Peachtree City Civil Air Patrol Cadet Hank Dee, 16, a junior at McIntosh High School, flew a solo flight in a CAP glider on Feb. 20 at the LaGrange Calloway airport. The L-23 glider was towed by a powered aircraft to 2,000 feet altitude and released for a 15-minute flight.
While a quarter-hour flight may not sound like much, that first solo flight, when you’re all alone in the cockpit for the first time, is an event that all aviators never forget.
Dee’s solo flight was his fourth flight of the day. He followed it up with two more solos. His flight instructor was Lt. Colonel Pete Schulz of Peachtree City, a U.S. Air Force Reservist and also a member of the Peachtree City Civil Air Patrol squadron.
After high school, Dee looks forward to a career in military aviation, starting with attendance at either the U. S. Air Force Academy or Embry Riddle and U. S. Air Force ROTC. After college, Dee hopes to fly for the Air Force special forces.
Orientation flights in gliders and powered aircraft are part of the Civil Air Patrol cadet program. Many cadets choose to pursue pilot’s licenses in both types of aircraft.
The CAP cadet program is open to young people ages 12 to 18. For more information about the organization, visit CAP’s national web site www.gocivilairpatrol.com, or for information about the Peachtree City squadron, visit www.ga116.org.
