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Attention all pilots under 23 years of age – your voice needs to be heard as part of the general aviation community. It’s not just multi-thousand hour pilots who have wisdom to share and stories to tell.  You are the next generation of pilots. For you, the good old days are right now!

Young pilots Air Facts

Our last writing challenge introduced us to some great young writers.

Air Facts is sponsoring its second Young Pilots Writers’ Challenge, starting right now. You’re learning to fly–or are already a pilot–challenge yourself one step further and become a published author at Air Facts. We want to hear your story.

All summer long, Air Facts will publish stories from young pilots in addition to our usual content of stories about safety, history, weather, technique and a dozen other topics.

In order to participate in the Air Facts Young Pilots Writers’ Challenge, pilots under 23 years of age are encouraged to write approximately 1200 to 1500 words about any aspect of their flight training or flying experience. Stories should be submitted to [email protected]. Photos are encouraged.

Wondering what to write? Here are some ideas:

  • The Moment I Felt like a Pilot. Was it your first solo? The first cross-country? When you passed your checkride? Whatever it was, tell us about it.
  • My First Passenger. There comes a time in every pilot’s life when a family member or friend trusts you to take them for a flight. Who was your first passenger? Describe the flight to us.
  • “I Messed Up.” Every pilot has made incredibly dumb mistakes. That’s why a pilot’s license is  called a license to learn. What was your mistake? How did it happen and what did you learn from it?
  • Five Flying Adventures I Want to Have. When you look to the future, what’s on your “must-do list” as a pilot? Fly to Oshkosh during AirVenture? Find a backcountry airport and go fishing? Land a corporate job flying jets? Whether it’s a big or little flying adventure, tell us what’s on your list.
  • You Pick the Topic. What’s on your mind as a young pilot? If you have a point of view, a story to tell or something to share with the GA community about your experience as a pilot, send it to us.

Send your story to [email protected]. Include a digital photo of yourself and a two- or three-sentence description about yourself (where you live, whether you’re in school or working, how old you are, etc.). We’ll let you know when your story is published.

We want to read your story in Air Facts.

John Zimmerman