By Leslie Faulkenberry
Switching Seats
The cool, clear early November skies offered perfect weather for flying Young Eagles over Coastal Georgia’s Golden Isles. As 71 eager young people gathered at the EAA Chapter 905 clubhouse at McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport, no one was more ready for the day to begin than 17-year-old Matthew Tortorell, EAA 1293551. For him, it was a first. But it wasn’t his first flight. The high school senior was ready to climb aboard his borrowed Cessna 172 not as a passenger, but as a certificated pilot ready to fly other kids over the island’s scenic beaches and rivers. It was time to switch seats.
The occasion was especially unique, considering Matthew was still at the age to qualify as a Young Eagle himself. The story started three years ago when Matthew’s parents brought him to the airport for his first airplane ride. Although he had made many trips to airports to greet his grandfather as he returned from visiting family in Portugal, Matthew had never experienced flight at that point. He had enjoyed flight simulator programs on the computer, but had yet to soar above the Earth himself. On the way to his first flight, his father had a premonition.
“I remember saying something to my wife when we were getting ready to go about knowing that he was gonna get into it, and there would be no turning back,” Peter Tortorell recalled.
No Half-Measures
Matthew had always been what his parents called a “hard charger,” immersing himself in traditional youthful pursuits like baseball and BMX racing. As he grew older, it became obvious that he was on a different level. For example, when he took a welding class at school, he built his own roll cage for his dirt track racecar, which he raced at regional speedways. Want something? Learn to make it and get it done. Second-hand thrills weren’t enough. Clearly, he was an immersion learner.
Matthew had the good fortune to take his fledgling voyage with Georgia Aviation Hall of Famer Winn Baker, EAA Lifetime 56086, at the controls. The 20 minutes that followed ignited the passion that will fuel his future. Using the free first flight lesson benefit from his Young Eagles flight and his EAA student membership, Matthew embarked on his chosen path for life and confirmed what he and his parents already suspected: He was head over heels for aviation.
After that time, paying for flight lessons became a high priority. However, it was not at the expense of his grades at Glynn Academy High School. Matthew kept his grades at the top level, as he did before, and took advantage of the local public school’s joint enrollment opportunity to take classes at the College of Coastal Georgia, and enroll in an internship at Gulfstream Aerospace’s Brunswick facility. He will graduate from high school in the spring of 2019, and head to college at one of two top-pick aviation universities. No surprise — both of them wanted him.
Support From the Chapter
By far, Matthew is quick to explain, the greatest benefit of the entire experience has come from EAA chapter members. Impressed with his maturity and focus, his fellow pilots have never hesitated to take him flying and share their wealth of knowledge.
“The support of local EAA and its members has helped me more than I could describe,” Matthew said. “Obviously, Ron letting me use his plane has helped me greatly, not only in building experience and memories, but also having a plane to fly for Young Eagles! They’ve put as much into me as I’ve put in myself, all to help me succeed in aviation and in life.”
Perhaps the most eloquent statement about the mutual regard between the teenager and the more seasoned EAA members is the loan, any time, of Cessna 172 Foxy Lady owned by his mentor, pilot Ron Hlozansky, EAA 135558.
“Airplanes need to fly,” Ron began to explain, but his narrative quickly turned to admiration and pride. “Just talk to him for 10 minutes and you’ll see what an exceptional guy he is.”
For the first flight of the day, two 8-year-old boys, wriggling with anticipation, follow Matthew to the 172. He calmly takes them through the explanation of how the aircraft works, and tells them what to expect. He buckles them into their seats and boards the plane himself. The boys are electrified with excitement, and onlookers have to wonder if this moment will have a similar lasting impact on the passengers as Matthew’s first flight three years ago. When they land 20 minutes later, the pair is thrilled with the ride. They would gladly bump the remaining crowd of waiting passengers and spend the day airborne with Matthew if they could.
Matthew grins as the two boys are ushered off the ramp and the next group approaches. Once again, a Young Eagles rally has opened the door to the sky for the next generation.