CTWG: CT and other State Cadets attend National Activities

It was a birthday present of sorts for Heather Gould.

The 17-year-old from Sheridan, Wyo., celebrated her birthday Tuesday as one of 21 other Civil Air Patrol cadets from across the country who came to Fremont to earn their flying wings.

The 21 Civil Air Patrol cadets are participating in a two-week National Flight Academy Power Track North Central Region at Camp Ashland where cadets get 24 hours of classroom instruction and 10 hours of flight instruction, which culminates in a solo flight for each one, said CAP Lt. Col. David Plum, commander of the camp.

While the camp is based at Camp Ashland, cadets fly in and out of Fremont Municipal Airport for flight instruction, Plum said.

“This is one of five Civil Air Patrol flight instruction camps across the country,” he said. “This one started in 2000, and when the Nebraska Wing of CAP decided to start the flight academy they looked at where people could be housed and what airports were nearby.

“Fremont’s a great location for us,” Plum continued. “It’s a great airport, and a nice town. This is one of the best general aviation airports around.”

The camp has 21 CAP cadets ranging in age from 16 to 21. They are from Florida, California, Hawaii, Connecticut, Kansas and Nebraska. The three Nebraska cadets are from Lincoln and Omaha.

While two of them are from Lincoln, Daniel Deever, 17, is the cadet from Omaha.

He said he joined CAP five years ago because his sister did, but when she stopped being active three years ago, his involvement in CAP increased.

“I wanted to be involved in something,” Deever said. “I love flying, and I love the military.”

Deever said he’s involved in three aspects of CAP: Aerospace, emergency services and leadership.

This isn’t his first trip to Fremont.

“If a plane goes down or someone goes missing, we get called to search,” Deever said. “We come to Fremont every year to do search and rescue training.”

But it’s the leadership aspect of the program he appreciates the most.

“When I first joined, I didn’t like talking to people,” he said. “CAP made me have to. Then I started enjoying it and enjoying helping the new members that join.”

But it’s the flight that makes this visit to Fremont more memorable than the others.

“That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “It didn’t occur to me until we were heading out (from the airport) that day that I know how to fly an airplane and safely land it. To be able to do that -- especially as a teenager -- is pretty amazing.”

Plum said CAP used seven airplanes flying in and out of the Fremont Municipal Airport for flight training and for solo flying. All flights started and ended at Fremont’s airport, but they also made use of the airports at Wahoo and Scribner.

This year, the group had a bit of luck.

“The weather didn’t hurt us,” he said. “Sometimes we get low ceilings. If you can’t get airplanes at least 2,500 feet above the ground, you can’t do anything. We lucked out this year with the weather. It either rained early or rained late.”

The camp ends tonight as cadets graduate and receive their wings for their solo flights, Plum said.

Gould said that’s what she’s been dreaming about.

“I have always dreamed of flying,” she said. “When I soloed, it was the most gratifying experience -- up in the air by yourself in control of the airplane. It was an amazing experience. I wasn’t really nervous for my solo flight. I was more nervous for my first flight (with an instructor). I knew what I was doing when I soloed. I was more excited than nervous.”