Congratulations to Tyler Ballentine from Carson City, Nevada, for earning his A&P certificate! Tyler, 37, got his start in aviation in early 2017.
“Mark Lund, a neighbor and friend, asked me in early 2017 if I would be interested in helping him work on his two personal planes for the morning,” Tyler said. “After working with Mark for several months, I started really taking a liking to general aviation mechanics.”
Around this time, Mark also introduced Tyler to EAA Chapter 403.
“We attended the hamburger lunches on Fridays and socializing over coffee Saturday mornings as well as working on the Zodiac plane build Tuesday mornings,” Tyler said.
Tyler has been working with Mark, an A&P for IA for about 30 months now. Six months ago, Tyler decided to start purchasing textbooks and began to study for the A&P written exams.
On June 6, Tyler became a licensed aircraft mechanic through Bakers School of Aeronautics in Lebanon, Tennessee!
Tyler said attending Bakers School of Aeronautics was made possible due to the help of EAA Chapter 403 officer Jim Nunnelee. Jim helped facilitate the $2,700 scholarship that was awarded to Tyler from the Sports Aviation Foundation that paid for Bakers School of Aeronautics. This included some training, FAA written tests, and oral and practical exams.
“I would like to thank Jim Nunnelee from EAA Chapter 403 for facilitating the tools that were given to me and the scholarship that was awarded, as well as teaching me A&P skills,” Tyler said. “I would like to thank Mark Lund for teaching me this trade and being patient for many years as I gained experience.”
Congratulations Tyler, from all of us at EAA.
Have you reached a milestone recently? Passed a checkride, given your first or hundredth Young Eagles flight, flown your homebuilt for the first time? Tell us about it at EAA.org/submissions.