by Scott Fogo
I was sixteen years old in 1986 when the original Top Gun movie debuted. I think many of us from that generation dreamed of piloting an F-14 fighter, flying around with our hair on fire. Unbeknownst to my parents, I would often quote Tom Cruise right before slamming down the accelerator of their brand new Ford Thunderbird, “Maverick supersonic! I’ll be there in 30 seconds.” My parents couldn’t understand why we went through tires so quickly.
Like all (or most) of you, that is the closest I ever came to flying an airplane. The United States Air Force Academy never came knocking at my door (probably something to do with my math scores). I know absolutely nothing about aviation education, flying airplanes, or even the steps to becoming a commercial pilot. But one of the reasons I love being an educator is it inspires me to remain curious and explore pathways for audacious dreams—not for me, but for each new cohort of high school students at Faith Lutheran.
A little over two years ago, after hearing about the looming and disastrous pilot shortage, I asked a USAF Colonel and friend how difficult it was to fly. His answer really surprised me, “not hard at all.” He went on to briefly describe the 15-month process of how the USAF trains a beginner into a fighter pilot. I then asked him, “What is stopping us from starting pilot training for high school students?” A month or so later, Colonel Mike Mathes, who was entering retirement from the Air Force, threw himself into investigating the possibility of starting a flight school associated with Faith Lutheran. The momentum started to build and other surprising doors began to open. Remarkably, we also discovered we had another set of parents who own a respected flight school in the Las Vegas Valley. Fast forward to this past fall, and after several months of continued planning and collective effort, we launched the Faith Lutheran Flight Academy with nearly 40 students enrolled on a pathway to earn a Private Pilot’s License within the calendar year. The idea inspired another family donation of $200,000 to purchase ten flight simulators, prompting us to change the name to the “Oder Family Flight Academy at Faith Lutheran.”
Even as I write this I pause in amazement and marvel at the unusual opportunities the Lord has placed before us at Faith Lutheran. I’m certain that in most communities, curiosity and questions about becoming a pilot would certainly not result in a full-fledged flight school funded and ready to launch in less than two years. We are truly blessed.
At the same time, I believe there are at least three valuable leadership lessons we can learn from this story and other similar experiences I’ve had as a principal.
Intentionally Explore Connections in Your Community
I invite you all to consider the expertise, connections, giftedness, and resources of the people in your own communities. Colonel Mathes’ knowledge, connections, and short-term bandwidth fueled the accumulation of ideas, contacts, costs, service opportunities, possible donors, college credit transfer, etc. He interviewed most of the respectable flight schools in town and learned from other high schools around the country that have aviation programs. He eventually moved on to another job, but his initial investment and support ignited important relationships with college flight programs, nonprofits that support aviation education, and NGO’s that use aviation to serve others. Additionally, his connections to Nellis Air Force Base here in the valley continue to be critical to rounding out our Academy. Our classroom teacher is a parent of two current students and the owner of 702 Aviation. This will give many of our students their first encounter with a Cessna and allow them to explore the many possible careers in the field of aviation. The donors are current parents and grandparents that love flying and love the way a top-notch flight school distinguishes us in the market. They also have a son/grandson who is in the flight program.
Remain Curious about New Pathways of Learning
At the outset, all I knew was that the desperate need for pilots created a story that was attractive for students and parents alike. I also knew that certain students would love this class, and that it opened up possible career pathways that many kids would never consider otherwise. The new program removed some of the largest hurdles that typically stand in the way of an individual becoming a pilot.
Wait for Open Doors and Follow Where the Lord Leads
But here’s the inside scoop! Colonel Mathes wasn’t the first person I talked to about this. He was probably the sixth or seventh out of a dozen. For me, this just provides more evidence that God is in control of this process. Obviously it was God’s plan and not any attribute of mine that found Colonel Mathes. In fact, he didn’t even bite right away. It took him a few weeks to come back to me with his thoughts. Long before I first spoke to him, God had already begun stirring up a passion in Mike to launch something that was bigger than himself. He focused the construction of the academy on using aviation to spread the Gospel message and serving those less fortunate than ourselves. We might not be the only high school with an aviation program, but I’m confident we are the only high school flight school with an evangelistic purpose at its core. In the end, I played such a small role in all of this. All I did was pray and talk to people about an idea. God blessed these efforts, opened doors, and presented the solution that He wanted.
What new opportunities for your kids might be possible in your community? Do you dream about those? Do you talk to people and pray about those dreams? Since we know that God places these ideas in our heads anyway, if it is His will, we know He will bring them to completion.
Scott Fogo is the Principal of Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at fogos@flhsemail.org.