BY MIRA THAKKAR
As kids start to grow up, it’s common to hear parents say, “They’re spreading their wings and learning how to fly.” This usually means the kids learn how to drive, join clubs, play a sport, or whatever interests them.
For senior Aryan Patel, he wanted to spread his wings quite literally. The Walton High School student is one of the youngest pilots in the country. He began training at 12 and took his first solo flight at 16. At 17, he earned his Private Pilot License and Instrument Rating while training out of Aero Atlanta. He is now working toward his Commercial Pilot License, Multi-Engine Rating and flight instructor certifications — CFI, CFII and MEI — with the goal of completing them before graduating from high school.
Taking such big risks at a young age can be scary, but Patel has embraced the fear and chosen to keep growing and also help others pursue their flight dreams.
“The ultimate goal is to be able to get to a point where I have enough knowledge to give back and help others in their journey to become pilots as well,” Patel stated.
Patel’s goal has come to life through his website, CheckRideReady.org, a platform providing free and low-cost study materials to help young pilots get in the air and ready to fly.
“I have a huge database of all this information, and then a student can engage in a conversation with this AI who’s pulling all this information from that database,” Patel explained. “So it allows people to not only practice what they know, but practice how they’re going to say it when they’re asked to on their checker and formulate the words and sentences.”
Patel has been using AI, as well as his own personal experiences, to help others achieve their goals or simply learn skills that can last them a lifetime. While the process has been a lot of hard work, he’s learned how to balance it alongside his other demands as a high school student.
“I think the biggest thing is the motivation I have to get things done, and I understand that if I do this work today, it helps me in the future,” Patel said. “Junior year, I had to work a lot more, start studying for the ACTs and all the pilot stuff; it forced me to learn how to be efficient with my time.”
Time management is just one of many skills he’s been able to develop more through his training to be a pilot. As he gets ready to go to college to study finance, he knows the skills he’s gained through his hard work will carry him far no matter where he goes.
“I think a big one is just responsibility and maturity,” Patel noted. “There’s a risk with it and being in that environment, and usually being around older people, kind of forces you to be more mature.”
Patel’s personal and professional growth through his pilot experiences is remarkable, and his mission to help others reach their aviation goals is testament to it.
