick” Lazzaro of Pennsylvania.

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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Able Flight Pilot Chris Sullivan Earns Instrument Rating

Able Flight pilot Chris Sullivan being presented with his certificate for earning his Instrument Rating

On Monday January 13th, Able Flight pilot Chris Sullivan of Louisiana passed his check ride to earn his Instrument Rating. Those who remember his story are well aware of how determined he is when he sets a goal, and how challenging it is for him dealing with the effects of paralysis. Chris served as a Sergeant in the Army and was critically injured when he was shot in the spine while in a combat zone in 2005, and that injury left him a quadriplegic.

He earned his first license through Able Flight after training at Purdue in a Sky Arrow, then his Private on his own. He then added an Advanced Ground Instructor Certificate, and now his Instrument Rating. Chris plans to take his Commercial check ride soon. Making his recent success all the more impressive, this comes after nearly a year spent mostly in bed while recovering from a serious illness.

The Piper Arrow you see behind Chris and the examiner is one Chris bought from Clayton Smeltz, a pilot/engineer who is a paraplegic. Clayton has received FAA approval for adapted controls he designed, installed and tested in several of his own planes, including his own Cirrus Vision Jet.

In 2024, Clayton generously spent a great deal of time creating the adapted hand controls for the Vashon Rangers for which Able Flight raised funds in 2023 and 2024. We have now donated those two Rangers to our training partner Southern Illinois University in return for their long term commitment to train Able Flight Scholarship recipients.

Chris Sullivan’s son Jaxson is now taking flying lessons, and as soon as he is old enough will solo and later earn his Private certificate. He often flies with his dad and assists with loading his wheelchair into the baggage area.

Congratulations Chris!

OUR NEW PILOTS GET THEIR WINGS

 Able Flight’s Class of 2024 with flight instructors and sponsors

Nine new Able Flight pilots were honored at a special ceremony at EAA AirVenture on Tuesday, July 23rd. They were joined on stage by their flight instructors from both Purdue University and Southern Illinois University along with sponsors whose generous gifts make the program possible.  The nine scholarship recipients trained at Purdue and SIU from late May into July. Seven of the nine new pilots attended the ceremony, including Andrew Daigneau, Jake Robinson, Omar Duran, Natallia Mirashnichenka, Jordan Sprague, Tyler Pugeda and Jake Simmons. Also honored but unable to attend were Ian Azeredo and Tim Riney, Jr.

Pinning their Able Flight Wings were Patrick Sniffen of Cirrus Aircraft (pinning Jake Robinson), Martin Ingram of Muncie Aviation, along with Andrew’s father Judd Daigneau (pinning Andrew Daigneau), Zach Reising of the Blue Seven Scholarship (pinning Tyler Pugeda), Ryan Kelly representing the Mark Hogan Scholarship (pinning Jake Simmons), James Decker of ForeFlight (pinning Natallia Mirahnickenka), and Adam Kisielewski (pinning Omar Duran).

In recognition of his generous support, during the ceremony Zach Reising was honored as an honorary Able Flight pilot, with his wings pinned by his mother and father, Melissa and Jeff Reising. Two of this year’s flight instructors were recognized for their outstanding efforts as Able Flight’s Flight Instructors of the Year. They were David Nelson of SIU and Bobby O’Connor of Purdue.

The Able Flight Volunteer of the Year award (named for supporter Bob Seidel) was presented by Bill Perrone of founding sponsor Perrone Aerospace to Clayton Smeltz, a pilot and engineer who uses a wheelchair. Based on his history of designing adapted controls for his own Cirrus Vision Jet, Smeltz was asked to create  adapted controls for the Vashon Ranger LSA so that two of the aircraft could be used at SIU. He was honored for his exceptional work in designing, prototyping, testing and manufacturing the unique controls.

To read more about the ceremony and to see a gallery of images from the event, check out AOPA’s coverage here. And to see Aero News Network’s video of the ceremony visit here. The section on Able Flight begins at the 2:38 mark.