Sport pilot in 10 weeks
AOPA intern makes the most of his summer
After graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in aerospace engineering, Justin Connors took a sideways step over to general aviation. He became a summer intern for AOPA, answering member phone calls in the AOPA Pilot Information Center and wielding wrenches under the tutelage of AOPA’s flight operations mechanics. And while he was working, he decided to pursue his sport pilot certificate.
“I was incredibly excited to delve into the world of general aviation,” Connors said. “It’s something I was never exposed to in my undergraduate career. We were taught how to build the airplanes, how to keep them in the sky, but any of the logistics of flying yourself or flying anywhere? That wasn’t a part of it.”
Between the call center and the operations hangar, Connors was introduced to AOPA’s fleet of aircraft, including the RV–12. Mike Filucci, then-AOPA chief CFI, offered to be one of Connors’ instructors.
“I think in order to be a well-rounded aerospace engineer, I should know what happens to airplanes when they’re off the assembly line,” Connors said. “I’m flying this lovely RV–12 here. It’s taken great care of me….Sometimes my landings haven’t taken great care of it, but it’s been a pleasure to fly, a pleasure to learn.”
Connors graduated at the top of his class from Georgia Tech but Filucci—a former U.S. Air Force pilot, airline pilot, and current formation pilot—told him that all he had learned about flying so far was “cerebral” and it was time for some hands-on experience.
“He progressed from not knowing anything about flying to passing the written exam after five weeks of study,” Filucci said. “Although I was Justin’s primary instructor, he also worked with Luz Beattie, Adam Rarey, and Jason Levine for his flight training and with Paul Feldmeyer for his proactive oral exam. It was definitely a team effort, but Justin gets a great deal of credit for his commitment to the training; he was an ideal student; he studied hard, watched countless videos, and came to each lesson fully prepared.”
On his last day working for AOPA, Connors took his checkride, passing and earning his sport pilot certificate. “Justin really did the heavy lifting and was fully prepared on checkride day. The FAA designated pilot examiner said Justin’s checkride was one of the best he has conducted,” said Filucci. That afternoon, the new pilot left on a flight to Italy where his parents live and work for the U.S. government and where he starts his master’s degree.
“I decided to pursue sport pilot because in my 10 weeks here, I believe it was more attainable,” said Connors. “It was a lot. The information was not necessarily easier, but easy to condense. You need 15 hours dual and five solo. It’s a more affordable option. I did 53 hours in a 10-week span. It was a lot. But I would say the sport pilot license is the perfect steppingstone for someone who would eventually want to go on and get that private.”
