Kevin Howard Memorial Flying Scholarship

I believe Leonardo da Vinci said it best, "once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." Ever since I was a child, I was captivated by any aircraft I could see. My first time on an aircraft was when I was nine years old and I was absolutely terrified. It was a flight across the globe from the United States to England. Although terrified, the flight left me with a sense of awe and wonder. Sitting in the window seat, I gazed out into the distance, watching as we passed through the clouds, as the sun set, marveling at the earth below. That very moment of experiencing something so breathtaking planted the seeds of passion for aviation. That passion would continue into ambition. Ambition that led down the path of wanting to become a pilot for the United States Air Force. I watched countless aviation, aircraft documentaries, movies, played with remote control aircraft, and would plane watch for hours on end. My father served in the United States Air Force, as a C-130 and CV-22 enlisted aircrew. Growing up on Air Force military bases, I was infatuated with all thing's aviation and to this day I still enjoy aviation museums. My grandfather served in the United States Air Force as an enlisted aircrew as well. My brother would also continue on to become a commercial pilot. During his training, I took every opportunity I could to be in the air with him. I always enjoyed marveling at God's creation from above. Flying was practically in my blood. My sophomore year of college I took my first flight lesson, and I instantly fell in love. My mind that was constantly running and filled with noise was suddenly quieted by the peace of flying. Even though my instructor remained beside me my mind had finally known a moment of silence. Around the same time in 2020, my best friend, Kevin began his aviation career. Kevin and I had always been best friends since High School, but we grew especially close once he began training, because we were the only ones within our friend group who truly understood what it meant to fly. Later that year, I would eventually be selected by the United States Air Force to become a pilot, while in AFROTC. Kevin and I would speak daily, and he would fill me in on all of his flights, and we would talk for hours about flying, all the while playing our aviation video games on XBOX. My favorite flying memory was with Kevin. In the summer of 2023, while building hours for his commercial pilot rating, Kevin flew from Denver, Colorado, to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, in a single engine Archer aircraft. Then, he picked me up and we flew all of the way back to Denver, where I spent time with him and his family. I can't even begin to talk about all of the great memories made on that trip without running out of space to type. Nonetheless, I had a setback that prevented me from becoming the USAF pilot I had always dreamed of, but I didn't let that stop me. A few years later, I began my pursuit to fly as a Naval Aircrewman on the P-8 Poseidon, as an Acoustic Operator. I now serve in the United States Navy on Active Duty, where I am blessed to have the opportunity to fly around the world, all the while hunting and deterring adversary submarine forces.

I discovered my passion for aviation when I joined the U.S. Air Force at 17. I chose the aviation mechanic program because I enjoyed being around airplanes. Learning how they worked and how to fix them became more than just a job—it was a career I took pride in. Once I gained experience, I became an instructor and taught younger mechanics how to repair airplanes. I found real satisfaction in introducing others to the challenges of aviation maintenance. My time as a mechanic, both in the U.S. and overseas, seemed to fly by. My love for flying grew when I became a Flying Crew Chief on the KC-135. I had the chance to fly around the Pacific, supporting both military and humanitarian missions. Taking part in Operation Tomodachi in Northern Japan showed me how much the U.S. Air Force can help people in need. We responded to the tsunami and nuclear reactor meltdown on Japan’s main island. It was a powerful team experience that I will always remember. A few years later, I earned my Private Pilot Certificate. Flying brought me so much joy that I wanted to learn everything I could about it. This time, I was the student, not the teacher. After leaving the military, I earned my Instrument and Commercial ratings and am now working toward my Certified Flight Instructor rating at the Peterson Space Force Base Aero Club. I appreciate the consistency the club offers and the chance to learn from several great teachers. Like Kevin Howard, I am committed to my aviation education and am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in aviation science at Metropolitan State University of Denver. The knowledge I gain will help me become a better teacher for my future students. I’m proud to be on the President’s Honor Roll and to have scored above 98% on all my FAA written exams. I believe that to be a good teacher, I need a strong and well-rounded background in aviation. Flying here in Colorado is an endeavor! We have strong crosswinds, convective weather, and mountainous terrain at our doorstep. I feel it has made me a safer, more confident pilot in the long run. My goals for the next few years are to finish my CFI and CFII ratings and start teaching at the Peterson Aero Club. In the short time I’ve had in the right seat and started “teaching” my instructor, I can tell I am going to enjoy my new rating. It will become an extension of the time I spent teaching aircraft maintenance. I want to share my flying and maintenance knowledge with the same group of people I served with in the Air Force. Lessons from good and not-so-good flights can help shape a new pilot's goals for flying. One of those lessons is how to respond to emergencies. I can share firsthand knowledge of what happens when your engine seizes in flight, and you become a Cessna glider. Being able to think quickly and calmly to bring the aircraft down with no further damage stands out to me as a highlight of my short time as a rated pilot. My long-term goal is to land a job with the Colorado Park Service. They need experienced pilots to help with surveying and scientific research in the mountains and plains of Colorado. I have a long way to go to reach that experience level, but I’m taking it day by day and flight by flight. Thank you for your time and consideration of my application for the Kevin Howard Memorial Scholarship.