Training and Proficiency

My Mentors, and What They Mean to Me

By Ava Rian Shelly

Friday, September 24, 2021 at 02:31 PM ET

Verified

Ava Shelly has started taking flight lessons in this Cessna 172. Courtesy of Ava Shelly/Mike Shelly

Key Takeaways:

Flight training is exceptionally challenging, particularly in cultivating self-belief, and the article highlights that mentors are indispensable for navigating these difficulties.
Aspiring 13-year-old pilot Ava Rian Shelly exemplifies this by sharing how a diverse network of mentors—including her CFI, a pioneering Naval Flight Officer, and leaders from aviation organizations like EAA and the Ninety-Nines—have provided crucial guidance and support for her aviation dreams.
The author emphasizes the importance of actively engaging as a mentee by seeking advice, welcoming criticism, and being prepared, noting that such relationships are mutually beneficial and significantly ease the path to achieving aviation goals.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Flight training is hard—I mean really hard.

By Ava Rian Shelly