Flight Academy Expands Future Horizons for PRPS Students

The DR South Alberta Flight Academy is holding an open house on Wednesday, February 7th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. The open house will be at Super T Aviation located at 24 Les Little Way SE in Medicine Hat. Current students have nothing but great things to say about their experience at the Flight Academy and the opportunities it has provided that aren’t available in other school divisions.  

Karter Kurpjuweit is in the first year at the Flight Academy and is working towards earning his private pilot’s license and drone license. “Last year I heard about the program and I want to be able to fly, maybe even commercially, so I wanted to go in this academy.” At the start of his second semester, he is feeling good about his decision and feels the abundant opportunities available and new learnings have been incredible.  

Grade 11 student Cipher Brooks-Kirsch is also working towards her private and commercial pilot’s license. There has been a delay for her to start flying due to medical issues, but Brooks-Kirsch will complete the taking off and landing courses in the near future. “It’s been my dream since Grade 6 when I first learned about aerodynamics in science. When I am in the air, I feel free and happy.” As she is enrolled in Flight Strategies, which allows students to fly during school hours, Brooks-Kirsch is confident she will be able to catch up on her flight hours without falling behind academically. Originally, she was going to attend McCoy High but switched to Eagle Butte to attend the Flight Academy.

Grade 11 student Reid Vossler took his first solo flight a few months ago. “It’s a really weird experience not having your instructor beside you watching your airspeed and altitude. It’s a nice experience, kind of like driving for the first time after you get your license. It’s really weird but at the same time it’s really fun as well.” 

Maya Moore is in Grade 12 this year and didn’t know going into the program if she would want to pursue it as a career. “I might get my night reading because it would be so beautiful to fly at night, but I think honestly it will be a cool hobby to be able to fly. It’s been a great experience with the Academy,” said Moore. Following graduation in June, she plans to take a gap year to travel to Thailand as well as building up more flying hours. “I don’t want to go somewhere over my gap year that is a regular, family vacation destination. I want to go somewhere that will be interesting to see while I’m younger,” explained Moore. When she returns, she plans to apply to the nursing program at Medicine Hat College.  

Grade 11 student Cole Edmonstone is hoping to become a commercial pilot and fly for WestJet and began looking at this as a career a couple of years ago after hearing about the Flight Academy.  

Kathryne Fairbrother is in her second year and completed her first solo flight last year in September and enjoys being in the air on her own. “I’m working towards getting my private (license) before I graduate and hopefully my commercial after that,” stated Fairbrother who has wanted to be a pilot since she was very young. “I love looking up at planes and I’ve never travelled in a plane, except for here (at the Flight Academy) so I think it would be eventful to be up there and flying.” 

Fairbrother was cleared for her first solo by Logan Neubauer, the first graduate from the Flight Academy to receive his wings and, among other things, now an instructor with the Flight Academy. Neubauer recently had the honour of taking Premier Danielle Smith up in the air during her visit to the Flight Academy. 

“It’s not every day your son gets to fly the Premier at 20-years-old,” said Nichole Neubauer, mother of Logan as well as the Coordinator of the Agricultural Discovery Centre at Irvine School. “What a testament to this program, the opportunities seem to be incalculable.”  

Logan started at the Flight Academy in 2019 and managed through the struggles of the pandemic to complete his training. Logan’s had an interest in airplanes since he was 4 years old after attending an airshow and has persisted in pursuing his passion  

“People think that really cool things should just happen overnight, it should just be easy. It comes with lots of years of practice, and this is year five of Logan’s aviation career. It was such a proud moment when he walked across the stage at his graduation ceremony and they pinned his wings on. He took his commercial license the next year out of high school and went to Saskatoon to get his instructor rating. Now he’s working hard to build hours and get some more ratings to move to the next level,” explained Nichole Neubauer. 

Logan’s story has come full circle with him now instructing some of the Flight Academy students. “It’s easy for him to relate to what they are going through and some of the challenges they face. Becoming a pilot isn’t easy, it’s so technical and there is so much information,” said Nichole. Logan has the unique ability to be able to relate to what it means to be a fulltime student while also participating in extracurricular activities in addition to being part of the Flight Academy.  

“He makes it real,” continued Nichole, “and shows it’s possible with hard work and doing what you are told, and because they are set up for success in this program, students can achieve great things. Some of the students who graduated last year are going on to get their commercial licenses and it’s such a fantastic opportunity for the flight industry in general to get these kids excited about flying.” 

By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer