NextGen Spotlight 

Hello! My name is Lucy Hankins. I was born and raised in Seward, Alaska, in a commercial fishing family. I became fascinated with aviation at a young age and would daydream about flying while halibut and black cod fishing in the Gulf of Alaska on my family’s boat. I began flying at 16 years old, and after graduating high school, I moved to Utah to pursue a professional pilot degree through Utah State University’s Part 141 program. 

I started my first paid flying job in January as a flight instructor for the university, and I graduated shortly after, in May 2025. I’m now thrilled to be back home in Alaska, working as an independent flight instructor in Seward. 

In 2023, I received the Meadowlakes Flying Dame Scholarship through the Alaska Airmen Association, which I used toward my single-engine commercial rating. Aviation scholarships were instrumental in funding my training and helping me pursue my dream of becoming a professional pilot. Thank you to the Alaska Airmen Association and the generous scholarship donors for your support. 

Long-term, I plan to live in Alaska and work toward becoming a fixed-wing medevac pilot. For now, I am loving instructing in my hometown, building experience, and continuing to learn. I’m also excited to share that many high school students in Seward are now beginning their own aviation journeys as aspiring professional pilots!