Congratulations to 16-year-old Austin Krause, EAA 1218049, who soloed in an RV-12 on August 15, completing one of the first major steps toward his career goal of becoming a commercial pilot or aerospace engineer.
Austin said he’s known he was going to fly someday for as long as he can remember, his first memory of aviation being watching the EAA air show in Oshkosh from his uncle’s nearby fire station. However, it was winning the GAMA-sponsored Build A Plane competition with his high school and participating in the Two Weeks to Taxi program in 2016 that set his flying gears in motion.
Austin is also a member of EAA Chapter 444, a group he said has been a tremendous help to him in pursuing his private pilot certificate.
“Brad Hahn, the chapter president, has helped me the most I think, considering he is just a little ahead of me in flight training,” he said. “He helps me out and lets me know what kinds of things to expect and what to do to become a more proficient student pilot. The people I can’t thank enough though are my parents, who are only members because of me roping them in. They are the ones who made this (dream) livable by putting aside time and money to help me out. They put in as much, if not more, time than I have into this.”
The big day itself was a huge confidence boost, Austin said. Flying solo dissipated any nerves he had walking into the airport terminal the morning of his flight, and he recalls that he “actually began to have a little fun up there alone. There is no better feeling than being airborne for me, so I was completely at home.”
Congratulations again, Austin, on this exciting accomplishment, and good luck from EAA as you continue pursuing your aviation goals!
Have you reached a milestone recently? Passed a checkride, given your first or hundredth Young Eagle flight, flown your homebuilt for the first time? Tell us about it at editorial@eaa.org.