Ray Aviation Scholar Newsletter
June 2019
(Revised 2023)
I am starting this month's page by saying thank you to our EAA Chapter for such a fantastic opportunity and a special thank you for all the guidance I have received. As announced at the last meeting, I aim to complete my PPL by 2019 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. This past year I was a part of the student-built RV-12 plane at Montgomery High School, The Purple Bearon. Being able to fly the Purple Bearon to Oshkosh would be an honor and a life-changing experience for me! The Ray Aviation Scholarship has turned my dream into a reality for sure. This past month has been a fantastic start to my journey in the aviation industry. I have accomplished many goals, met several informative people, and, most importantly, learned so much already! I have learned a few things: My horse, "ASAP," looks tiny from above, the wind makes learning to land super hard, and learning how to talk on the radio is like learning a new language. My first day at General Chennault Flying Tiger Academy was May 13, 2019, and since then, I have completed almost 13.5 hours! I have been trying to fit in as many hours as I can into my schedule. I even flew on the day of my high school graduation! I am working on my Pre-Solo written exam for GCFTA because soon, I will be heading out on my first solo! Thank you so much again to everyone for all the guidance. I can't wait to check in with all of you next month and see where I am on my journey!!
Ray Aviation Scholar Newsletter
July 2019
(Revised 2023)
This past month has been full of MANY milestones and so much improvement. I started the month by accomplishing my first solo! Although, it was a surprise because I had been told it was planned for Friday. Well, Thursday, June 6, my instructor said, "Kick me to the curb; you're ready to solo now!!". I was initially nervous, but quickly, I gained confidence and felt prepared, even with an extra 5-knot tailwind! My first solo was just the start of highlights for the month. This month I also completed my first solo cross country to College Station!! I learned that College Station is a relatively easy place to get to. However, getting turned around up in the sky is easy. Now that I have completed my first short solo cross country, I am working hard on my long cross country. It will soon be another milestone in the books!! Outside of flight training, I have recently had the privilege of watching the "Purple Bearon," our student-built RV-12, become a flyable airplane!! I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to fly the Purple Bearon to the 2019 AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. All 48 students, including myself, and many helpful mentors put in a lot of work and dedication. So, I'm sure many of them would agree when I say, it was touching to see it up in the air! With all the excitement this month, I took a weeklong Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C., where I visited the National Air and Space Museum. Lastly, this month I created a Facebook page called "Aviation Journey with Mallory Rhodes" just as a place to keep an updated blog throughout all my aviation endeavors. Please feel free to give it a like!!
Ray Aviation Scholar Newsletter
August 2019
(Revised 2023)
Another month has passed, and nothing has slowed down a bit!! As many of you know, I was able to attend this year's AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. Not only could I visit AirVenture, but I was also allowed to fly in and land a plane I helped build. The Purple Bearon flew flawlessly and was a joy to fly in with Mr. Jimmy Crawford. On the way to Oshkosh, I learned some tips about diverting, took fantastic pictures of St. Louis Arch, learned a little about formation flying, and a lot about navigation. Also, I was able to log nearly 10 hours from just the flight to OSH! AirVenture was unbelievable; there is so much to see and do; I wish we had more time. If you are ever given the opportunity to visit AirVenture, GO. My AirVenture trip was unique. Since I was a recipient of the 2019 Ray Aviation Scholarship, I had the chance to ride in a B-17 Flying Fortress to start the Wednesday night air show! While at AirVenture, I joined other aviation clubs like the Ninety-Nines and Women in Aviation, and I even got to be a part of the vast Women Aviation picture! Another highlight of my time at AirVenture was meeting other students like myself who also have a passion for aviation! I want to thank everyone who made my trip to AirVenture possible and so enjoyable. Especially my 3 new "honorary grandpas," Grandpa #1- Joe Waltz, Grandpa #2- Jimmy Crawford, and Grandpa #3- Loren Schreck. I had an amazing time this year, and I am already planning to go back next year! Since returning home, I have been back in a Cherokee, constantly talking about how much nicer the RV-12 was... haha. I am back on my schedule of flying nearly every day, and soon I will be a private pilot! If you want more pictures and videos from my trip to Oshkosh, check out my Facebook page, "Aviation Journey with Mallory Rhodes." See you next month!
Ray Aviation Scholar Newsletter
September 2019
(Revised 2023)
This past month has been less exciting for my aviation process. I am now at the point in my PPL where it is what I would consider "crunch time" I have spent most of my time lately studying hard for my written exam and becoming very familiar with my AIM book! While none of this is nearly as exciting as Oshkosh or "my first solo," these are all essential tasks. Not only have I been preparing for my written exam and check-ride, but I have also been preparing to start my college classes at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University online! This summer has been the most fun and productive summer I have ever had; however, now it is time to get back into "school mode." During high school, I earned 36 college hours, covering almost all my core classes, meaning this is not my first time in an online college class. However, it is my first college class working towards an aviation career! August may not have been full of adventure, much like the months before, but I had a few incredible experiences this past month. While I was in Oshkosh, I joined the 99's Club and was actually given the opportunity to attend my very first meeting a few weeks ago! It was very nice to visit with another group of people who shared the same passion and plan out all the fun events for the year. Also, this month I was offered a long-term internship at Mid-South Synergy, where I am learning professional skills and helping my community. This month's excitement rounded off with a new addition to my family. My second nephew, Sterling Cooper, was born on August 26, and as you can imagine, I have enjoyed spending my spare time with him!! I'm looking forward to checking in with everyone next month with hopefully some more exciting AVIATION NEWS!!! Follow my Facebook page, "Aviation Journey with Mallory Rhodes," to keep up with my day-to-day aviation activities.
Ray Aviation Scholar Newsletter
October 2019
(Revised 2023)
Well, another month was spent in the books… studying flying materials and Embry Riddle books! I am nearly halfway done with my first two classes at ERAU: Values & Ethics and Principles of Management. This month hasn't been full of exciting adventures, but it has been busy nonetheless. My time this month has mostly been consumed by work, studying flight materials, and maintaining an A average in both college classes. This month was also a downer with all the weather trouble we faced due to the tropical storm Imelda. Which, sadly, happened to directly affect my grandparent's home. While this month wasn't set for perfect flying weather, all the rainy days, we had made for good study days! On a more uplifting note, the locally "famous" Bear Force One and The Purple Bearon, along with myself, were the featured story in the Texas Co-op Power Magazine! Mid-South Synergy is the Electric Co-op I currently work for, and they approached me wanting to cover the remarkable program happening in "small town" Montgomery, Texas. There is a link on my Facebook page to the whole article if you want to check out more from the article "The View From the Eagle's Nest" on the provided link on my Facebook page, "Aviation Journey with Mallory Rhodes." See you next month!!
