High School Student Earns Pilot Certificate Through New IWU Aviation Program

Graduate high school—nearly there.
Get a degree in aeronautical engineering—coming soon.
Fly—complete.

Ethan Lyon spent his summer in Marion, Indiana, moving back and forth daily between two locations: Indiana Wesleyan University’s residential campus and Marion Municipal Airport. Ethan lived in Indiana this summer because he was accepted into a flight training program offered by the U.S. Air Force.

Over eight weeks, the Air Force Junior ROTC Flight Academy—offered in partnership with IWU, Jeff Air Pilot Services, and Air Marion, Inc.—took 17 students from ground school all the way to the skies. This highly competitive program offered a limited number of applicants full scholarships for the purpose of inspiring high school students to pursue aviation careers.

Most of the students entered with little to no flight training or experience, but all 17 students left campus with their private pilot certificates.

“I’ve always loved airplanes and learning about them. I always looked to the sky and watched every airplane that flew by,” Ethan said. “No family in aviation—I’m the first one.”

Ethan officially passed all of his examinations, earning his pilot’s certificate on Aug. 3, 2021, just a few days before the program ended. His family back in North Carolina is proud of him, he says, and they’re looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

This school year, he hopes to apply for the aeronautical engineering program at the Air Force Academy, graduate from high school, and keep building flight hours. His ultimate goal? To fly cargo for the U.S. Air
Force. This summer at IWU has given him a head start.

“It’s a dream fulfilled. So it’s wonderful, and I’m glad to have been a part of this program.”

Written by Rachel Ashley ‘11