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Show Up. up and away Spending the summer learning how to fly By AMANDA MEARS features assistant editor **-' Hiking, boating and learning to fly an airplane. If the last option doesn't sound like a typical summer activity, that's because it's not. However, Noah Carroll, flight instructor at Leading Edge Aviation, said a surprising number of USU students and Logan residents use their summer to obtain a private pilot's license. "It's an alternative for USU students who want to fly, but are getting their degree in something besides aviation," Carroll said. "You do full training at (Leading Edge), but this way you can get a degree in whatever you want and still get a pilot's license." Carroll said they see an even mix of people who are looking to pursue aviation as a career and those who just want to fly as a hobby. Nick Thomas, also a flight instructor at Leading Edge Aviation, said he chose to get his certification through Leading Edge because of the flexibility. Thomas said he has been interested in being a pilot since he was a kid and began flying when he was 16 years old. Currently, Thomas is a member of the National Guard and a full-time student majoring in law and constitutional studies. "The flexibility with this program has been awesome for me," Thomas said. "I do classes in the morning, work here from about 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and fly about two to three times a week, so it's worked well with my school schedule. It hasn't impeded on my studies at all." ' Thomas said he gets most of his flying hours done in the summer and sees a lot ^pf other students following that same Lpath because it is convenient. .., ^ f^ What will it cost prospective pilots to. '• ' get their license? Carroll said a private pilot's license costs around $8,500 to $10,000, depending on how frequently . students fly. Carroll said it's cheaper than what USU aviation majors pay because students are not getting a four-year degree along with it. Another difference, Carroll said, is the type of payment. "It's not a tuition thing," he said. "Our students pay as they go, rather than all at once." For students who may cringe at the price, Thomas said there are lots of options with financing. From grants to loans, Thomas said students who are really interested usually find a way to make it work. How fast students get done, Carroll said, is up to the student. "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires 40 hours of-flying time for private pilot certification," Thomas said. "Usually people get it done in 45-50 hours, but we've had people do 40 hours in three weeks. Then there are people who do 50 hours over a span of a few years. There's no requirement for time span, it just comes down to your devotion to it." However, before getting up in the air, Carroll said there are a few steps students must take to ensure safe flying. Typically. Carroll said people looking to get their private pilot's license first must go through computer courses, instructor-given tests and sit down with an instructor to review what they have learned. Potential pilots must also have a required physical exam, which Thomas said is usually given by a local doctor that specializes in the aviation physicals. One misconception, Thomas said, is that pilots must have perfect eyesight in order to fly a plane. "In reality, it doesn't have to be perfect," he said. "It just has to be correctable to 20/40. Lots of pilots wear glasses or contacts." Once these steps are completed, Carroll said students are cleared for flying. "It's really not as complicated as people think it is," said Cory Schow, assistant chief flight instructor at Leading Edge and USU alumnus, as his four-seat Cessna ascends thousands of feet over Cache Valley. The stunning bird's eye view offers a unique perspective of the landscape below and is the reason, Schow said, in addition to being a training site, Leading Edge also offers an unforgettable date night. For $90, anyone can go on a discovery flight, which Schow said is a half-hour sampling of what flying a plane is like. "We get people who want to see if flying is for them and we also get people who just want to sit back and enjoy it with their date," Schow said. "We can take people up during sunset and if you mention this article, we can even give you $10 off the discovery flight." While soaring thousands of feet above ground level in a small four-passenger plane may not seem like something for the faint of heart, Thomas said it is extremely safe. In addition to backup systems designed to keep working even after one fails, Thomas said there is a huge emphasis on emergency preparedness when learning to fly a plane. "There is a lot of redundancy when you're learning. As a pilot, flying a plane is like riding a bike," Thomas said. "It's pretty easy - the biggest part is learning what to do in case of emergency. That's what all this training is for." Logan offers a unique setting for pilotsin-training, Thomas said, due to the air density and high altitude. "A lot of people that learn to fly at sealevel don't know how to handle certain situations that we deal with here at higher altitudes," Thomas said. After receiving private pilot certification and instrument ratings, Thomas said pilots are able to work toward commercial certification and a future career in aviation. "The outlook for commercial pilots is TOP, A V I E W OF N O R T H LOGAN from the backseat of a Leading Edge Aviation training aircraft. Middle, Leading Edge Aviation flight instructor, Nick Thomas explains some features on one of their twin-engine training aircraft. Bottom, a Leading Edge Aviation aircraft repair hanger. TYLER LARSON photos great," Schow said. According to an article in Plane and Pilot Magazine, there is a demand for up to 10,000 captains a year and the numbers show no sign of slowing down. Schow said the reason the outlook is so good is because many pilots are retiring and people are continuing to fly at large rates. Thomas said commercial certification entails lots of training, but will provide students for a stable job opportunity in the future. "For every commercial pilot, the flying part is pretty easy. You're paid to be sitting there in case something goes wrong, and it's pretty routine for something to go wrong," Thomas said. "As a passenger, you usually don't even notice because the pilot is on top of it. They're just small hiccups when you've been trained. With training at (Leading Edge), those standards are expected of us." -amamia.m@aggiemailiisu.edu Tipsfor job hunting in a tough market By STOREE POWELL staff writer Graduation is upon USU. Brilliant fledgling students are spreading their educated wings only to take flight into the crumbling wasteland of the job market. All is not hopeless, though. These eight tips will improve any student's prospects at growing a nest egg. Start at Career Services Donna Crow, director of Career Services, said seven out of the top 10 places employer find grads to hire are coordinated through Career Services. USU offers these services freely to students, including career coaches for each college. Coaches can help hone interviewing, resume and networking skills. Crow said most importantly, coaches help students "frame the way you approach your career search so you are taking actions that create results." Research - Graduation doesn't mean doing homework is over Crow said to look at industries that are experiencing growth. While it is far and few right now. Randy Jensen, Collge of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) and Agriculture career coach, said the federal government is steadily increasing. Crow said many people at the top tier are heading for retirement, opening doors for many college grads to take their places. Another aspect of research involves learning about the potential employer and company. Crow said it is vital to tailor documents to their needs. To learn terminology, read job descriptions and use it in resumes and interviews. The last part of research relates to learning about yourself, Crow said, so a student can brand themselves. Be branded with a hot iron Often, Crow said, students are not specific enough in their documents or interviews. Identify strengths through specific examples. General bullet points are no good. A strategy to do this is to convert a resume from a traditional chronological one to a skill-based one. Sometimes a career coach needs to help a student verbalize these, Crow said. This activity A G R A D U A T E S T U D E N T SEARCHES FOR A JOB after completing his education at USU. CAMERON PETERSON photo illustration makes students realize their capabilities, especially as they relate to potential employers. Also, on resumes and in interviews, show but don't tell about skill sets. Quantify, use numbers and stats whenever possible, Crow said. "For example," Crow said, "If you led a team, say how many members and how often." Jensen said, "Show personality. Your qualifications have gotten you the inter- view, but now they want to see how you fit with them. Be natural." Be adaptable With the tight job market, students will probably have to compromise on something. Crow said, whether it be location, hours or type of position. A first- B SeeJOBS, page 6 |