Congratulations to Tyler Barry, EAA 1238435, on completing his instrument rating checkride on April 27! Tyler also completed his first year as a student at the University of North Dakota, which is where he took his instrument training.
“We do things a little differently at UND,” Tyler said. “Instead of having one large instrument checkride, we divide it up into what we call stage checks. … It was very different compared to my [private pilot] training, but I enjoy the format better because you know your weak areas before heading into the final stage. The final instrument stage … is a three-leg cross-country. I did mine from Grand Forks, the UND home base, to Fargo, and then to Northwood, North Dakota.”
Although Tyler said he is “for all intents and purposes” an instrument-rated pilot, UND combines the certificate with multi-engine and commercial ratings, which Tyler will begin on June 4.
In addition, Tyler joined the UND EAA Chapter 1342, which is known for being composed entirely of UND students.
“Joining this chapter has been very unique because of our age,” he said. “Having a whole EAA chapter run by college students is a sharp contrast to my previous EAA chapter.”
Tyler was featured as one of EAA’s 25 for 25 Young Eagles in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Young Eagles program in 2017. He has since shared The Spirit of Aviation by flying 14 Young Eagles at the 2017 Fly Kids for Nate event held by the Nate Abel Flying Club, named for Tyler’s Young Eagles pilot who sadly died of cancer just a few months after Tyler’s flight. The next event will be held Monday, May 28.
Photos courtesy of Tom Barry
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.