Teen Pilot

TRANSCRIPT
Teen Pilot

NARRATOR:
Kyan Bovee has big dreams for his future. He wants to fly planes. Kyan is part of a program in Detroit that teaches young people how to become pilots. About 30 high school students join the Flight Academy each year. Their classroom is the sky above Detroit’s small Coleman A. Young airport. The program, which is free thanks to donations, is for teenagers aged 14 to 19 who want to be professional pilots. Students learn how to fly, study aircraft maintenance, and take classes to get a private pilot license. Kyan found out about the academy when he was 13. A neighbour, who works as an aircraft mechanic, told him about it. At that time, Kyan had never even been in a plane.

SOUNDBITE - Kyan Bovee: 
“It was something I really fell in love with. I enjoyed it. I thought it was so cool. I was actually behind a small airplane at the controls.”

NARRATOR:
Kyan is now studying aviation at community college. Later, he plans to continue his flight training at university. His goal is to become an airline pilot.

SOUNDBITE - Kyan Bovee:
“Being a pilot is a very cool experience. It takes a lot of hard work, studying, dedication.”

NARRATOR:
More and more people want to travel by plane, and many pilots are retiring. As a result, airlines need to find new pilots. Experts say that in the US, there will be about 18,000 pilot jobs open every year in the next 10 years. For Kyan and his classmates, the journey starts now. They are learning the skills they need for a future in the skies.