Flight Training - April 2015 - 22

FLYING CARPET

By Greg Brown

PLUS View the slideshow.

GIAN JACUZZI takes the controls for the first time.

TOMORROW'S PILOT

PASSING THE TORCH

e all meet youthful aspiring pilots. For many it's a passing interest, but now and then we encounter young people
whose aviation knowledge and enthusiasm mark them as
exceptional.

Gian Jacuzzi messaged me on Facebook
in 2014 about becoming a pilot. He'd gotten the bug at an airshow, and he regaled
me with photos of his favorite airplanes.
I helped the 13-year-old enroll in AOPA
Av8rs and briefed him on EAA's Young
Eagles program and Air Academy summer
camps. I also introduced the Civil Air
Patrol, where he might affordably solo in
gliders as young as 14. He in turn asked
about my piloting and the Flying Carpet.
In the process, we discovered that we
share the same birthday.
Shortly after Christmas, Gian messaged
me asking about collegiate aeronautical
programs. After answering, I casually
asked about his holiday vacation.
"Truthfully," he said, "there's been a lot
of pressure here. My mom, sister Nina,
and myself just moved to Florida with
nothing but three suitcases of clothes
and essentials. So we didn't have much
money or time to celebrate the holidays.
We spent most of our current money on

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airline tickets. We lived in a hotel for two
weeks but it was expensive and we were
running out of money. We considered
going into a shelter, but met some kind
people and are staying in their house
while my mom finds a job."
I asked how his mother was holding up.
"She has lots of hope and is very motivated.
Nina and I are very proud of her." There
was no hint of sadness or frustration, but
clearly this family had suffered a bleak

(LEFT TO RIGHT): Maribel Russo and Nina Jacuzzi,

with CFI Yogini Modi and Gian Jacuzzi at Orient
Flight School, Homestead Airport, Florida.

Christmas. Yet even among those trials
Gian found a bright spot. "The good thing
was we flew here in a 747! I got to see the
cockpit, and the pilot and first officer were
both fascinated by my passion for aviation."
Spontaneously I made an offer: "Ask
your mom if she'd be comfortable with
Jean and me buying you a flying lesson.
You deserve to do something special after
all you've been through."
Gian was thrilled, but immediately
I hoped I hadn't overstepped bounds.
Parents are justifiably suspicious of
strangers their children meet online. And
plenty more are too scared of flying to let
their kids partake. When Gian's mother,
Maribel, befriended me on Facebook, I
offered credentials.
"Gian has my authorization to take
your gift," she replied. "And I don't need
to check your background cuz Gian has
showed me everything about you since
last year! I trust in you and thank you for
your support and kindness." What a great
family!
My next challenge was identifying a
flight experience in faraway Miami appropriate for a teen enthusiast. Ultimately
I was referred to Orient Flight School at
Homestead Airport, operated by Yogini
"Yogi" Modi and her husband, Bryan
Shelton. A former India Army major, Yogi
set flying records while instructing in
the service's microlight aircraft program.
General aviation is highly restricted in
India, so Yogi was attracted to the United
States by the freedom of our skies.
Rather than a basic introductory flight,
I requested a full first lesson to fuel Gian's
enthusiasm until he's old enough to fund

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Flight Training - April 2015

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