1 01:00:03,599 --> 01:00:05,234 We talked to our student body about, 2 01:00:06,035 --> 01:00:06,903 well, how could we trust 3 01:00:06,903 --> 01:00:08,004 you to fly our airplanes 4 01:00:08,204 --> 01:00:09,105 during the school day if 5 01:00:09,105 --> 01:00:10,173 we can't even trust you 6 01:00:10,173 --> 01:00:11,641 to tuck your polo 7 01:00:11,641 --> 01:00:12,976 shirt into your khaki pant 8 01:00:12,976 --> 01:00:14,544 and wear a belt, right? 9 01:00:14,844 --> 01:00:18,114 But it's the smallest of conversations 10 01:00:18,915 --> 01:00:20,583 that happen on an everyday basis 11 01:00:20,583 --> 01:00:21,684 that helps to be the 12 01:00:21,684 --> 01:00:23,586 foundational piece of our culture. 13 01:00:24,721 --> 01:00:25,588 Welcome to "Own the 14 01:00:25,588 --> 01:00:26,990 Jet" by Aspen Aero Group, 15 01:00:27,323 --> 01:00:28,358 where we share perspectives 16 01:00:28,358 --> 01:00:29,626 from some of the leading voices 17 01:00:29,626 --> 01:00:30,393 in private jet 18 01:00:30,393 --> 01:00:31,761 ownership and business aviation. 19 01:00:32,729 --> 01:00:33,930 I'm your host, Derek Savage, 20 01:00:34,230 --> 01:00:35,965 along with my co-host, Jason Spoor, 21 01:00:36,566 --> 01:00:37,533 president of Aspen Aero Group. 22 01:00:39,435 --> 01:00:40,403 Our guests today are 23 01:00:40,403 --> 01:00:42,005 Nicole Gasper and George Pavey 24 01:00:42,005 --> 01:00:43,806 from West Michigan Aviation Academy, 25 01:00:44,273 --> 01:00:46,075 a public charter school in Grand Rapids 26 01:00:46,075 --> 01:00:47,310 that provides an aviation 27 01:00:47,510 --> 01:00:48,511 and STEM-focused high 28 01:00:48,511 --> 01:00:49,846 school experience to students. 29 01:00:50,380 --> 01:00:51,848 Join us as we dive deep 30 01:00:51,848 --> 01:00:53,349 into the mechanics, mindset, 31 01:00:53,616 --> 01:00:55,752 and moments that define jet ownership. 32 01:00:56,386 --> 01:00:57,787 And together, we'll learn 33 01:00:57,787 --> 01:00:59,756 what it takes to own the jet. 34 01:01:00,323 --> 01:01:01,457 Welcome to a very special 35 01:01:01,457 --> 01:01:02,825 episode of "Own the Jet." 36 01:01:02,825 --> 01:01:04,093 We are on location 37 01:01:04,093 --> 01:01:05,895 here at the Gerald R. Ford 38 01:01:06,062 --> 01:01:06,729 International Airport 39 01:01:06,729 --> 01:01:07,764 in Grand Rapids, Michigan 40 01:01:08,164 --> 01:01:10,767 at the West Michigan Aviation Academy. 41 01:01:11,267 --> 01:01:13,569 Joining us, I have Nicole, the CEO 42 01:01:13,970 --> 01:01:15,805 of West Michigan Aviation Academy, 43 01:01:16,105 --> 01:01:18,107 and George, the Dean of 44 01:01:18,107 --> 01:01:19,242 Aviation and Engineering 45 01:01:19,742 --> 01:01:21,744 here at West Michigan Aviation Academy. 46 01:01:21,744 --> 01:01:23,012 How many times can I say that fast? 47 01:01:24,347 --> 01:01:25,548 Welcome to "Own the Jet." 48 01:01:26,015 --> 01:01:26,749 Welcome to "Own the Jet." 49 01:01:26,816 --> 01:01:28,084 Thank you, it's great to be here. 50 01:01:28,451 --> 01:01:30,853 We learned about WAMA through, Jason, 51 01:01:30,987 --> 01:01:31,854 you had some 52 01:01:31,854 --> 01:01:33,356 conversations with people about 53 01:01:34,390 --> 01:01:37,026 the importance of education in aviation, 54 01:01:37,026 --> 01:01:38,094 the importance of this school. 55 01:01:38,461 --> 01:01:39,595 A couple of different things going 56 01:01:40,196 --> 01:01:42,065 with this school and this area. 57 01:01:42,632 --> 01:01:44,500 So I'm originally from Grand Rapids, 58 01:01:45,668 --> 01:01:47,804 grew up not far from here at all. 59 01:01:48,604 --> 01:01:50,840 And so growing up here, of course, 60 01:01:50,973 --> 01:01:53,376 familiar with the DeVos family 61 01:01:53,676 --> 01:01:56,279 and what they are in the community 62 01:01:56,279 --> 01:01:57,447 and what they mean to the community, 63 01:01:58,181 --> 01:02:00,216 as well as the aviation side of it. 64 01:02:00,883 --> 01:02:03,986 So with WAMA, it's just 65 01:02:03,986 --> 01:02:05,188 natural that I'd come back here 66 01:02:05,188 --> 01:02:06,722 and wanna talk to you not only just 67 01:02:06,722 --> 01:02:07,724 because of where you are 68 01:02:07,857 --> 01:02:10,426 because this is Michigan, but also 69 01:02:10,426 --> 01:02:12,695 because of this school 70 01:02:12,695 --> 01:02:14,197 and what it means to 71 01:02:14,197 --> 01:02:15,965 the aviation community. 72 01:02:16,432 --> 01:02:18,935 So Nicole, please tell us what WAMA is. 73 01:02:19,001 --> 01:02:20,970 So West Michigan Aviation Academy 74 01:02:21,137 --> 01:02:22,972 is a public charter high school. 75 01:02:23,573 --> 01:02:24,674 And we are located 76 01:02:24,674 --> 01:02:26,709 right on the Gerald R. Ford 77 01:02:27,009 --> 01:02:28,010 International Airport, 78 01:02:28,010 --> 01:02:29,579 which is incredibly unique. 79 01:02:29,579 --> 01:02:31,214 In fact, so much so 80 01:02:31,214 --> 01:02:32,915 that when we were working 81 01:02:32,915 --> 01:02:34,383 on our contract with the airport, 82 01:02:35,384 --> 01:02:37,420 it took a little longer because they 83 01:02:37,420 --> 01:02:38,788 could not figure out, 84 01:02:39,655 --> 01:02:40,389 they couldn't find another 85 01:02:40,389 --> 01:02:42,191 model like it in the nation. 86 01:02:42,892 --> 01:02:43,926 Not only are we a high 87 01:02:43,926 --> 01:02:45,428 school located at an airport, 88 01:02:45,928 --> 01:02:48,764 but we also rent space or 89 01:02:48,764 --> 01:02:50,633 lease space to a private company. 90 01:02:51,501 --> 01:02:52,001 Okay, interesting. 91 01:02:52,335 --> 01:02:54,537 So you guys came to the airport and said, 92 01:02:54,537 --> 01:02:55,671 "Hey, we wanna have a high school here." 93 01:02:55,838 --> 01:02:57,974 And they're like, "Who else does that? 94 01:02:57,974 --> 01:02:58,641 "What's the model?" 95 01:02:59,509 --> 01:03:00,810 And you kinda had to invent it. 96 01:03:00,843 --> 01:03:01,110 Correct. 97 01:03:01,611 --> 01:03:01,844 Nice. 98 01:03:02,411 --> 01:03:04,914 So that was when, 2010? 99 01:03:05,348 --> 01:03:08,885 So we launched in 2010, but then a 100 01:03:08,885 --> 01:03:09,852 handful of years ago, 101 01:03:09,952 --> 01:03:12,054 we added on this flight training center, 102 01:03:12,054 --> 01:03:13,656 which is the hangar that 103 01:03:13,656 --> 01:03:15,491 we also lease space to. 104 01:03:15,925 --> 01:03:17,627 So backing up to that process though, 105 01:03:17,627 --> 01:03:19,729 how did you show that? 106 01:03:19,729 --> 01:03:21,964 How was that model shown to the county? 107 01:03:22,298 --> 01:03:23,533 So we worked really diligently 108 01:03:23,966 --> 01:03:24,734 with the Aeronautics 109 01:03:24,734 --> 01:03:26,536 Commission and our airport partners 110 01:03:26,736 --> 01:03:29,705 to figure out what needed to be in place, 111 01:03:29,705 --> 01:03:31,707 both from a public school entity, 112 01:03:31,707 --> 01:03:34,443 but also being right on the airport. 113 01:03:34,744 --> 01:03:37,146 What were their needs in terms of 114 01:03:37,146 --> 01:03:38,614 contractual agreements? 115 01:03:39,182 --> 01:03:39,816 Nice, nice. 116 01:03:40,283 --> 01:03:41,851 And now George, you come 117 01:03:41,851 --> 01:03:42,685 from a military background. 118 01:03:43,186 --> 01:03:43,986 Yes, I sure did. 119 01:03:44,187 --> 01:03:45,254 Yeah, so can you tell me 120 01:03:45,254 --> 01:03:45,888 a little bit about that 121 01:03:45,888 --> 01:03:46,889 and how it led to this? 122 01:03:46,923 --> 01:03:49,592 Sure, so I spent 20 years in the Marines 123 01:03:49,992 --> 01:03:51,527 and had an awesome opportunity 124 01:03:51,661 --> 01:03:53,429 to fly some really fast airplanes, 125 01:03:53,462 --> 01:03:55,131 F-18s and F-16s. 126 01:03:55,164 --> 01:03:55,364 Nice. 127 01:03:55,831 --> 01:03:56,666 I happened to grow up 128 01:03:56,666 --> 01:03:58,067 similarly in the state of Michigan. 129 01:03:58,501 --> 01:03:59,001 It's a good state. 130 01:03:59,268 --> 01:04:01,737 And in fact, one of my real 131 01:04:01,737 --> 01:04:04,140 good buddies is from Lowell. 132 01:04:04,640 --> 01:04:04,941 Oh yeah. 133 01:04:04,974 --> 01:04:06,008 And he owns this- 134 01:04:06,008 --> 01:04:06,909 I didn't know we were good buddies. 135 01:04:07,543 --> 01:04:08,511 No, one of my good buddies. 136 01:04:09,111 --> 01:04:09,345 (laughing) 137 01:04:09,679 --> 01:04:10,513 One of my good buddies. 138 01:04:10,513 --> 01:04:11,547 One of your good buddies, okay. 139 01:04:11,881 --> 01:04:14,317 And about a year before 140 01:04:14,317 --> 01:04:15,418 I was about to get out 141 01:04:15,418 --> 01:04:16,752 of the Marines, he said, "Hey, they're 142 01:04:16,752 --> 01:04:17,854 starting this charter, 143 01:04:17,854 --> 01:04:18,621 aviation-themed high 144 01:04:18,621 --> 01:04:19,355 school in Grand Rapids." 145 01:04:20,256 --> 01:04:22,658 And for me, it was like, "Wow, 146 01:04:22,825 --> 01:04:23,526 I could come back to 147 01:04:23,526 --> 01:04:24,327 the state of Michigan." 148 01:04:25,027 --> 01:04:26,195 I'd kind of been there, 149 01:04:26,195 --> 01:04:27,330 done that in the military, 150 01:04:27,330 --> 01:04:28,431 did what I wanted to do, 151 01:04:28,431 --> 01:04:30,466 and then I'd be able to kind of come 152 01:04:30,466 --> 01:04:31,667 and be a part of this team. 153 01:04:31,667 --> 01:04:33,569 And so it's been fun ever since. 154 01:04:34,170 --> 01:04:37,340 Yeah, so you've been here the 20 years- 155 01:04:37,373 --> 01:04:39,642 I got here in 2012, 156 01:04:39,976 --> 01:04:40,643 so about two years 157 01:04:40,643 --> 01:04:41,711 after the school started. 158 01:04:41,711 --> 01:04:43,546 Wow, yeah, that's quite the thing here. 159 01:04:43,880 --> 01:04:45,615 What's the, because you're coming 160 01:04:45,615 --> 01:04:46,182 from a military 161 01:04:46,182 --> 01:04:48,184 background, you went to Top Gun. 162 01:04:48,184 --> 01:04:49,252 I mean, you like 163 01:04:49,252 --> 01:04:51,187 learn how to do this stuff 164 01:04:51,387 --> 01:04:52,722 on the most professional 165 01:04:52,722 --> 01:04:54,090 highest level that exists. 166 01:04:55,524 --> 01:04:57,326 And now you're in an environment 167 01:04:57,526 --> 01:04:59,896 with high school-aged people. 168 01:05:00,229 --> 01:05:01,030 Right, right. 169 01:05:01,063 --> 01:05:04,300 So I can imagine there's a little bit of, 170 01:05:04,567 --> 01:05:06,736 I don't know, like I 171 01:05:06,736 --> 01:05:07,870 remember being a teenager 172 01:05:08,170 --> 01:05:09,839 and I remember what it was like 173 01:05:10,006 --> 01:05:11,540 and not really caring as much. 174 01:05:11,774 --> 01:05:12,975 Maybe that was just my experience, 175 01:05:13,542 --> 01:05:17,013 but meeting the kids that go 176 01:05:17,013 --> 01:05:18,314 here when we came in, right? 177 01:05:18,314 --> 01:05:20,182 So we flew in to the airport 178 01:05:20,716 --> 01:05:22,418 and immediately upon 179 01:05:22,418 --> 01:05:24,086 meeting some of the students here, 180 01:05:24,620 --> 01:05:26,656 they were like professionals. 181 01:05:27,156 --> 01:05:28,925 They were young adults. 182 01:05:29,225 --> 01:05:32,695 They were impressive to just 183 01:05:32,695 --> 01:05:34,330 see the way that they behaved 184 01:05:34,330 --> 01:05:35,164 and the way that they- 185 01:05:35,298 --> 01:05:35,498 Maturing. 186 01:05:36,098 --> 01:05:37,633 Yeah, the way that they approach things. 187 01:05:38,534 --> 01:05:39,535 And they were working on 188 01:05:39,535 --> 01:05:40,403 their projects and things 189 01:05:40,503 --> 01:05:41,904 and we were going 190 01:05:41,904 --> 01:05:44,974 through and I felt like I was, 191 01:05:45,975 --> 01:05:47,109 like I needed to step up my 192 01:05:47,109 --> 01:05:48,811 professionalism around them. 193 01:05:48,811 --> 01:05:49,979 And I was like, man, they 194 01:05:49,979 --> 01:05:51,914 really have it put together well. 195 01:05:52,715 --> 01:05:53,416 What's the approach? 196 01:05:54,550 --> 01:05:55,318 The approach there is 197 01:05:55,318 --> 01:05:56,752 that like kind of backing up 198 01:05:56,752 --> 01:05:57,353 a little bit. 199 01:05:58,754 --> 01:06:01,424 You could imagine like active duty 20 200 01:06:01,424 --> 01:06:02,325 years in the Marines 201 01:06:02,325 --> 01:06:04,527 as a major coming into public education 202 01:06:04,527 --> 01:06:06,629 was quite the transition for both. 203 01:06:06,862 --> 01:06:07,129 Yeah. 204 01:06:07,563 --> 01:06:09,165 And so a major Pavey 205 01:06:09,165 --> 01:06:10,433 showed up in the classroom 206 01:06:10,533 --> 01:06:11,200 quite frequently 207 01:06:11,200 --> 01:06:12,802 actually back in the early days. 208 01:06:12,835 --> 01:06:13,069 Okay. 209 01:06:13,569 --> 01:06:16,739 Is that exactly like it's not Mr. Pavey. 210 01:06:17,440 --> 01:06:18,507 (laughing) Is he here? 211 01:06:18,507 --> 01:06:19,809 It's not Mr. Rich, this guy. 212 01:06:20,676 --> 01:06:22,445 And so I think that in the early days, 213 01:06:22,445 --> 01:06:24,280 like it was real important for us to set 214 01:06:24,380 --> 01:06:26,048 that cultural expectation 215 01:06:26,048 --> 01:06:27,917 of what aviation demands. 216 01:06:28,684 --> 01:06:30,353 We asked, we're teaching high school kids 217 01:06:30,586 --> 01:06:32,755 about both aviation and engineering, 218 01:06:32,855 --> 01:06:36,025 but the real world application of this 219 01:06:36,025 --> 01:06:37,593 has real world consequences. 220 01:06:37,927 --> 01:06:38,194 Yeah. 221 01:06:39,195 --> 01:06:40,029 When I talk to 222 01:06:40,029 --> 01:06:42,665 parents, I remind them that, 223 01:06:44,033 --> 01:06:45,167 from my military background, 224 01:06:45,167 --> 01:06:47,136 you got really smart aerospace engineers, 225 01:06:47,503 --> 01:06:49,672 probably PhDs, people way smarter than 226 01:06:49,672 --> 01:06:51,107 you for sure, right? 227 01:06:51,107 --> 01:06:51,340 Oh, definitely. 228 01:06:52,208 --> 01:06:53,976 And me for sure. 229 01:06:55,044 --> 01:06:56,846 And then you've got college graduates 230 01:06:57,012 --> 01:06:59,148 that fly these airplanes in the military. 231 01:06:59,215 --> 01:06:59,648 Yeah. 232 01:06:59,715 --> 01:07:00,449 And then really you've 233 01:07:00,449 --> 01:07:02,885 got like 19, 20, 21 year old 234 01:07:03,552 --> 01:07:04,887 young adults in the military 235 01:07:04,887 --> 01:07:06,756 that are fixing these airplanes. 236 01:07:07,289 --> 01:07:07,390 Yeah. 237 01:07:07,656 --> 01:07:09,492 And so after a military 238 01:07:09,492 --> 01:07:11,494 career of really, quite frankly, 239 01:07:11,494 --> 01:07:13,863 all of us pilots relying on young adults 240 01:07:13,863 --> 01:07:15,064 to maintain those airplanes, 241 01:07:15,931 --> 01:07:16,832 there's no reason why 242 01:07:16,832 --> 01:07:18,968 high school kids can't do it. 243 01:07:19,168 --> 01:07:20,603 And our philosophy is 244 01:07:20,603 --> 01:07:21,370 that all high schools 245 01:07:21,370 --> 01:07:23,472 are made up of teenagers, 246 01:07:24,306 --> 01:07:25,307 but our high school 247 01:07:25,307 --> 01:07:26,742 molds them into young adults 248 01:07:26,742 --> 01:07:27,943 and expects them of that. 249 01:07:28,144 --> 01:07:29,879 And so our industry demands that. 250 01:07:30,446 --> 01:07:31,247 And so I think that's 251 01:07:31,247 --> 01:07:32,848 reflective of what you all saw 252 01:07:33,115 --> 01:07:34,650 when you arrived today. 253 01:07:35,251 --> 01:07:35,451 Yeah. 254 01:07:35,518 --> 01:07:37,052 Well, and just looking at the aviation 255 01:07:37,052 --> 01:07:37,953 industry as a whole, 256 01:07:37,953 --> 01:07:38,554 right, because we 257 01:07:38,554 --> 01:07:40,189 talked to all kinds of people 258 01:07:40,189 --> 01:07:41,924 in aviation and private aviation, 259 01:07:42,525 --> 01:07:43,659 the show is own the jet. 260 01:07:43,659 --> 01:07:44,627 We're talking to people about 261 01:07:44,994 --> 01:07:45,928 what it's like to own a jet 262 01:07:46,061 --> 01:07:48,097 and how to go about owning a jet 263 01:07:48,097 --> 01:07:48,831 and all the people you need 264 01:07:48,831 --> 01:07:49,765 to know as a part of that. 265 01:07:50,332 --> 01:07:52,234 One thing that we don't talk about enough 266 01:07:52,435 --> 01:07:54,003 is the people that it 267 01:07:54,003 --> 01:07:55,371 takes to make that happen 268 01:07:55,504 --> 01:07:58,040 from a standpoint of the 269 01:07:58,040 --> 01:07:59,008 pilots and the mechanics 270 01:07:59,008 --> 01:08:00,743 and the engineers and all of the people 271 01:08:01,343 --> 01:08:03,079 that you had to rely on to 272 01:08:03,079 --> 01:08:04,980 make sure that that jet stays 273 01:08:05,214 --> 01:08:08,284 you know, airborne and going, 274 01:08:08,751 --> 01:08:10,086 you know, accomplishing your 275 01:08:10,086 --> 01:08:11,086 mission, so to speak, right? 276 01:08:12,054 --> 01:08:15,124 There's a huge shortage of, you know, 277 01:08:15,357 --> 01:08:17,026 pilots coming into programs 278 01:08:17,026 --> 01:08:18,427 and, you know, every year, 279 01:08:18,427 --> 01:08:19,428 more and more planes get built 280 01:08:19,728 --> 01:08:21,430 and more and more planes go up in the sky 281 01:08:21,430 --> 01:08:22,431 and we're having, you 282 01:08:22,431 --> 01:08:23,232 know, more and more traffic 283 01:08:23,933 --> 01:08:24,400 in the air. 284 01:08:25,434 --> 01:08:26,869 And having a school like 285 01:08:26,869 --> 01:08:29,505 this, I can see as, you know, 286 01:08:29,972 --> 01:08:31,540 how to feed that industry, 287 01:08:31,540 --> 01:08:32,408 how to make sure that 288 01:08:32,408 --> 01:08:34,510 there are eager people 289 01:08:34,844 --> 01:08:37,346 that are going into that career path 290 01:08:37,513 --> 01:08:38,747 that otherwise might not have. 291 01:08:39,515 --> 01:08:41,050 So how do you guys see 292 01:08:41,050 --> 01:08:42,017 yourselves fitting into that? 293 01:08:42,785 --> 01:08:44,753 We are poised to be a 294 01:08:44,753 --> 01:08:45,554 learning institution 295 01:08:46,021 --> 01:08:48,624 and we treat the entire campus as such. 296 01:08:48,891 --> 01:08:50,893 And so everything we do 297 01:08:50,893 --> 01:08:52,528 right from the very first time 298 01:08:52,528 --> 01:08:53,596 we are introduced to 299 01:08:53,596 --> 01:08:54,830 families, we talk about, 300 01:08:55,364 --> 01:08:57,766 we are a place where we 301 01:08:57,766 --> 01:08:58,834 help young people grow. 302 01:08:59,502 --> 01:09:01,470 And we also expect 303 01:09:01,470 --> 01:09:02,872 families to partner with us 304 01:09:02,872 --> 01:09:04,907 to help raise their young people. 305 01:09:05,875 --> 01:09:06,809 So it starts from just 306 01:09:06,809 --> 01:09:08,844 the very first introduction 307 01:09:09,145 --> 01:09:09,645 to families. 308 01:09:10,546 --> 01:09:11,447 And then from there, 309 01:09:11,747 --> 01:09:14,350 it's every single small act 310 01:09:14,350 --> 01:09:16,485 that we do every day, all the time. 311 01:09:16,819 --> 01:09:19,822 So examples include, thank goodness, 312 01:09:20,089 --> 01:09:21,190 we have a school uniform. 313 01:09:21,924 --> 01:09:23,492 Our students wear a school uniform. 314 01:09:24,560 --> 01:09:26,762 And so we talk about the uniform 315 01:09:26,996 --> 01:09:30,065 as being an everyday interview, right? 316 01:09:30,065 --> 01:09:32,234 So we talked to our student body about, 317 01:09:33,035 --> 01:09:33,903 well, how could we trust 318 01:09:33,903 --> 01:09:35,004 you to fly our airplanes 319 01:09:35,204 --> 01:09:36,038 during the school day? 320 01:09:36,038 --> 01:09:36,872 If we can't even trust 321 01:09:36,872 --> 01:09:38,908 you to tuck your polo shirt 322 01:09:39,074 --> 01:09:39,942 into your khaki pant 323 01:09:39,942 --> 01:09:41,544 and wear a belt, right? 324 01:09:41,810 --> 01:09:45,147 But it's the smallest of conversations 325 01:09:45,948 --> 01:09:47,550 that happen on an everyday basis 326 01:09:47,750 --> 01:09:48,684 that helps to be the 327 01:09:48,684 --> 01:09:50,586 foundational piece of our culture. 328 01:09:51,320 --> 01:09:53,856 And so when we think about us as a 329 01:09:53,856 --> 01:09:54,890 learning institution, 330 01:09:55,991 --> 01:09:59,595 it's uniforms, it's are they 331 01:09:59,595 --> 01:10:01,497 following the proper protocol 332 01:10:01,497 --> 01:10:03,365 when they leave main campus 333 01:10:03,365 --> 01:10:04,333 and walk down to the 334 01:10:04,333 --> 01:10:05,267 flight training center? 335 01:10:06,235 --> 01:10:07,703 Are they appearing to be helpful 336 01:10:07,903 --> 01:10:09,872 when somebody needs to be helped? 337 01:10:10,573 --> 01:10:13,075 Are they holding the door for each other? 338 01:10:13,475 --> 01:10:15,144 Some of these skills that maybe have 339 01:10:15,144 --> 01:10:16,679 disappeared in time. 340 01:10:16,712 --> 01:10:17,379 Sure. Oh yeah. 341 01:10:17,546 --> 01:10:18,914 You know, and another piece is, 342 01:10:18,914 --> 01:10:19,648 how do they welcome 343 01:10:19,648 --> 01:10:20,749 guests into our house? 344 01:10:20,749 --> 01:10:21,951 We talk a lot about that. 345 01:10:22,151 --> 01:10:25,554 How do we, as the WAMA community, 346 01:10:26,121 --> 01:10:27,690 show that we have pride in our school? 347 01:10:27,957 --> 01:10:28,791 And so we talk about 348 01:10:28,791 --> 01:10:30,025 professional greeting, 349 01:10:30,359 --> 01:10:31,794 eye contact, handshakes. 350 01:10:32,394 --> 01:10:33,963 You saw that when you arrived. 351 01:10:34,630 --> 01:10:35,097 It was great. 352 01:10:35,364 --> 01:10:36,532 I mean, it was really impressive. 353 01:10:37,633 --> 01:10:41,203 Is that like just interjected into 354 01:10:41,203 --> 01:10:42,972 everyday all classes? 355 01:10:43,372 --> 01:10:44,340 Or is it a class? 356 01:10:44,873 --> 01:10:47,509 No, it's all of us all 357 01:10:47,509 --> 01:10:49,011 the time, everywhere. 358 01:10:49,845 --> 01:10:50,846 So it's just the culture. 359 01:10:50,913 --> 01:10:52,014 It's the culture. It's just what it is. 360 01:10:53,048 --> 01:10:53,248 Nice. 361 01:10:53,415 --> 01:10:54,216 And obviously it starts 362 01:10:54,216 --> 01:10:55,718 with our adults, right? 363 01:10:56,085 --> 01:10:58,320 So again, everything 364 01:10:58,320 --> 01:10:59,989 starts from the initial contact. 365 01:11:00,256 --> 01:11:01,590 So even in our interview process, 366 01:11:01,590 --> 01:11:03,325 when we're bringing new team members on, 367 01:11:04,293 --> 01:11:05,527 it's being very clear 368 01:11:05,527 --> 01:11:06,495 about who and what we are 369 01:11:06,528 --> 01:11:07,229 as an organization. 370 01:11:07,630 --> 01:11:08,130 We talk about our 371 01:11:08,130 --> 01:11:09,331 mission, vision, and values 372 01:11:09,565 --> 01:11:10,933 as our guiding principles. 373 01:11:11,467 --> 01:11:14,903 And then making sure that people 374 01:11:14,903 --> 01:11:16,472 that want to join our community 375 01:11:17,072 --> 01:11:18,641 feel like it's the right fit. 376 01:11:19,108 --> 01:11:19,742 Yeah, sure. 377 01:11:20,509 --> 01:11:20,709 Nice. 378 01:11:21,110 --> 01:11:24,480 So when this school started, 2010, 379 01:11:25,314 --> 01:11:26,682 you weren't part of 380 01:11:26,682 --> 01:11:27,850 that originally, right? 381 01:11:27,850 --> 01:11:29,551 You came in to be CEO 382 01:11:29,551 --> 01:11:31,353 a few years after that. 383 01:11:31,353 --> 01:11:32,388 Can you tell me the story about that? 384 01:11:33,455 --> 01:11:36,191 I had my life trajectory all planned out. 385 01:11:37,493 --> 01:11:38,894 I had served as a teacher, 386 01:11:38,894 --> 01:11:39,828 and then most of my 387 01:11:39,828 --> 01:11:41,196 career was in administration. 388 01:11:42,631 --> 01:11:45,234 And through one connection to another, 389 01:11:45,834 --> 01:11:46,969 I had learned that 390 01:11:46,969 --> 01:11:48,070 this position was open. 391 01:11:49,038 --> 01:11:51,073 I wasn't going to apply because I had, 392 01:11:51,073 --> 01:11:52,641 like I said, I had my life plan, 393 01:11:53,442 --> 01:11:55,244 but I was intrigued enough 394 01:11:55,244 --> 01:11:56,145 because I had heard 395 01:11:56,145 --> 01:11:57,046 such wonderful things. 396 01:11:57,246 --> 01:11:59,948 So I showed up, impromptu, 397 01:12:00,582 --> 01:12:01,984 as a parent in the community, 398 01:12:01,984 --> 01:12:02,985 which was true. 399 01:12:03,485 --> 01:12:05,154 I mean, I was a parent in the community. 400 01:12:05,187 --> 01:12:07,056 I didn't know anybody at the school 401 01:12:07,756 --> 01:12:08,724 because I said, if I'm 402 01:12:08,724 --> 01:12:09,858 going to even consider 403 01:12:11,026 --> 01:12:12,027 changing my life plan, 404 01:12:12,027 --> 01:12:12,828 I really need to get 405 01:12:12,828 --> 01:12:13,962 a feel for the school. 406 01:12:14,596 --> 01:12:17,166 So I showed up and was given a tour. 407 01:12:17,166 --> 01:12:18,967 I didn't know anybody here at the school, 408 01:12:19,168 --> 01:12:20,803 and I was absolutely blown away. 409 01:12:21,470 --> 01:12:22,871 And I just kept saying to myself, 410 01:12:22,871 --> 01:12:24,907 well, it's real easy for 411 01:12:24,907 --> 01:12:26,942 people to put on a show, right? 412 01:12:27,376 --> 01:12:28,844 We call it the dog and pony show. 413 01:12:30,212 --> 01:12:31,814 But nobody knew I was coming 414 01:12:31,814 --> 01:12:32,614 because I didn't even 415 01:12:32,614 --> 01:12:33,749 know I was coming that day. 416 01:12:34,350 --> 01:12:36,752 And so to be able to walk in, 417 01:12:37,052 --> 01:12:38,754 I mean, you instantly feel the vibe. 418 01:12:38,754 --> 01:12:40,422 You instantly get a feel 419 01:12:40,422 --> 01:12:42,791 for what a place is like. 420 01:12:43,625 --> 01:12:44,827 And I just left thinking, 421 01:12:45,527 --> 01:12:47,196 I just couldn't believe it. 422 01:12:47,629 --> 01:12:48,797 I just could not believe it. 423 01:12:48,997 --> 01:12:49,732 Did you use your real 424 01:12:49,732 --> 01:12:51,133 name or a student name? 425 01:12:52,000 --> 01:12:53,068 No, I actually used my 426 01:12:53,068 --> 01:12:54,336 name, but nobody knew me. 427 01:12:54,336 --> 01:12:54,937 So it was fine. 428 01:12:56,872 --> 01:12:57,573 Did you give the tour? 429 01:12:58,373 --> 01:12:59,875 I'm curious though, like 430 01:12:59,875 --> 01:13:01,210 sort of along those lines, 431 01:13:02,277 --> 01:13:03,045 did the aviation have 432 01:13:03,045 --> 01:13:04,413 any surprises for you 433 01:13:04,413 --> 01:13:05,714 when you first took over as 434 01:13:05,714 --> 01:13:06,915 CEO that you might recall? 435 01:13:08,250 --> 01:13:09,718 Well, it's funny you should say that 436 01:13:10,085 --> 01:13:11,120 because I think it was 437 01:13:11,120 --> 01:13:12,888 either my first or second week 438 01:13:13,455 --> 01:13:15,023 of starting, I was 439 01:13:15,023 --> 01:13:16,792 invited by our Dean of Aviation 440 01:13:18,093 --> 01:13:19,995 to attend a glider camp. 441 01:13:20,262 --> 01:13:20,796 Oh, awesome. 442 01:13:21,296 --> 01:13:21,363 Great. 443 01:13:21,363 --> 01:13:24,133 So, of course I'm all in 444 01:13:24,266 --> 01:13:26,769 because I need to show up that way. 445 01:13:27,269 --> 01:13:30,372 So Mr. Pavey flew me out 446 01:13:31,273 --> 01:13:32,040 in one of our aircraft 447 01:13:32,040 --> 01:13:33,675 out to the Ionia Airport 448 01:13:34,476 --> 01:13:35,544 where then he proceeded 449 01:13:35,544 --> 01:13:37,613 to in front of the students 450 01:13:37,613 --> 01:13:39,515 that were out there say, 451 01:13:39,782 --> 01:13:41,650 well maybe Mrs. Gasper 452 01:13:41,650 --> 01:13:43,852 would love to go in the glider. 453 01:13:44,787 --> 01:13:46,922 And all the kids are looking at me and, 454 01:13:47,823 --> 01:13:48,857 you know, what was I gonna say? 455 01:13:49,491 --> 01:13:51,226 But actually it was amazing. 456 01:13:52,094 --> 01:13:52,294 Nice. 457 01:13:52,427 --> 01:13:53,228 It was very well 458 01:13:53,228 --> 01:13:54,463 choreographed in the sense of 459 01:13:54,463 --> 01:13:57,132 we took Nicole out, landed, 460 01:13:57,566 --> 01:13:58,600 our glider instructors 461 01:13:58,600 --> 01:14:00,269 were kind of sitting on par. 462 01:14:00,269 --> 01:14:01,937 They kind of heard us showing up. 463 01:14:02,504 --> 01:14:04,673 And we had a glider right there open, 464 01:14:04,673 --> 01:14:05,407 canopy ready. 465 01:14:06,175 --> 01:14:07,276 So as soon as they landed, 466 01:14:07,776 --> 01:14:09,378 it was a total setup job. 467 01:14:09,945 --> 01:14:10,712 And we were just like, 468 01:14:10,712 --> 01:14:12,881 oh, Mrs. Gasper, let's go. 469 01:14:13,382 --> 01:14:14,216 And like a trooper, 470 01:14:14,216 --> 01:14:15,350 she just dove right in 471 01:14:15,350 --> 01:14:16,618 and did it, it was awesome. 472 01:14:16,685 --> 01:14:17,486 That's great. It was awesome. 473 01:14:17,753 --> 01:14:19,254 And you haven't looked back since. 474 01:14:19,254 --> 01:14:20,055 You haven't looked back since. 475 01:14:20,389 --> 01:14:21,423 That's great, that's great. 476 01:14:21,423 --> 01:14:22,591 Do you recall what I did to 477 01:14:22,591 --> 01:14:24,193 you on the landing back home 478 01:14:25,327 --> 01:14:26,094 when we flew back? 479 01:14:27,029 --> 01:14:27,729 I made her land. 480 01:14:28,497 --> 01:14:30,299 Well, not made her, Hatterland. 481 01:14:30,299 --> 01:14:31,266 Hatterland. Hatterland. 482 01:14:31,567 --> 01:14:31,767 Good. 483 01:14:32,334 --> 01:14:32,668 Mm-hmm. 484 01:14:32,668 --> 01:14:35,003 Such an experience for what this is. 485 01:14:35,637 --> 01:14:35,671 Absolutely. 486 01:14:35,671 --> 01:14:37,105 I earned my wings that day. 487 01:14:37,139 --> 01:14:37,472 Did you? 488 01:14:37,906 --> 01:14:40,909 Yes, and I usually wear my wings 489 01:14:40,909 --> 01:14:42,778 on my school uniform every day. 490 01:14:43,345 --> 01:14:44,246 Nice. Fantastic. 491 01:14:44,646 --> 01:14:45,948 So just to be clear though, 492 01:14:46,148 --> 01:14:48,016 this is not a private school. 493 01:14:48,250 --> 01:14:49,084 It is not. This is not, 494 01:14:49,284 --> 01:14:50,152 because you walk in 495 01:14:50,152 --> 01:14:51,720 here and you get the vibe 496 01:14:52,120 --> 01:14:53,088 that like, man, these 497 01:14:53,088 --> 01:14:54,590 kids gotta be privileged, 498 01:14:54,923 --> 01:14:56,692 they've gotta be rich, they've gotta be, 499 01:14:56,959 --> 01:14:58,594 there's no way that 500 01:14:58,594 --> 01:15:01,396 just any kid can enroll 501 01:15:01,630 --> 01:15:03,131 and go to a school like this. 502 01:15:03,432 --> 01:15:04,366 I mean, you guys have a hanger. 503 01:15:05,901 --> 01:15:05,934 (laughing) 504 01:15:05,934 --> 01:15:08,203 My school barely had a 505 01:15:08,203 --> 01:15:09,872 gym, you know what I mean? 506 01:15:10,539 --> 01:15:12,174 So to have the 507 01:15:12,174 --> 01:15:13,475 opportunity to go to a school 508 01:15:13,575 --> 01:15:15,611 that's got a hanger full of aircraft 509 01:15:15,844 --> 01:15:19,548 and STEM curriculum 510 01:15:19,548 --> 01:15:21,583 and aviation curriculum 511 01:15:22,150 --> 01:15:23,652 and all of these opportunities, 512 01:15:23,652 --> 01:15:24,386 all of these things that you 513 01:15:24,386 --> 01:15:25,654 get to be a part of and to see, 514 01:15:27,256 --> 01:15:28,323 that's just available to anyone? 515 01:15:28,891 --> 01:15:29,625 Like how does that work? 516 01:15:30,692 --> 01:15:32,394 We actually intentionally designed it 517 01:15:32,694 --> 01:15:33,896 so that wasn't the case. 518 01:15:34,663 --> 01:15:36,365 By being a public charter high school, 519 01:15:36,598 --> 01:15:37,966 we can serve any student 520 01:15:37,966 --> 01:15:39,034 in the state of Michigan 521 01:15:39,735 --> 01:15:41,303 and we pull from 522 01:15:41,303 --> 01:15:42,938 somewhere around 50 different 523 01:15:42,938 --> 01:15:44,339 middle schools. Nice. 524 01:15:44,373 --> 01:15:44,873 So our students 525 01:15:44,873 --> 01:15:46,308 commute from about an hour 526 01:15:46,308 --> 01:15:48,543 to an hour and a half in every direction, 527 01:15:49,211 --> 01:15:50,445 coming from every type of 528 01:15:50,445 --> 01:15:51,847 community, as you can imagine. 529 01:15:52,481 --> 01:15:53,682 Our demographics of our 530 01:15:53,682 --> 01:15:55,050 student body actually mimics 531 01:15:55,250 --> 01:15:55,751 the greater Grand 532 01:15:55,751 --> 01:15:57,286 Rapids area census data, 533 01:15:57,786 --> 01:15:58,353 which we're really 534 01:15:58,353 --> 01:16:00,088 proud of to include 35% 535 01:16:00,889 --> 01:16:02,291 of our student body are female, 536 01:16:03,659 --> 01:16:04,927 which we're really proud of 537 01:16:04,960 --> 01:16:06,428 because we started with 538 01:16:06,428 --> 01:16:08,730 about three females originally. 539 01:16:09,364 --> 01:16:10,165 And when you think about 540 01:16:10,165 --> 01:16:12,734 where aviation STEM themed school, 541 01:16:13,569 --> 01:16:14,870 it's pretty amazing to 542 01:16:14,870 --> 01:16:16,438 have that many young ladies 543 01:16:16,438 --> 01:16:17,673 in our programs. Yeah, that's awesome. 544 01:16:18,106 --> 01:16:19,107 Yeah, and I mean, 545 01:16:19,408 --> 01:16:21,410 everybody gets the opportunity 546 01:16:21,944 --> 01:16:23,312 to experience this. Absolutely. 547 01:16:23,312 --> 01:16:24,613 That's something that's really unique 548 01:16:24,713 --> 01:16:26,248 because I would, I mean, my 549 01:16:26,248 --> 01:16:27,616 high school barely had a gym, 550 01:16:27,950 --> 01:16:28,550 and it's like, here, 551 01:16:28,550 --> 01:16:29,351 this one has a hanger. 552 01:16:29,785 --> 01:16:30,886 So it's like, it's insane. 553 01:16:31,587 --> 01:16:32,387 Thinking about that though, 554 01:16:32,721 --> 01:16:36,224 if other states had stuff like this, 555 01:16:36,258 --> 01:16:37,726 you'd have a pretty 556 01:16:37,726 --> 01:16:39,461 good pipeline of new pilots 557 01:16:39,461 --> 01:16:40,329 coming into the system. 558 01:16:40,329 --> 01:16:41,263 I mean, wouldn't you guys, 559 01:16:41,930 --> 01:16:43,031 is that not something 560 01:16:43,031 --> 01:16:43,966 that other states do? 561 01:16:44,266 --> 01:16:46,001 Are you guys the only one that do this? 562 01:16:46,835 --> 01:16:47,669 Actually, there's a 563 01:16:47,669 --> 01:16:49,972 fair number of high schools 564 01:16:49,972 --> 01:16:51,406 throughout the United States 565 01:16:51,406 --> 01:16:53,008 that do this type of stuff. 566 01:16:53,475 --> 01:16:55,510 Not necessarily the way we do it. 567 01:16:55,544 --> 01:16:55,844 Okay. 568 01:16:57,112 --> 01:16:58,547 The AOPA, Aircraft 569 01:16:58,547 --> 01:16:59,881 Owners and Piles Association, 570 01:16:59,881 --> 01:17:01,950 have a high school aviation symposium, 571 01:17:02,551 --> 01:17:04,152 which they hosted every year, probably 572 01:17:04,152 --> 01:17:05,487 for the last decade. 573 01:17:06,388 --> 01:17:07,356 And I've seen that 574 01:17:07,356 --> 01:17:09,858 particular group grow over the years. 575 01:17:10,492 --> 01:17:12,294 And so there are folks for sure 576 01:17:12,294 --> 01:17:14,529 that are doing similar things, 577 01:17:14,529 --> 01:17:16,231 just maybe not the way we do them, 578 01:17:16,632 --> 01:17:17,966 trying to get kids excited 579 01:17:18,333 --> 01:17:19,368 about what we do here 580 01:17:19,368 --> 01:17:20,369 in aviation, for sure. 581 01:17:21,370 --> 01:17:23,071 So I wanna go back to 2010. 582 01:17:24,539 --> 01:17:25,507 And what was that 583 01:17:25,507 --> 01:17:26,408 first year of school like? 584 01:17:26,775 --> 01:17:27,175 Sure. 585 01:17:27,175 --> 01:17:28,210 So I actually wasn't 586 01:17:28,210 --> 01:17:29,745 here for that first year, 587 01:17:30,012 --> 01:17:34,016 but it started in an office cubicle 588 01:17:34,416 --> 01:17:36,952 up on a building up on main campus, 589 01:17:37,386 --> 01:17:39,054 where they literally had to 590 01:17:39,054 --> 01:17:40,922 like renovate the whole thing 591 01:17:40,922 --> 01:17:43,225 just for a class of 80 students. 592 01:17:43,825 --> 01:17:45,293 So right off the bat, it was, 593 01:17:45,794 --> 01:17:47,829 we're gonna grow the school year by year 594 01:17:47,963 --> 01:17:49,664 until we had a full compliment of 595 01:17:49,664 --> 01:17:51,333 freshmen through seniors. 596 01:17:51,867 --> 01:17:52,134 That first- 597 01:17:52,167 --> 01:17:53,435 So it started with a freshmen class? 598 01:17:53,635 --> 01:17:55,170 It did, 80 students. 599 01:17:55,804 --> 01:17:56,571 And so now, as you know, 600 01:17:56,571 --> 01:17:58,173 I mean, we're up to 620 601 01:17:58,173 --> 01:18:00,809 students and 15 years later. 602 01:18:01,410 --> 01:18:03,178 I tell people like when I showed up, 603 01:18:03,512 --> 01:18:06,281 two years into it, it was exciting work. 604 01:18:06,648 --> 01:18:09,618 When you grow from nothing to something, 605 01:18:10,252 --> 01:18:11,453 and not just something, 606 01:18:11,453 --> 01:18:13,088 but really something amazing. 607 01:18:13,955 --> 01:18:15,957 We've grown, we don't 608 01:18:15,957 --> 01:18:16,692 like to pat ourselves 609 01:18:16,892 --> 01:18:17,726 on the back too much, 610 01:18:17,726 --> 01:18:18,927 but the reality is like, 611 01:18:18,927 --> 01:18:20,395 we've grown to be like one of 612 01:18:20,395 --> 01:18:21,396 the number one charter schools 613 01:18:21,396 --> 01:18:22,164 in the state of Michigan 614 01:18:22,164 --> 01:18:23,065 in that amount of time. 615 01:18:23,565 --> 01:18:25,267 So that growth process is just, 616 01:18:25,467 --> 01:18:28,970 it was and is pretty exciting. 617 01:18:30,272 --> 01:18:31,106 I would tell you that 618 01:18:31,106 --> 01:18:32,274 when I first showed up, 619 01:18:32,274 --> 01:18:32,908 kind of one of the first 620 01:18:32,908 --> 01:18:34,042 questions I asked was like, 621 01:18:34,042 --> 01:18:36,611 what are we doing in aviation? 622 01:18:37,512 --> 01:18:38,747 And like nothing, like 623 01:18:38,747 --> 01:18:40,115 when we first started, 624 01:18:40,115 --> 01:18:40,816 there wasn't a lot of 625 01:18:40,816 --> 01:18:42,784 aviation folks on the staff. 626 01:18:43,552 --> 01:18:44,619 We may have been 627 01:18:44,619 --> 01:18:46,421 clubbing teenagers over the head 628 01:18:46,488 --> 01:18:47,856 with the Jefferson textbook. 629 01:18:48,223 --> 01:18:49,691 You know what I'm talking about? 630 01:18:50,258 --> 01:18:53,729 And so we went from that to, oh my gosh, 631 01:18:53,729 --> 01:18:55,163 let's start an RC club. 632 01:18:55,530 --> 01:18:58,233 Let's start doing aviation 633 01:18:58,233 --> 01:18:59,768 with different activities. 634 01:18:59,768 --> 01:19:01,536 Let's see what our curriculum looks like. 635 01:19:01,970 --> 01:19:04,206 We have a lot of elective classes, 636 01:19:04,806 --> 01:19:06,174 but when you decide to 637 01:19:06,174 --> 01:19:07,242 come to the Aviation Academy 638 01:19:07,375 --> 01:19:08,777 freshman year, you get a 639 01:19:08,777 --> 01:19:10,178 semester of intro to aviation 640 01:19:10,712 --> 01:19:11,747 and a semester of 641 01:19:11,747 --> 01:19:12,948 aviation history and literature. 642 01:19:13,415 --> 01:19:14,649 I call that triple F. 643 01:19:14,883 --> 01:19:16,585 You know, you guys are in 644 01:19:16,585 --> 01:19:17,619 the aviation community, right? 645 01:19:18,053 --> 01:19:18,253 Oh yeah. 646 01:19:18,253 --> 01:19:18,787 So you're all about that? 647 01:19:19,287 --> 01:19:20,589 I learned a lot of 648 01:19:20,589 --> 01:19:21,356 acronyms in this school. 649 01:19:21,356 --> 01:19:22,657 But you've never heard of the triple F? 650 01:19:22,924 --> 01:19:24,359 Well, I'm about to learn about it. 651 01:19:24,793 --> 01:19:25,594 What's the triple F? 652 01:19:25,594 --> 01:19:27,395 It's called forced family fund. 653 01:19:27,996 --> 01:19:29,164 Nice, nice, nice. 654 01:19:29,531 --> 01:19:31,566 So this is the concept behind it. 655 01:19:31,566 --> 01:19:33,468 Is that like, you forget that. 656 01:19:33,869 --> 01:19:34,669 I mean, at our age, 657 01:19:34,970 --> 01:19:37,539 what does a high school freshmen really 658 01:19:37,539 --> 01:19:38,907 know about aviation? 659 01:19:39,908 --> 01:19:42,043 And so though it's an elective class, 660 01:19:42,410 --> 01:19:44,446 they're all required to take it. 661 01:19:44,479 --> 01:19:45,714 And so what that does 662 01:19:45,714 --> 01:19:47,149 is it sets the foundation 663 01:19:47,415 --> 01:19:48,884 for them to explore what 664 01:19:48,884 --> 01:19:49,918 the different opportunities 665 01:19:50,085 --> 01:19:51,419 within this industry are. 666 01:19:52,220 --> 01:19:53,788 And so that's kind of where we started. 667 01:19:53,788 --> 01:19:55,557 I think another fun story there 668 01:19:55,557 --> 01:19:57,292 was like the doing of aviation. 669 01:19:58,093 --> 01:20:01,029 I think Mr. DeVos had this idea, okay? 670 01:20:01,396 --> 01:20:03,165 But like, you know, that 671 01:20:03,165 --> 01:20:04,566 airplane sitting behind you. 672 01:20:04,599 --> 01:20:05,467 Yeah, tell us about that. 673 01:20:05,467 --> 01:20:06,368 Because you explained 674 01:20:06,368 --> 01:20:08,503 earlier about the tail number here. 675 01:20:08,503 --> 01:20:09,638 Yeah, so there's tail numbers, 676 01:20:09,638 --> 01:20:10,705 but like the reality is 677 01:20:10,705 --> 01:20:12,240 that on the early onset, 678 01:20:12,574 --> 01:20:14,242 Nicole's predecessor and I, 679 01:20:14,509 --> 01:20:15,944 we had this term it was called, 680 01:20:15,944 --> 01:20:16,411 if there's no 681 01:20:16,411 --> 01:20:17,712 friction, there's no traction. 682 01:20:18,213 --> 01:20:19,247 Okay. All right. 683 01:20:19,247 --> 01:20:20,682 And so I kind of got the idea. 684 01:20:20,682 --> 01:20:23,418 I'm like, hey, we should own an airplane. 685 01:20:24,986 --> 01:20:26,221 He wasn't really a big fan. 686 01:20:26,755 --> 01:20:28,423 Really? Not at the onset. 687 01:20:28,857 --> 01:20:30,692 And so I kind of kept pushing with him 688 01:20:30,692 --> 01:20:31,893 and he and I worked really, 689 01:20:32,194 --> 01:20:33,495 did some really great things together. 690 01:20:33,962 --> 01:20:35,630 And ultimately I was like, hey, 691 01:20:36,164 --> 01:20:37,232 I should be able to talk 692 01:20:37,232 --> 01:20:38,600 to the aviation subcommittee 693 01:20:39,234 --> 01:20:41,303 of the board to at least pitch this idea. 694 01:20:42,003 --> 01:20:43,772 And what's really cool about, 695 01:20:44,072 --> 01:20:45,373 and Nicole can elaborate on it, 696 01:20:45,373 --> 01:20:48,443 but our board, okay, is a bunch of folks 697 01:20:48,443 --> 01:20:49,778 and many of them have 698 01:20:49,778 --> 01:20:52,047 aviation experience and expertise. 699 01:20:52,847 --> 01:20:54,716 And though our previous CEO was awesome, 700 01:20:54,916 --> 01:20:55,717 just like Nicole is in 701 01:20:55,717 --> 01:20:57,419 all the academic side of it. 702 01:20:57,686 --> 01:20:59,421 I can understand his 703 01:20:59,421 --> 01:21:00,789 like, you're putting, 704 01:21:00,989 --> 01:21:01,957 you're telling me George, 705 01:21:01,957 --> 01:21:02,824 that we're gonna put a 706 01:21:02,824 --> 01:21:04,626 high school kid in an airplane 707 01:21:04,626 --> 01:21:06,728 and he's got to fly 10 hours solo 708 01:21:06,728 --> 01:21:07,495 out of the second 709 01:21:07,495 --> 01:21:08,697 largest airport in Michigan? 710 01:21:09,030 --> 01:21:09,831 Now I understand. 711 01:21:09,831 --> 01:21:10,732 Are you kidding me? 712 01:21:10,765 --> 01:21:11,333 Yeah, yeah. 713 01:21:11,600 --> 01:21:13,602 And liability nightmare, right? 714 01:21:13,835 --> 01:21:15,036 Which fortunate for us 715 01:21:15,036 --> 01:21:17,038 that our board subcommittee, 716 01:21:18,006 --> 01:21:19,274 they're aviators. 717 01:21:19,507 --> 01:21:22,210 And they're like, yes, we can do this. 718 01:21:23,211 --> 01:21:23,878 And then I'll never 719 01:21:23,878 --> 01:21:24,613 forget the board meeting 720 01:21:24,613 --> 01:21:26,214 when we pulled the trigger and said, 721 01:21:26,481 --> 01:21:27,449 we're gonna buy an airplane. 722 01:21:27,716 --> 01:21:29,484 And that was our very first airplane. 723 01:21:29,484 --> 01:21:30,619 And like you said, tail numbers. 724 01:21:30,619 --> 01:21:32,988 And so our tail numbers do have meaning. 725 01:21:32,988 --> 01:21:33,889 That one's particular 726 01:21:33,889 --> 01:21:36,491 name is 910 Alpha Alpha. 727 01:21:36,491 --> 01:21:38,827 Stands for ninth month, 2010, 728 01:21:39,461 --> 01:21:39,928 which is our founding 729 01:21:39,928 --> 01:21:41,363 year, Aviation Academy. 730 01:21:41,763 --> 01:21:42,597 And so that's kind of, 731 01:21:42,597 --> 01:21:43,732 that started the whole, 732 01:21:44,332 --> 01:21:45,767 we're gonna do aviation. 733 01:21:46,001 --> 01:21:47,168 It's gonna be part of our culture. 734 01:21:47,435 --> 01:21:47,636 Right. 735 01:21:48,036 --> 01:21:49,070 Now you still have that end number. 736 01:21:49,337 --> 01:21:50,705 We do, yep, we do. 737 01:21:50,705 --> 01:21:52,274 And then the other ones like-- 738 01:21:52,374 --> 01:21:53,608 Yeah, you have, well we 739 01:21:53,608 --> 01:21:54,476 have this one right back here 740 01:21:54,476 --> 01:21:56,544 behind us too, the 437TS. 741 01:21:56,978 --> 01:21:58,947 And that stands for fourth 742 01:21:58,947 --> 01:22:02,350 month of 1937, Peter Secchia. 743 01:22:02,951 --> 01:22:04,786 And so he was an 744 01:22:04,786 --> 01:22:05,921 entrepreneur in the area, 745 01:22:06,554 --> 01:22:08,290 a very big friend of WAMA. 746 01:22:08,523 --> 01:22:09,691 When he passed, he wanted 747 01:22:09,691 --> 01:22:11,026 to do something really unique 748 01:22:11,026 --> 01:22:11,626 and longstanding. 749 01:22:12,527 --> 01:22:15,664 And so when we unveiled that to his wife, 750 01:22:16,331 --> 01:22:17,265 pretty emotional. 751 01:22:17,265 --> 01:22:17,966 He's very emotional. 752 01:22:17,966 --> 01:22:18,266 Nice, nice. 753 01:22:18,867 --> 01:22:21,136 Our last airplane was 915 754 01:22:21,136 --> 01:22:24,773 Delta Delta, ninth month, 2015. 755 01:22:25,674 --> 01:22:26,608 Folks think that Delta 756 01:22:26,608 --> 01:22:28,276 Delta stands for Dictivos. 757 01:22:28,343 --> 01:22:28,610 Okay. 758 01:22:29,144 --> 01:22:29,577 Actually not. 759 01:22:29,811 --> 01:22:31,746 It's actually Delta Donation. 760 01:22:33,248 --> 01:22:33,882 And so what happened 761 01:22:33,882 --> 01:22:35,650 there is that we were flying, 762 01:22:35,684 --> 01:22:37,352 Alpha Alpha and three 763 01:22:37,352 --> 01:22:39,454 chief pilots out of Detroit, 764 01:22:39,888 --> 01:22:42,157 out of Delta, heard what we were doing. 765 01:22:42,557 --> 01:22:44,392 They came and that was 766 01:22:44,392 --> 01:22:45,894 our inaugural flight class. 767 01:22:45,894 --> 01:22:47,228 There were nine kids in there. 768 01:22:47,595 --> 01:22:49,130 And this is what I found out, 769 01:22:49,130 --> 01:22:49,664 and Nicole doesn't 770 01:22:49,664 --> 01:22:50,732 necessarily always like it, 771 01:22:51,032 --> 01:22:54,069 is that I don't ask, the students ask. 772 01:22:54,869 --> 01:22:56,104 And so sure enough, 773 01:22:56,104 --> 01:22:56,905 they went in and said, 774 01:22:56,905 --> 01:22:58,807 "Hey, what can Delta do for the school?" 775 01:22:59,407 --> 01:23:00,709 And I didn't say anything. 776 01:23:00,975 --> 01:23:01,643 And those kids said-- 777 01:23:01,643 --> 01:23:02,277 Give you a lot of 778 01:23:02,277 --> 01:23:04,846 peanuts, cookies, napkins. 779 01:23:06,481 --> 01:23:07,482 Buy us a plane. 780 01:23:07,849 --> 01:23:12,320 A check for $150,000 10 days later 781 01:23:12,721 --> 01:23:14,556 to buy that airplane for those students. 782 01:23:14,956 --> 01:23:15,123 Nice. 783 01:23:15,523 --> 01:23:16,958 And so that is really cool. 784 01:23:17,292 --> 01:23:18,526 Yeah, the generosity in 785 01:23:18,526 --> 01:23:19,761 our aviation community, 786 01:23:19,761 --> 01:23:22,030 when they come and see what we're doing, 787 01:23:22,664 --> 01:23:23,365 is pretty unparalleled. 788 01:23:23,965 --> 01:23:24,666 Well, what kind of, you 789 01:23:24,666 --> 01:23:25,633 know, if I'm a parent, 790 01:23:25,867 --> 01:23:27,936 or if I'm a prospective student, 791 01:23:28,436 --> 01:23:30,372 and I'm looking at this school, 792 01:23:30,772 --> 01:23:34,209 what should my ideal path be? 793 01:23:34,209 --> 01:23:34,709 Like, what are some 794 01:23:34,709 --> 01:23:37,312 paths that people can kind of 795 01:23:37,312 --> 01:23:39,714 put this school into to say, 796 01:23:39,714 --> 01:23:40,448 "That's how I'm gonna 797 01:23:40,448 --> 01:23:41,883 get to where I wanna be." 798 01:23:42,150 --> 01:23:42,951 We like to say we have 799 01:23:42,951 --> 01:23:43,952 two sides of our house. 800 01:23:43,952 --> 01:23:45,387 So we have engineering side, 801 01:23:45,387 --> 01:23:46,688 and we have the aviation side. 802 01:23:47,355 --> 01:23:49,090 So on the aviation side, 803 01:23:49,391 --> 01:23:50,125 you can earn your 804 01:23:50,125 --> 01:23:51,326 private pilot's license. 805 01:23:52,027 --> 01:23:53,328 You can participate in 806 01:23:53,328 --> 01:23:55,497 our build a plane course, 807 01:23:55,730 --> 01:23:58,133 which dabbles in aviation maintenance. 808 01:23:58,767 --> 01:24:00,769 Or you can earn your 809 01:24:00,769 --> 01:24:01,836 commercial drone's license 810 01:24:02,203 --> 01:24:04,038 through our UAS drone's pathway. 811 01:24:04,406 --> 01:24:05,807 You can do some of 812 01:24:05,807 --> 01:24:07,642 each, you know, just one. 813 01:24:08,443 --> 01:24:10,845 And or on the engineering side, 814 01:24:10,845 --> 01:24:12,414 you can do aerospace and robotics, 815 01:24:12,847 --> 01:24:14,215 computer science, cybersecurity, 816 01:24:15,050 --> 01:24:17,018 and or biomedical engineering. 817 01:24:17,285 --> 01:24:17,919 These sound like fields 818 01:24:17,919 --> 01:24:19,254 that are like super in demand, 819 01:24:19,254 --> 01:24:19,854 by the way. 820 01:24:20,955 --> 01:24:21,790 They are like super in demand. 821 01:24:21,790 --> 01:24:22,424 This isn't basket weaving. 822 01:24:22,724 --> 01:24:23,892 This isn't like, you know. 823 01:24:24,092 --> 01:24:25,660 And also play spaced, right? 824 01:24:25,660 --> 01:24:26,895 We're in the Grand Rapids area. 825 01:24:27,095 --> 01:24:27,762 You think about like 826 01:24:27,762 --> 01:24:28,863 the biomed hubs here. 827 01:24:29,431 --> 01:24:30,965 So there's those pathways, 828 01:24:31,232 --> 01:24:33,001 but then we also aligned our schedule 829 01:24:33,134 --> 01:24:34,702 to be able to allow our 830 01:24:34,702 --> 01:24:35,970 students to participate 831 01:24:36,070 --> 01:24:37,906 with the Kent Career Tech Center. 832 01:24:37,906 --> 01:24:38,873 So there's over 20 833 01:24:38,873 --> 01:24:40,508 programs available there. 834 01:24:41,342 --> 01:24:42,143 And then in addition, 835 01:24:42,811 --> 01:24:43,645 because we survey our 836 01:24:43,645 --> 01:24:45,013 families every year as well. 837 01:24:45,914 --> 01:24:47,715 One of the questions we ask is, you know, 838 01:24:47,715 --> 01:24:49,551 why did you choose the academy? 839 01:24:50,485 --> 01:24:52,987 And we have just as many young people 840 01:24:53,221 --> 01:24:55,256 that are choosing us for our 841 01:24:55,256 --> 01:24:56,925 environment, for our culture. 842 01:24:57,258 --> 01:24:59,494 So if you want to come here 843 01:24:59,828 --> 01:25:01,329 and you're not even interested in 844 01:25:01,329 --> 01:25:02,597 aviation or engineering, 845 01:25:02,997 --> 01:25:03,765 you're gonna get an 846 01:25:03,765 --> 01:25:06,201 incredible course set of academics. 847 01:25:06,201 --> 01:25:08,503 We offer a lot of AP in advanced courses, 848 01:25:09,104 --> 01:25:10,438 remedial courses, dual 849 01:25:10,438 --> 01:25:12,006 enrollment, early college. 850 01:25:12,507 --> 01:25:13,575 I mean, you name it, we're a 851 01:25:13,575 --> 01:25:14,609 comprehensive high school. 852 01:25:14,976 --> 01:25:16,611 So we're a school for all 853 01:25:16,611 --> 01:25:18,046 and any type of learner. 854 01:25:18,413 --> 01:25:18,847 What do you see the 855 01:25:18,847 --> 01:25:21,583 future holding for WNAA? 856 01:25:22,984 --> 01:25:24,486 Well, we get asked that a 857 01:25:24,486 --> 01:25:25,854 lot, as you can imagine. 858 01:25:25,854 --> 01:25:26,855 And I think, you know, my 859 01:25:26,855 --> 01:25:28,189 first response is always 860 01:25:28,590 --> 01:25:30,558 when you reach this level of excellence, 861 01:25:31,526 --> 01:25:33,094 it takes a lot to maintain it. 862 01:25:33,528 --> 01:25:34,128 I thought you were gonna say, 863 01:25:34,128 --> 01:25:35,096 there's nowhere to go but down. 864 01:25:36,564 --> 01:25:37,832 (laughing) I'm sorry, that was a cult ringer. 865 01:25:38,600 --> 01:25:39,567 No, there's no going down. 866 01:25:39,667 --> 01:25:41,269 Okay, okay, good, good. 867 01:25:41,336 --> 01:25:42,036 That's, yeah, no, 868 01:25:42,036 --> 01:25:42,770 don't even think of that. 869 01:25:43,104 --> 01:25:43,538 That was me. 870 01:25:44,372 --> 01:25:47,008 And so we're constantly making sure 871 01:25:47,208 --> 01:25:49,477 that we're seeing what's next on the 872 01:25:49,477 --> 01:25:50,512 horizon, so to speak. 873 01:25:50,945 --> 01:25:52,413 So George leads an 874 01:25:52,413 --> 01:25:55,049 incredible aviation career 875 01:25:55,049 --> 01:25:56,050 and tech ed advisory. 876 01:25:56,985 --> 01:25:58,887 But basically, we need to make sure 877 01:25:58,887 --> 01:26:00,755 that we're continuing to be aligned 878 01:26:00,755 --> 01:26:01,789 with what business and 879 01:26:01,789 --> 01:26:02,991 industry is looking for 880 01:26:03,291 --> 01:26:05,426 and with what post-secondaries are 881 01:26:05,426 --> 01:26:06,528 looking for as well. 882 01:26:06,995 --> 01:26:08,763 So our goal for our young 883 01:26:08,763 --> 01:26:10,198 people is that when they leave us, 884 01:26:10,198 --> 01:26:11,933 they have a path, they have a plan, 885 01:26:12,800 --> 01:26:13,635 but they're equipped to 886 01:26:13,635 --> 01:26:14,969 be contributing citizens 887 01:26:14,969 --> 01:26:16,571 in whatever way that looks like. 888 01:26:16,571 --> 01:26:18,072 So we celebrate our military, 889 01:26:18,473 --> 01:26:19,774 we celebrate our 890 01:26:19,774 --> 01:26:21,342 post-secondary two and four year 891 01:26:21,843 --> 01:26:22,710 or credentials. 892 01:26:23,945 --> 01:26:25,346 We celebrate our students that go on 893 01:26:25,446 --> 01:26:27,015 to serve another community in 894 01:26:27,015 --> 01:26:28,550 the world during a gap year. 895 01:26:28,883 --> 01:26:30,118 But we need to make 896 01:26:30,118 --> 01:26:31,386 sure everybody has a plan. 897 01:26:32,320 --> 01:26:33,421 But from an internal 898 01:26:33,421 --> 01:26:34,989 perspective, like the programming, 899 01:26:35,757 --> 01:26:38,393 so like I said, he leads just an 900 01:26:38,393 --> 01:26:39,928 incredible advisory. 901 01:26:40,228 --> 01:26:41,095 We also have a steam 902 01:26:41,095 --> 01:26:44,032 advisory that helps to make sure 903 01:26:44,232 --> 01:26:45,166 engineering side of 904 01:26:45,166 --> 01:26:46,467 the house is keeping up 905 01:26:46,467 --> 01:26:48,169 with what business and industry needs. 906 01:26:48,803 --> 01:26:49,637 But we continue to 907 01:26:49,637 --> 01:26:51,306 talk about what is next. 908 01:26:51,673 --> 01:26:52,307 I mean, besides the 909 01:26:52,307 --> 01:26:53,808 obvious, technology, AI, 910 01:26:54,175 --> 01:26:54,976 all those pieces. 911 01:26:55,677 --> 01:26:57,545 But what is next for us? 912 01:26:58,212 --> 01:26:59,147 That is in discussion. 913 01:26:59,881 --> 01:27:00,448 Nice. Yeah. 914 01:27:01,115 --> 01:27:02,817 So if I'm a family or a 915 01:27:02,817 --> 01:27:03,952 student or just somebody 916 01:27:03,952 --> 01:27:05,119 that wants to learn 917 01:27:05,119 --> 01:27:06,354 how I can be a part of 918 01:27:06,354 --> 01:27:08,389 or contribute to this organization, 919 01:27:08,656 --> 01:27:10,258 what's the best way for me to learn more 920 01:27:10,258 --> 01:27:11,192 or reach out to you guys? 921 01:27:12,193 --> 01:27:13,995 For sure, by going to our website. 922 01:27:15,897 --> 01:27:17,932 We have tons of information there. 923 01:27:19,133 --> 01:27:20,768 We find that our best 924 01:27:20,768 --> 01:27:22,870 marketing strategy is word of mouth. 925 01:27:22,904 --> 01:27:23,771 So we would love for 926 01:27:23,771 --> 01:27:24,806 you to connect with others 927 01:27:24,806 --> 01:27:26,107 that are involved with us. 928 01:27:26,107 --> 01:27:26,374 Sure. 929 01:27:27,075 --> 01:27:28,943 As a parent, as a 930 01:27:28,943 --> 01:27:31,212 student, we offer shadows, 931 01:27:31,546 --> 01:27:33,314 we offer parent information nights. 932 01:27:33,915 --> 01:27:36,317 So again, it's get to know us. 933 01:27:36,718 --> 01:27:37,585 And if you're a community 934 01:27:37,585 --> 01:27:39,554 partner or someone looking 935 01:27:39,687 --> 01:27:41,155 to give back to young 936 01:27:41,155 --> 01:27:42,724 people, we would love for you 937 01:27:42,724 --> 01:27:44,826 to visit our foundation website. 938 01:27:45,126 --> 01:27:46,628 Okay, and we'll link to both of those 939 01:27:46,628 --> 01:27:48,296 in the description here in the video too. 940 01:27:48,396 --> 01:27:49,163 Perfect. Yeah. 941 01:27:49,230 --> 01:27:51,666 Yeah, we are looking to 942 01:27:51,666 --> 01:27:54,469 partner with the broader community 943 01:27:54,802 --> 01:27:56,437 in so many different ways, whether it's 944 01:27:56,437 --> 01:27:57,405 being a guest speaker, 945 01:27:58,006 --> 01:27:58,873 come and do a lunch and 946 01:27:58,873 --> 01:28:00,108 learn for our young people. 947 01:28:00,108 --> 01:28:01,409 Talk about your career pathway. 948 01:28:01,709 --> 01:28:03,911 Talk about exposing them 949 01:28:03,911 --> 01:28:05,279 to what else is out there 950 01:28:05,279 --> 01:28:05,913 in the world. 951 01:28:06,247 --> 01:28:08,616 And also we would love for you to be a 952 01:28:08,616 --> 01:28:09,817 longstanding partner. 953 01:28:09,817 --> 01:28:10,685 We would love for you to 954 01:28:10,685 --> 01:28:13,521 be engaged in supporting us 955 01:28:14,122 --> 01:28:16,491 financially, talent time resources. 956 01:28:16,924 --> 01:28:17,625 Yeah. Nice. 957 01:28:18,126 --> 01:28:19,594 Again, so it's on the jet 958 01:28:19,594 --> 01:28:21,195 and everything that we talk 959 01:28:21,195 --> 01:28:22,163 about and do is based 960 01:28:22,163 --> 01:28:23,264 on corporate aviation, 961 01:28:24,298 --> 01:28:24,932 for the most part. 962 01:28:25,633 --> 01:28:27,235 But what we'd love to see is some of 963 01:28:27,235 --> 01:28:27,969 these kids migrating 964 01:28:28,169 --> 01:28:29,671 into that corporate aviation world, 965 01:28:29,671 --> 01:28:31,539 because as Derek said, 966 01:28:31,539 --> 01:28:32,206 right at the opening, 967 01:28:33,074 --> 01:28:35,443 finding good, talented, 968 01:28:36,210 --> 01:28:37,311 young aviators is 969 01:28:37,311 --> 01:28:39,247 extremely difficult to do now. 970 01:28:39,614 --> 01:28:40,748 And with the airlines 971 01:28:40,748 --> 01:28:42,550 hiring, other people, 972 01:28:42,550 --> 01:28:43,451 they have a tendency 973 01:28:43,451 --> 01:28:44,485 to go that direction. 974 01:28:44,585 --> 01:28:45,420 But it's good to know we've got 975 01:28:45,420 --> 01:28:46,287 organizations like this 976 01:28:46,387 --> 01:28:46,754 that are helping 977 01:28:46,754 --> 01:28:47,755 people get into that world. 978 01:28:48,122 --> 01:28:49,023 Yeah. Well, and I feel like 979 01:28:49,023 --> 01:28:50,258 George has done an awesome 980 01:28:50,258 --> 01:28:52,794 job with being able to expose 981 01:28:52,994 --> 01:28:55,229 our students to so many different routes. 982 01:28:55,930 --> 01:28:57,665 Yeah, so it's kind of interesting. 983 01:28:57,965 --> 01:28:59,734 So obviously I'm a military guy. 984 01:29:00,368 --> 01:29:01,869 Didn't, most of us don't know much. 985 01:29:02,070 --> 01:29:03,371 We didn't know how to, 986 01:29:04,105 --> 01:29:05,773 we never cracked the code 987 01:29:05,773 --> 01:29:07,709 on what a good gig the whole 988 01:29:07,709 --> 01:29:08,943 corporate aviation thing is. 989 01:29:08,976 --> 01:29:11,479 Right. And so when I first came 990 01:29:11,479 --> 01:29:13,581 to this school, like we, you know, heck, 991 01:29:13,581 --> 01:29:14,682 I didn't even know much about it. 992 01:29:14,749 --> 01:29:15,650 But here in Grand Rapids 993 01:29:15,650 --> 01:29:17,218 in particular, and awesome, 994 01:29:17,218 --> 01:29:18,586 this whole West Michigan 995 01:29:18,586 --> 01:29:20,021 region is really packed 996 01:29:20,021 --> 01:29:21,122 full of those opportunities. 997 01:29:22,056 --> 01:29:24,459 And so every other year, 998 01:29:25,193 --> 01:29:26,694 we have coordinated a 999 01:29:26,694 --> 01:29:27,995 corporate pilot panel. 1000 01:29:27,995 --> 01:29:28,796 It's kind of moved to a 1001 01:29:28,796 --> 01:29:30,264 corporate aviation panel 1002 01:29:30,832 --> 01:29:31,766 where we bring, you 1003 01:29:31,766 --> 01:29:33,434 know, pilots and maintainers 1004 01:29:33,434 --> 01:29:34,235 into the house. 1005 01:29:34,869 --> 01:29:37,372 And now when we get to our flight class 1006 01:29:37,372 --> 01:29:38,606 and our build-a-plane class, 1007 01:29:38,606 --> 01:29:39,974 if you were to poll our students, 1008 01:29:40,641 --> 01:29:42,210 we have more than a 1009 01:29:42,210 --> 01:29:42,977 fair share of students 1010 01:29:43,211 --> 01:29:44,112 that are saying, I want 1011 01:29:44,112 --> 01:29:45,513 to go do corporate aviation 1012 01:29:45,680 --> 01:29:46,647 because we expose 1013 01:29:46,647 --> 01:29:48,750 them to it very early on. 1014 01:29:48,883 --> 01:29:49,083 Nice. 1015 01:29:49,684 --> 01:29:52,954 Our very first gal that earned 1016 01:29:52,954 --> 01:29:54,522 a private pilot license with us, 1017 01:29:54,922 --> 01:29:57,625 she came to us, a hater, 1018 01:29:58,059 --> 01:29:59,527 because her dad used to 1019 01:29:59,527 --> 01:30:00,995 like drag her to air shows. 1020 01:30:01,362 --> 01:30:01,896 Oh, okay. 1021 01:30:02,029 --> 01:30:03,431 Her dad loved it. Okay. 1022 01:30:03,464 --> 01:30:05,166 He actually worked here on staff. 1023 01:30:06,167 --> 01:30:07,435 And so she kind of got 1024 01:30:07,435 --> 01:30:08,836 volun told to come here. 1025 01:30:09,904 --> 01:30:11,005 I nabbed her up and 1026 01:30:11,005 --> 01:30:12,473 convinced her to take ground school. 1027 01:30:12,473 --> 01:30:12,974 That was back in the 1028 01:30:12,974 --> 01:30:13,674 day when I was teaching. 1029 01:30:14,575 --> 01:30:15,409 And I'll never, and so 1030 01:30:15,409 --> 01:30:16,310 she's kind of, you know, 1031 01:30:16,644 --> 01:30:18,446 begrudgingly like doing this, right? 1032 01:30:18,479 --> 01:30:18,679 Sure. 1033 01:30:19,046 --> 01:30:20,715 And then, so she's taking ground school 1034 01:30:20,715 --> 01:30:22,150 and it's kind of going well, it's 1035 01:30:22,150 --> 01:30:23,151 starting to work on her. 1036 01:30:23,584 --> 01:30:25,553 Now we also do these discovery flights. 1037 01:30:26,053 --> 01:30:27,021 And those of us in aviation 1038 01:30:27,021 --> 01:30:29,290 know that those are pivotal. 1039 01:30:29,724 --> 01:30:30,091 It's the fuck. 1040 01:30:30,658 --> 01:30:33,427 And so I will never forget that I'm in, 1041 01:30:33,828 --> 01:30:35,029 at the time it was Alpha Alpha. 1042 01:30:35,797 --> 01:30:37,532 I'm doing discovery flight with Tori. 1043 01:30:37,532 --> 01:30:38,533 We're over downtown 1044 01:30:38,533 --> 01:30:39,734 Grand Rapids and she just, 1045 01:30:40,034 --> 01:30:40,735 I'll never, she looks 1046 01:30:40,735 --> 01:30:41,736 over at me and she's like, 1047 01:30:42,470 --> 01:30:44,939 you get paid for this, Mr. Baby? 1048 01:30:46,507 --> 01:30:46,541 (laughing) 1049 01:30:46,908 --> 01:30:48,743 And I looked and I said, my whole life, 1050 01:30:48,743 --> 01:30:50,311 and it's never felt like a job. 1051 01:30:51,112 --> 01:30:53,147 And so let's fast forward. 1052 01:30:53,915 --> 01:30:55,216 Okay, graduates here, 1053 01:30:55,216 --> 01:30:56,818 goes to NMC for training, 1054 01:30:57,185 --> 01:30:58,886 does a lot of this stuff there. 1055 01:30:59,353 --> 01:31:00,555 She turns out to be a 1056 01:31:00,555 --> 01:31:02,123 corporate pilot at Northern Jet, 1057 01:31:02,457 --> 01:31:03,991 has worked her way up through the ranks. 1058 01:31:04,358 --> 01:31:05,693 She's a captain on a citation. 1059 01:31:06,327 --> 01:31:07,261 Right now she's on 1060 01:31:07,261 --> 01:31:08,596 sabbatical, she's having a kiddo. 1061 01:31:09,630 --> 01:31:12,333 But how awesome is that? 1062 01:31:12,366 --> 01:31:13,968 Heck, over there right now, 1063 01:31:14,168 --> 01:31:16,204 we've got at least a half a dozen kiddos 1064 01:31:16,771 --> 01:31:18,906 that are working in 1065 01:31:18,906 --> 01:31:20,408 corporate aviation right now. 1066 01:31:20,408 --> 01:31:22,343 That's the move, that's the move. 1067 01:31:22,343 --> 01:31:24,111 That's a great career and a great place 1068 01:31:24,111 --> 01:31:25,112 to start to get there. 1069 01:31:25,112 --> 01:31:28,182 Another hook is that, this 1070 01:31:28,182 --> 01:31:29,550 was a handful of years ago, 1071 01:31:29,550 --> 01:31:31,219 this was before Nicole, is 1072 01:31:31,219 --> 01:31:33,154 that we had this gentleman 1073 01:31:33,354 --> 01:31:35,323 that had clients that he 1074 01:31:35,323 --> 01:31:37,024 would fly over in the winter 1075 01:31:37,158 --> 01:31:38,793 to the Red Wings games. 1076 01:31:39,694 --> 01:31:41,662 It was single pilot ops in a Pilatus. 1077 01:31:42,630 --> 01:31:43,731 And he and I got to know each other 1078 01:31:43,731 --> 01:31:44,565 because we shared the hangar. 1079 01:31:45,433 --> 01:31:48,369 And we worked it out with LL Johns 1080 01:31:48,736 --> 01:31:50,204 and our insurance folks were not known 1081 01:31:50,204 --> 01:31:51,072 to aviation insurance. 1082 01:31:51,873 --> 01:31:53,274 And he literally would go, 1083 01:31:53,274 --> 01:31:55,009 "Hey George, I got an open seat, 1084 01:31:55,009 --> 01:31:56,410 "we're going over to the Red Wings." 1085 01:31:57,078 --> 01:31:59,547 And we would have kind of like crazy, 1086 01:31:59,780 --> 01:32:01,449 like imagine students are like, 1087 01:32:02,016 --> 01:32:03,417 "I wanna go and I wanna go." 1088 01:32:03,417 --> 01:32:04,185 So figuring out who was 1089 01:32:04,185 --> 01:32:05,119 gonna go is important. 1090 01:32:05,586 --> 01:32:06,420 But this guy, he 1091 01:32:06,420 --> 01:32:07,355 would take him over there. 1092 01:32:07,655 --> 01:32:09,490 And when the clients were at their game, 1093 01:32:09,757 --> 01:32:11,993 he would take them out to a steak dinner. 1094 01:32:12,627 --> 01:32:14,428 Like if that's not like an 1095 01:32:14,428 --> 01:32:15,930 epitome of corporate aviation, 1096 01:32:16,230 --> 01:32:18,499 right, am I wrong? 1097 01:32:18,533 --> 01:32:20,902 Well, yeah, you're not wrong. 1098 01:32:21,736 --> 01:32:23,337 So I mean, again, the students, 1099 01:32:23,604 --> 01:32:25,006 like how you get them 1100 01:32:25,006 --> 01:32:27,241 into this is early exposure, 1101 01:32:27,241 --> 01:32:27,875 like what we're doing 1102 01:32:27,875 --> 01:32:29,610 here, early exposure. 1103 01:32:29,911 --> 01:32:31,212 George and Cole, thank you guys so much 1104 01:32:31,212 --> 01:32:32,713 for joining us on "On the Jet" 1105 01:32:32,713 --> 01:32:33,948 and inviting us here to 1106 01:32:33,948 --> 01:32:35,316 your hangar, your facility. 1107 01:32:35,683 --> 01:32:36,450 This is amazing. 1108 01:32:37,351 --> 01:32:39,387 And it's really exciting to get to hear 1109 01:32:39,587 --> 01:32:40,922 the way that people get 1110 01:32:40,922 --> 01:32:42,323 started in this kind of career 1111 01:32:42,323 --> 01:32:44,625 and the way that people can get exposed 1112 01:32:44,859 --> 01:32:46,627 to the world of 1113 01:32:46,627 --> 01:32:48,729 aviation through just really 1114 01:32:48,930 --> 01:32:51,499 a top tier education that is part 1115 01:32:51,499 --> 01:32:53,067 of a public education for them. 1116 01:32:53,434 --> 01:32:54,235 And not only that, but 1117 01:32:54,235 --> 01:32:54,869 it's gonna be awesome 1118 01:32:54,869 --> 01:32:56,504 to see where you go with this. 1119 01:32:56,837 --> 01:32:58,005 Once again, Nicole, 1120 01:32:58,272 --> 01:32:59,073 George, thank you so much 1121 01:32:59,073 --> 01:33:00,675 for being with us here on "On the Jet." 1122 01:33:01,075 --> 01:33:02,310 Thank you for watching "On the Jet." 1123 01:33:02,643 --> 01:33:03,978 If you wanna see more "On the Jet," 1124 01:33:03,978 --> 01:33:04,912 make sure to subscribe 1125 01:33:04,912 --> 01:33:05,780 to our channel on YouTube 1126 01:33:06,113 --> 01:33:06,847 and leave a comment 1127 01:33:06,847 --> 01:33:07,782 telling us what aspect 1128 01:33:07,782 --> 01:33:08,983 of jet ownership you'd 1129 01:33:08,983 --> 01:33:09,917 like to know more about. 1130 01:33:10,518 --> 01:33:11,152 "On the Jet" is brought 1131 01:33:11,152 --> 01:33:12,353 to you by Aspen Aero Group, 1132 01:33:12,753 --> 01:33:14,322 your trusted partner in private and 1133 01:33:14,322 --> 01:33:15,356 corporate jet ownership. 1134 01:33:15,890 --> 01:33:17,925 Learn more at aspenaerogroup.com. 1135 01:33:18,359 --> 01:33:19,994 This has been a Savage Media production.