Tech Topics - Winter 2008 - (Page 22)

STUDENT LIFE Going Airborne With the Flying Club Started by World War II veterans, Tech’s pilot program helps students, faculty, staff and alumni take to the skies By Van Jensen I private license and a year to earn an instrument rating. “I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to become an n the 62-year history of the Yellow Jacket Flying instructor, and I earned my commercial and flight Club, there has never been a single accident. It’s a instructor certificates in 1996,” she said. “I’ve been a remarkable feat, given the thousands of flights club flight instructor in the club since.” members have made in The club first formed in that time. 1946, when Tech received a It seems an important surplus plane from the fact to remind oneself when military. Many of the Institute’s readying for a flight in one students had flown in World of the club’s four Cessna 172 War II, and in the club’s first planes and trying to ignore year nearly 50 members signed the gusts of wind whipping up to fly for fun on Saturday through the Fulton County afternoons out of Candler Airport. Field, which has since grown Club president Ryan into Hartsfield-Jackson Rodd, a seventh-year civil International Airport. engineering and computer During that time the science major, carefully took flying club also has grown and a passenger through the list now boasts well more than 100 of safety precautions on the active members. They’re a true 1979 aircraft before cross section of the Yellow strapping in and taxiing to Jacket community, young and the runway. not so young, female and male. With surprising ease, On a recent Saturday the four-seat plane sped up when a couple of dozen and hopped into the air, members gathered at the bobbing slightly in the cross airport, they only took a break wind as the horizon fell from the skies to catch the end below. of Tech’s football game against That exact moment — Clemson. of the plane breaking contact As soon as the game with the ground and surging ended in a Yellow Jackets PHOTOS: GARY MEEK into the sky — is what most victory, they headed right back A Yellow Jacket Flying Club member takes off from Fulton County Airport on a windy Saturday in October. club members say hooked for the planes. them on flying. They often hear of the club through a As Rodd guided the plane east toward the city The club is open to Tech students, faculty, staff, friend or see its posters around campus and decide to and over the Tech campus, he looked over for a alumni and their immediate family members. give it a shot. When they take off that first time, more moment from the multitude of knobs, levers and dials Members pay for their flight time to cover fuel costs often than not a lifelong love is forged. and smiled wide. “Do you like roller coasters?” he and a fee for lessons, but members said it’s by far the Tina Heil, ME 96, had that experience as a asked his passenger. cheapest and easiest way to learn how to fly. sophomore at Tech. A lab partner mentioned the club This is the appeal of flying, the pilots say, the For Heil, it took only four months to earn her during class, and that afternoon she was flying over Atlanta. “I signed up for the club at the next meeting,” she said. “I had no idea it was actually possible for me to earn my license as a college student. I thought it was a rich person’s activity.” 22 TechTopics | Winter 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tech Topics - Winter 2008

Tech Topics - Winter 2008 Contents Letters Buzz Around Town Alumni House Rockin’ Good Time State of the Institute The Hill Presidential Search Going Airborne Student Life An Architect’s Eyes Weight Coach Robot Burdell & Friends Ramblin’ Roll Rural Readers Leading Ladies Yellow Jackets Beyond His Years Leading Change Real World

Tech Topics - Winter 2008

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