Where Can I Take Flying Lessons in Upstate New York?
Life was a lot different in high schools across New York in the late 80s and early 90s because schools offered a variety of unique continuing education programs for both students and their parents that went beyond the scope of traditional subjects.
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I was in middle school and my uncle was in high school when he decided that he wanted to learn how to fly because he had dreams of becoming a pilot. Thanks to a continuing education course at his Upstate New York high school, he and his parents were able to attend flight school.
My grandparents, excited at my uncle's passion for flying decided to, upon my uncle completion of flight school, buy a small aircraft, and the family continued their lessons at our local county airport.
Thanks to the continuing education course at flight school offered by his high school, my uncle with the big dreams of becoming a pilot went on to fly fighter jets and would become a high-ranking official in the United States Air Force.
A story out of Niskayuna, a suburb of Albany, caught my eye because not only is Niskayuna my family's hometown, but another young man with a passion for flying has made the news and for an extraordinary reason.
Kevin Tully celebrated his 16th birthday last Sunday by flying from the Albany International Airport to the Saratoga County Airport, and back all by himself. This means Tully legally flew an airplane solo before he could legally drive a vehicle and was the youngest person in control of an aircraft in the sky on Sunday.
Tully obtained an FAA student pilot's license at the age of 14 but his flight on Sunday was the first time he was able to take full and solo control of the airplane.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires a person to be at least 14 years old before they can obtain their student pilot license to fly gliders and balloons. At the age of 16, a person can get their student pilot license. At the age of 17, a teenager can get their sport, recreational, and private licenses, and at the age of 18, a person is legally allowed to get their commercial pilot license.
11 Places To Take Flying Lessons In Upstate New York
If you want to learn to fly and live in Upstate New York, there are several places where you can take flying lessons - here are 11 of those places.
The Top 10 Busiest Airports in Upstate New York
While the busiest of the Empire State's airports are located in the Metropolitan New York area of "Downstate," our "Upstate" region has some pretty significant airports as well. I am sure you can all guess what are the Number 1, 2, 3 and maybe even the #4 busiest airports in Upstate. But the list gets very interesting by the time you get to Number 8, 9, and 10!
(The list is ranked by "enplanements," which is a fancy word used by the Federal Aviation Administration in referring to the number of passessegers who board an airplane.)
Sneak Peek: Major Changes Coming To 9 Upstate New York Airports
Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced that $230 million will be spent to revitalize nine "upstate" New york airports. Officials say this will reimagine and further modernize airports across upstate New York.