BrettFrance

Hello everyone,
My name is Brett France and I am a recent winner for the Jason Dahl scholarship. It is hard to put in words what the scholarship means to me. I cannot thank you all enough for donating to such a worthy cause. This scholarship is another milestone in my ultimate goal to become a professional pilot. It shows me what hard work can do for you, when you put your mind to it. I would like to post my essay that made me a recipient for the scholarship, and again I would like to thank you all for helping out the Jason Dahl Scholarship Fund.


Flight has always been the direction I envisioned my life following. It was after a return flight from Italy, when I asked the flight attendant to see the cockpit that I knew it would become a career path. The pilots, most likely expecting a six year old child excited to see the flight deck, were confronted with a 6 foot 4 inch, fifteen year old who was more excited than any six year old would have been. The United pilots, though exhausted from a nine hour flight, took the time to explain various controls and the training required of a commercial pilot. I was hooked. Once home, I explored various flight schools and started flying. I began flying at the early age of 15, receiving my private pilot’s license at 17. As my friends were getting driver licenses, I was preparing for the written test for my private pilot’s license. There is nothing more exhilarating than advancing the throttle and taking to the air. The dream of becoming a commercial pilot was slowly becoming a reality.
Now at age twenty one, and after receiving my instrument rating and commercial certificate, the true responsibly of being a pilot has been realized. A pilot holds the lives of his passengers in his hands as they depend on his skill and knowledge. Continual training and testing is a way of life to maintain the highest standards necessary for commercial, cargo or corporate aviation. Training does not end at the conclusion of a rating or certificate. Rather, lifelong learning is part of being a pilot. It is clear that flying is not a mere fascination but a commitment to an enduring dream. Aviation opens a world of unlimited possibilities. Flying is more than just getting from one point to another, it is a dream and a vision fulfilled and an opening up of the world to limitless possibilities.
As a full time Professional Flight student at Purdue University I have the opportunity to become a well prepared and highly skilled pilot. Furthermore, Purdue offers a chance at pursuing a global career in aviation in a world that has continually become smaller through ever changing technological advancements in the aviation field. The need for qualified pilots is growing. As an industry, the sky is the limit, no pun intended. The aviation industry is thriving with the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) reporting over 2.8 billion passengers were carried by the world’s airlines in 2011. Moreover, there are 56 million people employed worldwide in aviation and related tourism. Of this, 8.36 million people work directly in the aviation industry. By 2026, it is estimated the aviation will contribute 1 trillion dollars to the world gross domestic product. I plan to be a part of this dynamic industry.
Presently, I am a CFI, instructing several students in the Professional Flight program at Purdue. This is a unique opportunity for students to teach other students the gift of flight. It is very satisfying to instruct others to be safe and proficient pilots. What is taught first often produces the strongest impression. Things learned initially are the things we retain the most; therefore, for the student, it must be taught correctly. And it is my job to do just that. Though a somewhat daunting task, I approach teaching in the same way I approach flying; with responsibility, respect and integrity. I hold myself accountable for helping create safe pilots who understand the enormous responsibility they are undertaking. It is not just the skills of flying an aircraft but also being able to handle the elements of risk management so crucial in becoming a safe pilot. There must be respect for the aircraft and those who are flying it. From the pre-flight check to the debriefing, student and teacher must have a respect for each other and the plane they are flying. Lastly, it is integrity that I feel is most important to import on my students. Honesty dictates accountability in the cockpit. It includes admitting when we do not understand something and the flight readiness of the plane and crew. There is no integrity in a pilot who flies under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or one who can not admit they are too tired to captain an aircraft. Lack of integrity leads to errors in the flight deck and there is no room for error in the aviation industry.
My goal is to become a commercial airline pilot and I believe I am on the correct course. Attaining the Jason Dahl Scholarship is one more step to realizing this goal.

tcook052

Thanks for enrolling on FT to share your story with us, Brett France, as it is great to hear who the money we donate helps future pilots such as yourself. I hope you continue engaging with us here and wish you well in your studies!