Samo students take flight

For most Samo students, now is the time when we study for permit and driver's tests and join the California tradition of driving everywhere. However, for Dante Gaudet (’17) and Sammy Cockrell (’18), now is the time to study for pilot’s tests. Gaudet and Cockrell are both going far beyond the roads, and are already licensed solo pilots. For Gaudet, adventure has always been a part of life. From things like skateboarding and surfing to Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wake boarding, Gaudet has always been out and about. The only new addition is now, he’s in the sky. As a kid, Gaudet took his dog to the dog parks adjacent to the Santa Monica Airport. It was when he was introduced to a program that offered free plane rides to kids that sparked his interest in the sky. The same pilot who took him for his first flight is now his flight instructor.  For Gaudet, flying is both a fun thing to do in his free time and a way to learn valuable skills and lessons. “I think it makes me unique, but it translates to life in other ways… it’s a challenge, you have to persevere through it,” Gaudet said. “It’s fun, it’s enjoyable, but I can also use these skills for other things.” Cockrell has also been hooked on flying since he was a kid; it was when his parents first took him to the airport that he find his passion for planes and aviation. Cockrell likes everything about aviation. “The flying aspect is an unreal experience,” Cockrell said. Gaudet and Cockrell already acquired their solo licenses: the first step of a flying career. This means they can fly whenever they wish to, as long as they are alone. Similar to getting a driver’s license, applicants for a solo pilot’s license must be 16 years old, go through all the ground training necessary, complete 40 hours of flight time, and complete a written and flight test. After receiving their solo licenses, both want to get their private pilot’s license. With a private pilot’s license, they can fly others with them and get reimbursed for fuel and other expenses. In the future, both pilots want to continue flying. Gaudet is interested in a more recreational style of flying, but he keeps his options open to the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). The ROTC is an programs that follows along with a four year college plan, allowing students to graduate as Army Officers. Gaudet would then want to become a fighter pilot in the Air Force. However, an engineering path that incorporates flying and planes appeals to the young pilot as well. For Cockrell, his future is based around professional flying. Similar to Gaudet, Cockrell is interested in ROTC. Additionally, aviation management is a plausible career for Cockrell, especially after speaking with Universal Asset Management (UAM) CEO Keri Wright. UAM is a major company based in Memphis that works with aviation companies worldwide to recycle, build, sell, and manage planes. “I would be able to be in the field of aviation but also have the opportunity to create my own business,” Cockrell said. No matter what happens in the future for either pilot, they’re sure flying will always be in their lives. The impending closure of the Santa Monica Airport is something neither is looking forward to. “The city’s making it more expensive for us… [we’re] very disappointed by the injustice of the whole situation” Gaudet said about the new prices on flying at the airport. “We’re very pro-airport,” Cockrell said.Despite the uncertainty of the Santa Monica Airport, Gaudet and Cockrell will continue to progress in their flying experiences. Becoming a pilot has become part of their identity.