By Ted Luebbers
Mateo Colmenero, an Aviation Youth member and recent Ray Flight Scholarship Fund recipient, completed all the Federal Aviation Administration requirements to qualify for his Private Pilot’s license on January 5, 2020.
Mateo has been an Aviation Youth Member of the Experimental Aviation Association Mid Florida Chapter 534 for several years. This chapter is based at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, FL.
In 2019 he was recommended for the $10,000 EAA National Ray Scholarship Fund by the board members of Chapter 534 because of his continued interest in learning how to fly, learning how to build and repair aircraft working with the adult members, taking part in the Young Eagles program and helping to pass on some of the skills he learned to some of the younger members of the chapter’s Aviation Youth program.
On January 12, 2020, he had to fly from Leesburg International Airport as a student pilot to Dunnellon, FL to take his FAA check ride with a Designated Pilot Examiner. During this test all his paperwork had to be in order, he was asked many aviation questions by the DPE and then finally after all this was completed, he and his examiner took off for the flight test. This is the final step before being granted a Private Pilot’s license. It’s always a time of great anxiety for any aspiring student pilot and a time of great relief when the test is passed.
Upon successful completion of his FAA check ride Mateo was presented with his Private Pilot’s License by his DPE. At that point, he was all smiles and very happy.
FAA examiner Troy Townsend was very complimentary about Mateo’s readiness for the check ride and also complimented his Certified Flight Instructor, Michael Abernathy of Sun Aviation for a good teaching job. Troy further complimented EAA Chapter 534 for Mateo’s support and encouraged them to continue to advocate for General Aviation in this way.
The national Ray Scholarship Fund flight education program is awarded through local EAA chapters who qualify. Mateo was the first Aviation Youth member of EAA Chapter 534 to receive this $10,000 scholarship and it is their hope that this award will become an annual event.
It has always been a dream of Mateo to become a commercial pilot and now he has completed this first big step.
The chapter wishes Mateo continued success as he continues to move ahead towards his goals to one day be an airline pilot.
If you would like to find out more about EAA Chapter 534 or EAA in general, you may go to the following web sites < www.534.eaachapter.org > < www.eaa.org >
(Photos taken by Ted Luebbers and Steve Tilford)
