By Joshua Tocko, EAA 104822
Most pilots get into flying just for the kicks — the thrill of being up there, chasing horizons. Some turn it into a full-blown career, but it all starts with that one little spark. A moment that sticks with you, nudging you toward the long haul of training and chasing the dream.
I can’t pinpoint my own spark exactly, but I’ve been hooked on aviation since I was a kid. It took until my late 30s to make it happen, though. I earned my private pilot certificate in March 2011 and finally got to live it. From there, it was all about the good times: those classic $100 hamburgers, weekend getaways by air, and the ultimate pilgrimage to Oshkosh (eight times and counting). I built up hours, added ratings, and eventually became a CFI to pass on what I’d learned.
There’s something special about helping folks chase their own flying dreams — it’s rewarding in a way that’s hard to beat. But the real magic? Lighting that initial fire, creating a memory that turns someone into a lifelong pilot. That’s what drew me to EAA’s Young Eagles program. I started volunteering out of my home chapter, EAA Chapter 54 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, in 2012. Over time, I flew dozens upon dozens of kids in airplanes from our local club, Tailwinds. Watching their faces light up was the best part: the wide-eyed wonder as they took the controls, spotting landmarks from above. We’d wrap up the 15-minute ride with a quick photo, I’d sign their logbook, and that was it. A few would come back the next year, but most drifted off. Until one showed up again, nearly a decade later.
Sam Smith’s Young Eagles flight with Josh in 2016.
I was in my seat on the flight deck of a CRJ-900, waiting for boarding to wrap up, when my phone buzzed with a text from an unfamiliar Minnesota number. It was a guy named Sam, asking if I was the same pilot who’d given him a Young Eagles flight back in October 2016. We chatted back and forth, and it turns out he’d spotted my name on the roster at Endeavor Air, my new gig after getting furloughed from Spirit. Sam was now a first officer there himself. I was floored.
It hit me hard — humbled me, really — to see the full circle of that spark I’d helped ignite. On that crisp October morning in 2016, a young Sam Smith climbed into a little Piper Archer with me in Minnesota. That short hop planted the seed, pushing him to keep going, build his skills, and land in the cockpit of a regional jet.
Fate threw us another curveball, too. We both ended up on a quick turn in Pittsburgh and had 20 minutes to catch up — swapping stories from back then and filling in the blanks on life now. Aviation’s a blast on its own, but sharing it? That’s where the real joy kicks in. Whether it’s with buddies, family, or total strangers, I encourage every pilot out there to get involved. Jump into fly-ins, local events, or programs like Young Eagles. You never know whose spark you’ll light, or when you’ll see the results soar back around.