Pilot Madelyn Smith on left with Gerald Gaige of Leading Edge Aviation on right visited KTLO to discuss aviation careers for young people.
It took one flight from the Flippin airport for Madelyn Smith to know what she wanted to do for her career. Now this Mountain Home grad is back home in the Twin Lakes area teaching the joys of flying to others.While most young people her age are still trying to learn to navigate the roadways on the ground Smith was flying the skies receiving her private pilot certificate at the age of 17. After earning her diploma from Mountain Home Career Academies (MHCA) in 2021 she went on to Addison Texas to earn her instrument rating and became certified to pilot commercial flights. After becoming a certified flight instructor she took a position as a flight instructor for Ozarka College in Melbourne as well as for the Leading Edge Aviation Foundation at Baxter County Airport.
Smith tells KTLO, Classic Hits and the Boot News that this is just the beginning for her as she plans to go on to develop a career as a pilot for one of the major US carriers.
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New opportunities are available to students with classes now available at MHCA in aviation. Gerald Gaige with The Leading Edge Aviation Foundation says the 3 year program helps equip students at a young age to pursue a well paying career.
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Gaige says students are very engaged with the classes.
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Besides building her own career Smith wants to encourage more young people to consider a career in the aviation industry and is excited that programs like those at MHCA are creating new opportunities to pursue a passion like the one she found on that first flight just a few years ago.
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