AOPA Project Pilot gives experienced pilots a way to share their love of flight by mentoring student pilots. Backed by the resources of AOPA, mentors help guarantee the best possible introduction to flying, from first flight to checkride.
Success stories
I mentored Lena Bulatova, who was born in Russia and now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, and works for the University of Tennessee. I'm happy to report that Lena passed her checkride on February 18, 2005, and plans to continue flight training and become a commercial pilot. We met online through the AOPA Web site and eventually met each other in person by accident at Volunteer Aviation in Knoxville, where I had stopped briefly on a cross-country flight. I saw a young girl preflighting a Piper Warrior and asked her if she knew a student pilot named Lena. She smiled and said, "I'm Lena and you must be Buster." This photo of the two of us was taken by my wife, Kathryn, in Chattanooga , where Lena and I met again while she was completing her cross-country? for her pilot certificate. The mentoring experience was rewarding for me and I plan to do it again. — Buster Spriggs, AOPA 3694849, Chattanooga, Tennessee
My name is Joe Deveau and my project pilot mentor is Dennis Malloy. Dennis and I teach in the same school district and were casual acquaintances for about 10 years until he mentioned that he was a pilot. I told him that I had taken up flying years before and had to put my training on hold because of life's other challenges such as building a house, raising a family, and going back to school. He immediately encouraged me to get back in the pilot seat and finish training. He introduced me to his then-instrument instructor Jim Wiseman and chief flight instructor John Trosie of Richmor Aviation, Dutchess County Airport, Poughkeepsie, New York. Sometimes you just need that spark of enthusiasm and support from those who love flying to remind you of your dream. These guys did that for me. I plan to continue my training and pursue an instrument rating. — Joe Deveau, AOPA 4702718, Clinton Corners, New York
Are you a pilot who was a Project Pilot student??We want to know what mentored student pilots have gone on to do since their introduction to flight. E-mail us at [email protected] with your success story and we may print it here.
An expanded version of "Project Pilot Update" is available online. Visit the Web site ( www.aopa.org/info/pp/) and click on the link Project Pilot Update.
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