Ever since July of 2014, Academic Magnet junior Connor Hall has been working towards obtaining his private pilot license. Enabling him to fly by himself whenever he wants, this license has been a dream of Connor’s for quite awhile. Connor said that he always wanted to fly, and his parents said he could, but only if he set everything up. So, he just went to the airport one day and sorted everything out. Including at least forty hours of flight time, passing seven written exams, and three hours of nighttime flight among other requirements, this aviation license requires a lot of dedication. Luckily, after months of hard work, Connor finally received his license in January of 2015.

However, this isn’t the end for Connor’s piloting dreams. The private pilot license is restrictive as it prohibits him from flying when the weather is below the set minimums, like when its raining. He says his next step is to obtain an instrument rating license, which will allow him to fly whenever he wants, even when the weather isn’t ideal. Ultimately, Connor says his goal is to become a pilot when he’s older. His aviation aspirations tie in with his thesis, a study of the role of education and training in the rate of general aviation accidents, with which he claims he’ll utilize his aviation license and his experience obtaining it.