Able Flight

Changing Lives Though The Challenge and Freedom of Flight

CLASS OF 2025 TRAINING HAS BEGUN

Able Flight Class of 2025 with their instructors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Front row (L-R) Ronny Ahmed and Chris Karadjov. Back Row (L-R) instructors  Bisola Saliu and David Nelson, students Ryan Berndt, Domenico Lazzaro and Brandi Fields, lead instructor Vickie Mathieu and instructor Miguel Marroquin.

May 21st marked the first day of training for the Able Flight “Class of 2025”, and only three days later, they had already logged a total of just under 19 hours on their way to becoming licensed pilots.

In the months leading to their arrival at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Ronny Ahmed, Ryan Berndt, Brandi Fields, Chris Karadjov and Domenico Lazzaro had already completed ground school thanks to  online course materials donated by Sporty’s Pilot Shop. They all passed their FAA Knowledge Test before arriving at SIU to prepare them for concentrating on a six to seven week intensive flight training schedule.

Ronny Ahmed performs a preflight inspection under the watchful eye of instructor David Nelson.

With instructors Miguel Marroquin, David Nelson and Bisola Saliu teaching them in two adapted Vashon Ranger aircraft, and lead instructor Vickie Mathieu coordinating all aspects of training, the student pilots fly every day that weather allows, and the first checkrides will be scheduled as early as July 1st.

OUT OF LOSS COMES A LEGACY

 

To say that Mike Poznansky became a passionate aviator in a short amount of time would be an understatement. Just as he had built a successful marketing business, Mike “built” himself as a pilot. But he didn’t do so in the mechanical sense of building; he did so with a real understanding of what it could do for him and for others.

He dedicated himself to the hard work it takes to make steady progress through earning pilot certificates and ratings, and his success in business made it possible for him to own several very different airplanes. Along his flying journey he had a Cessna 185 on floats, a Piper Super Cub, a Cirrus single and a Cirrus Vision Jet. Early on Mike realized that, as wonderful as it was, flying for himself wasn’t enough, so he charitably offered the use of his skills and planes to nonprofit organizations like Angel Flight and LightHawk.

Mike passed away suddenly in late 2023, and his passing meant the loss of his generous donation of time for a number of aviation organizations. In their grief, the Poznansky family began to plan how to preserve his legacy as a pilot who thrived on giving. They knew that they would find a way to help Angel Flight and LightHawk, and when Mike’s sister Julie came across the story of Able Flight, his mother Linda, father Randy and Julie reached out and an Able Flight scholarship was created in his name. [Read more…] about OUT OF LOSS COMES A LEGACY

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.

[Read more…] about Able Flight’s Class of 2025 Will Include its 100th Licensed Pilot