BECOMING A LICENSED PILOT LIVING IN RURAL ALASKA 

By John M. Dahlen

Caelyn and Christina Wise became two of Alaska’s newest licensed pilots this summer! These remarkable twins, who are both NextGen members of the Alaska Airmen’s Association, represent all that’s good about our next generation of pilots and world leaders. They are well-educated via homeschool by their Mom, Lorna; exceptionally thoughtful and logical in their approach to setting and achieving their goals in life; and very clearly and pleasantly articulate in conversation. Bill and Lorna would get Parent-of-the-Year awards if such awards were mine to hand out.  The family lives in Valdez, which, among other things, has been the host of the Valdez Fly-In and Air Show for the past 20 years. This annual event typically draws aircraft ranging from a C-46 that is still in regular service, to aerobatic stunt planes, personal recreational aircraft, and a variety of aircraft participating in the annual STOL competition, flour bombing, beach landings, and other events that feature some of Alaska’s uniquely adapted general aviation aircraft and finely tuned piloting skills when this city’s maritime weather cooperates.  

As most of Alaskans know, we have the highest number per capita of licensed pilots, of registered aircraft, and of relatively prepared airports and other landing facilities in the United States. Alaska has over 750 such aviation facilities for our 733,000 residents, which includes public, private, international, local, seaplane, military, and civilian bases of operation. It does not include the nearly infinite number of beaches, gravel bars, open fields, mountain glaciers, and other off airport locations that are commonly used for hunting, fishing, flightseeing, and recreational gatherings around the state. In this context, it is reasonable to think that opportunities to legitimately become a licensed pilot are far more convenient and accessible in Alaska than in the lower 48.  

Yet, ironically, there are no flight schools for the roughly 3,800 residents of Valdez, even though it is one of the communities on our limited road system. So, therein laid one of the unique challenges Caelyn and Christina had to meet in the course of earning their Private Pilot Licenses while living in rural Alaska. Besides having no local flight school, their parents don’t fly, and the family doesn’t have an airplane. But the twins’ goals were very specific. They set out to earn their PPLs before turning 18 years old and graduating from high school this year. Fortunately, Valdez being on the road system provided a solution. Through their already established relationship with the Civil Air Patrol in Anchorage, and by remaining focused on earning the required CAP promotions, they were able to qualify for the CAP Wings program, which paid for their PPL flying lessons at local flight schools in Anchorage. So, Caelyn and Christina drove the 650-mile round trip between Valdez and Anchorage weekly from December through April for those flying lessons! For our readers who live outside of Alaska and might not be familiar with this drive, it includes driving up over Thompson Pass, north of Valdez on the Richardson Highway. Thompson Pass is historically the snowiest weather station in Alaska, averaging 500” (13m) of snow every winter. The record snow total was 974” (25m) one year back in the 1950’s. This is not your typical Sunday drive in the country. But it is definitely a very good drive to have God along as your co-pilot! A typical week for the two would involve driving up to Anchorage on Tuesday, and then flying and studying daily through Friday before driving back home to Valdez. This schedule provided them with time to pursue other interests at home, including school and helping out at the family’s B&B. Their well-rounded plate of other interests includes hiking, hunting, fishing, reading, and ballet.  

When asked what the hardest part for them of learning to fly was, they both agreed that it was the radio calls. But once they learned what communications to anticipate from ATC, and what communications were expected from them, they practiced with each other; taking turns role playing as pilot and ATC. They both successfully completed their check rides in April and earned their PPL or, as it’s commonly called, their “license to learn.” So what’s next on their horizons? Each has already earned some college credits, and they both are planning to continue their education. Their next goal is to attend college in California to earn a BS degree in aviation. Their longer-range goal is to become missionary pilots. As I write this, the family is spending a month doing missionary work in Indonesia, although they don’t anticipate getting to use their piloting skills on this trip.  

So, what recommendations do they offer to other young people who are still outside the proverbial fence looking in, with a desire to learn how to fly? With their usual down-to-earth wisdom (no pun intended!), they say if you get the opportunity to fly, go fly. As you begin to get into it, develop written goals to keep you moving your dream into reality. Is it harder for young women to get into aviation than it is for young men? Not like it used to be! Caelyn and Christina found from their own experiences that the door is wide open for women today, and they didn’t really notice any biases or barriers based on them being women. The biggest challenge they could think of is that a woman who is shorter than a man might need to adjust to some physical challenges (Think seat cushions and step stools, etc.) Having once been married for twenty years to a wonderful 4’10” woman, I definitely agree with that assessment. But it’s exciting that even this challenge is more related to physical adaptability than to any discrimination between men and women. Onward and upward! 

While flight training is certainly much more expensive today than when I started back in about 1980, the opportunities for financial aid are also much more prevalent now. As both Caelyn and Christina did, becoming active with the Civil Air Patrol can present a pathway to paid flight training if you do the work. Christina was also awarded a 2024 Alaska Airmen’s Association aviation scholarship at this year’s Great Alaskan Aviation Gathering in May to continue pursuing her aviation goals. The Alaska Airmen’s Association awarded over 40 scholarships in 2024, totaling $161,000! Additional scholarship sources are also listed on the association’s website.  

Both Caelyn and Christina plan to apply for one or more of the association’s 2025 scholarships when the application period opens later this year. All other members who are interested in seeking a 2025 aviation scholarship from the Alaska Airmen’s Association should watch for more details in the next quarterly edition of the Transponder (October, 2024), in our monthly e-mail newsletter updates to members, and on our website (https://AlaskaAirmen.org/Scholarships/). The association awards scholarships to our members for a wide variety of aviation-related interests including pilot training from zero time to ATP and beyond, aviation maintenance & fabrication, airport ops, management, and ATC, as well as others! Here is where I slip in a shameless plug for each of our 2,000+ members around the world to encourage other aviation enthusiasts you know who have an interest in following general aviation in Alaska to become NextGen or regular members of the association. Doing so not only strengthens our collective voice as advocates for general aviation, and helps fund our work to preserve, protect, and promote general aviation in Alaska. Being a member also makes you eligible to apply for one or more of our scholarships if you are also an Alaskan resident.  

Caelyn and Christina offered some excellent recommendations to anyone wanting to improve the strength and quality of your 2025 scholarship application(s). The application window is not yet open for submitting these. But now is the time to begin preparing to apply. Develop a written plan for where you want to go in aviation, and what steps you need to take to successfully get there. This will help sharpen your focus and guide you toward which scholarship(s) to apply for when the time to apply comes later this year. They also recommend that you become actively involved in aviation-related events and activities. This could include attending free NextGen meetings and social activities, volunteering at association events, and pursuing some other independent projects or volunteer opportunities with other local aviation-related organizations. Volunteering is always a great way to network and to become known in your local aviation community. It also demonstrates an active interest in aviation when applying for scholarships anywhere you go. So don’t hesitate. Start now and help local aviation organizations be successful while creating opportunities for your own success in aviation, no matter how rural or urban your residence is! As is often said, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 

John Dahlen is a Life Member and former Vice President of the Alaska Airmen’s Association, as well as a regular aviation writer for The Transponder. If you have suggestions for a story you would like to see, he can be reached at OneAlasknGuy@hotmail.com.  

^Christina with Jin-Jin, the Land and Sea Aviation house dog, at MRI after returning from her check ride at WWA. 

^Caelyn with her Instructor Kit at Land and Sea Aviation, at MRI after returning from her check ride at WWA. 

^Some of the Alaska Airmen’s Association 2024 scholarship award recipients at The Great Alaska Aviation Gathering in Palmer. 

^Bill, Caelyn, Lorna, and Christina Wise from Valdez, at The Great Alaska Aviation Gathering in Palmer.