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The One Who Taught Me to Fly: Rookie Meets Rookie

Troy Techau, left, a newly minted CFI, and one of his first students, Victor Cabrales. Troy Techau
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Learning to fly is portrayed as a profoundly transformative and confidence-building experience, with the flight instructor playing a crucial role in a student's personal development.
  • Victor Cabrales pursued his lifelong aviation dream in his 40s, finding a significant mentor in Troy Techau, a retired Army officer and Ph.D. who became his Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).
  • Their shared journey highlights the mutual satisfaction for both student and instructor, fostering a deep passion for aviation that inspires others, including Cabrales' son, and emphasizes the unique privilege of flying.
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Teaching someone to fly can be a life-altering experience on the same level as teaching someone to read, swim, or ride a bike. All these skills increase a person’s confidence and give them a sense of freedom.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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