Local aviation students still soaring after their dreams

Where are they now? Catching up with a few grads of the Aviation Science & Technology program at Pellston Regional Airport 

When Anna VarnHagen was approaching her senior year of high school in Petoskey, she was considering options for her future. One of them included becoming a flight attendant.

Then she realized she could be the one flying the plane. 

And, it gets even better: She could get her private pilot’s license while still in high school, through the unparalleled Aviation Science & Technology program housed at Pellston Regional Airport.

“All the way up to my senior year of high school, I had no idea I wanted to pursue aviation. I actually submitted almost all my college applications at the beginning of the year with the intent of pursuing anthropology as a major,” said VarnHagen, a 2023 Petoskey High School graduate. “The aviation class changed my entire career path. The only reason I took the class initially was because I thought being a flight attendant would be a fun job. I had no idea at the time that less than a year later I would be a licensed pilot.”

Aviation Science & Technology is one of the few high school classes in the nation where a student gets real flight time and can earn their private pilot’s license at the same time as a high school diploma. Local students have access to top-of-the-line flight simulators to aid in their training and flight time with a certified instructor. In the school-year-long program, the students – mostly juniors and seniors – learn about a variety of aviation-related careers, from becoming private or commercial pilots to air traffic control and aviation maintenance. 

The program has grown since its launch in the 2016-17 school year, including adding flight time for students in addition to intense ground school training. Students are walked through all the steps they need for private pilot licensure, including the ability to take the required FAA exam. 

Coordinated by Char-Em ISD’s Career and Technical Education Department, the class is housed at Pellston Regional Airport, hosted by Alanson Public Schools, instructed by former Marine helicopter pilot Duane Enos, and fueled by future aviators.

“The class definitely inspired me to pursue a career in aviation. No one in my family flies so it was daunting to be the first,” said VarnHagen. “Some of the other students and the instructor of the class became like a support system and really helped me along the route of pursuing my private license. Being able to get the majority of my flight time and license paid for was also a huge help. Flying is not cheap and being able to come into college with my private license already in hand is something I am so grateful for.” 

VarnHagen is currently in her sophomore year at Western Michigan University, studying Aviation Flight Science working toward her instrument rating – the next step toward receiving her commercial license. 

“Being in the aviation industry I have met some amazing people and have been able to learn so much,”said VarnHagen, 19. “As of now, I do not know exactly what I want to do, but as long as I’m flying I’ll be happy.”

On Nancy Hohlbein’s radar: Working for the NOAA weather service 

The aviation industry has made no secret about its dire need for pilots; shortages are anticipated as a large percentage of current captains are nearing or at retirement age. More than 600,000 pilots will be needed in the next 20 years, as well as 610,000 aviation mechanics. 

Stats like those have made aviation programs highly competitive, including the predominant programs in Michigan at Western Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, and Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. 

Most programs now have waitlists and competitive rubrics for admission, including, often times, having a private pilot’s license in hand already.

Coming out of the high school program in Pellston, local students are finding an advantage over their untrained peers.

Nancy Hohlbein, a classmate of VarnHagen in the Petoskey class of 2023, is taking a similar path. She is also enrolled at Western, majoring in Aviation Flight Science. She, too, found excitement and a passion for flying in the aviation program during the 2022-23 school year.

“The highlights of taking the aviation class were getting my private pilot’s license while I was still in high school and not having to pay for it, as well as spending time with other people who were also passionate about aviation,” said Hohlbein, 19. “Even though taking the class was not what originally inspired me to pursue a career in aviation, it definitely made me feel like it was possible and gave me some of the knowledge that has helped me continue my aviation education.”

Hohlbein is now beginning to work toward her instrument rating, “which will allow me to fly in fog and clouds and in other situations where visibility is reduced,” she said.

Such skills will be necessary for her planned career path: joining the NOAA Corps Aviation Department after graduating from WMU. Part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, NOAA Corps members pilot aircraft that collect data for a variety of purposes including hurricane and flood prediction (including the famous “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft), nautical charting, disaster response, and data collection for resource management. 

She’s excited for what the future holds. “I would say that you have to go into this field knowing that it is going to take work and to be prepared to study hard, but it is all so worth it when you love what you do,” advised Hohlbein.

Peter Tippett: ‘I feel like I got a jump-start in college’

The flight time, experience, training, and connections made in the Aviation Science & Technology program are unparalleled for high school students preparing to embark on their futures in aviation fields. 

Peter Tippett was enrolled in the aviation program’s second and third years of operations, 2017-18 and 2018-19, prior to when students were able to log flying hours but still learning invaluable information in “ground school” to propel them toward aviation careers.

A 2020 graduate of Harbor Springs High School, Tippett, now 22, lives in Prescott, Ariz., home of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a preeminent U.S. flight school. 

“I always knew when I was a small child that I wanted to be a pilot so when I saw this new class called aviation to be offered, I jumped on it right away,” said Tippett. “At that time, though, all I knew was that I wanted to be a pilot, I had no clue what it took to be a pilot, and that was what the class showed me. Our instructors were people who also worked in the aviation industry, so they were able to give us real-life scenarios which made classes fun and lively. Even after getting this little taste of what it’s like to be a pilot, it cemented that this is what I wanted to do.”

Tippett enrolled at Embry Riddle, where he felt well-prepared to work toward his bachelor’s degree in aviation. “I feel like I got a jump-start because a lot of my freshman year classes went over very similar information that was taught in the aviation course,” he recalled. 

Currently, Tippett holds his private pilot’s license and is nearing the end of his instrument rating training. He is also working on his high-performance rating, which is an endorsement that allows someone to act as pilot-in-command of a high-performance airplane with an engine of more than 200 horsepower.

“After my instrument rating, I plan on continuing to get my commercial license and multi-engine rating. Unfortunately, at the start of my training, I ran into an unknown medical issue which threw a wrench into things. Thankfully, after a few years, I was able to get everything sorted with the FAA and I am moving through the flight training process seamlessly,” he said.

Tippett’s immediate future plans include becoming a CFI (certified flight instructor) or flying for a private jet charter company so he can build hours to meet the minimum to become a commercial airline pilot. “Once I get my minimum hours, I hope to fly for either Delta or American and work my way up to senior captain. After I reach senior captain for a very long-term goal, I plan to also manage a private jet charter company,” he said.

All of these former students have found the benefits in making further connections in the aviation industry while pursuing their pilot paths. For instance, Hohlbein works in the College of Aviation “in Line” at WMU which deals with taking care of the fleet of airplanes and the college grounds. 

On weekends, VarnHagen volunteers at the Air Zoo, an aerospace and science museum in Kalamazoo. She helps in their restoration department, helping to rebuild the last SBD-1 Dauntless (an American WWII dive bomber) left in the world. She also works at WMU’s aviation campus as a student assistant for the Dean’s Suite.

Kurtis Mainland: ‘It helped verify that aviation was the career path that was right for me’

Kurtis Mainland is another aviation program graduate who is grateful to have been able to start flying in high school. He graduated from Petoskey High School in 2023 and is currently in his second year NMC in Traverse City, with his private pilot’s license and commercial license with instrument rating in hand, while racking up hours – 250 so far – toward future aviation goals.

“The aviation class in high school was really great. It helped me verify that aviation was the career path that was right for me. A highlight of the program was also the paid flight time. Flying is expensive and if it is paid for that is awesome,” said Mainland, 19. “The class definitely inspired me towards aviation. It brought really good and needed knowledge to me that I would need in my future, as well as encouraging a hard-working mindset.”

Mainland is continuing to work toward the many levels of required flight time on his way toward commercial piloting.

“Currently I am on a CFI (certified flight instructor) waitlist at NMC and I am also about to start working on my multi-engine license,” he noted. “I am also working on my associate’s degree from NMC, then will be continuing next semester towards my bachelor’s through Davenport University.”

Mainland said he hopes to get his CFI license early in the new year. “When I get my multi-engine license I plan to fly charter out of Gaylord as well as possibly CFI somewhere. Once I have completed all of my 1,250 hours, I plan to go work at the airlines. I’m not sure which airline exactly, but Delta or United are my top two choices.”

Forrester Neff: Most recent grad has 56 flight hours and still going strong

Enrolling in the local high school program saves students and their families thousands of dollars by covering flight time and required FAA exam fees. For example, 40 hours of flight time – the amount necessary to earn a private pilot’s license – costs approx. $10,000. 

Forrester Neff, a 2024 graduate of Crooked Tree High School in Harbor Springs, enrolled in the Aviation Science & Technology program at the start of his senior year, 2023-24. In the spring of 2024, he was awarded an $11,000 scholarship from the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Chapter 1087 of Harbor Springs toward his flight training, which helped propel him on his path.

Neff, 18, who lives in Good Hart, was grateful for the award. “I was able to focus on getting my private pilot’s license after receiving the scholarship, and I will continue moving forward on the path of getting my commercial license,” said Neff. 

Neff is currently taking general education classes through Davenport University, and plans to start in the aviation program at NMC in Traverse City in May 2025. With 56 hours of flight time logged, Neff will next turn his sights to studying instrument rated flying at NMC and building from there. 

The aviation class set him on a path he’s excited to pursue into his future. “The aviation class was so much fun, with all the cool people and opportunities we had, such as taking a tour of someone’s private jet,” Neff recalled. “It’s definitely a very good class to take if you want to pursue aviation. It helps you stay focused on the ground portion, and with the simulator time it definitely helps later on as well. It is very helpful that the school does pay for some flight time as well. It definitely inspired me to pursue a career in aviation.”

He said he hopes the local aviation class can continue to grow. “I would love to see it grow and get more funding and attention. Hopefully one day it can get its own plane and possibly some more instructors,” Neff said. “Captain Enos really has it streamlined well and it’s formatted in a way where it’s still a lot of work, but manageable and interesting.” 

Fly from nearby – in high school!

The hours and commitment can indeed be strenuous in an industry that is, understandably, highly regulated for safety. Thousands of hours of flight time are necessary to advance through the ranks. 

Being able to start on this lengthy process in high school provides a distinct advantage to local students. 

“To anyone considering an aviation career, I would say you should pursue it. Working towards my pilot’s license involved the most work and studying I ever had to do, but in turn, it was the most rewarding thing I have ever done,” said Tippett. “And this career keeps giving, the views you get to take in and the places it takes you are unbelievable. Aviation is also a large field, and many other aviation-related jobs are needed so if being a pilot is not for you there are other options.”

To students considering taking the aviation class while still in high school, Tippett strongly encourages it: “I would recommend the aviation class to anyone who has any sort of interest in aviation. This class is the perfect little taste to see if aviation is for you without spending all the money on flight training. Worst comes to worst it shows you that maybe aviation is not for you, but I think it’ll show most people what it showed me – that aviation is more than a job, it’s a passion.”

Even for those who aren’t sure if aviation is their firm path, if there is any interest these former students encourage high schoolers to check out the program. 

“I would say to take the aviation class if you have the time and hard-working mindset needed. The class is great and I highly recommend it, because if you are on the fence about aviation or don’t know what you want to do after high school, it will tell you if aviation is for you or not,” Mainland said. “It also will help you further down the road in your aviation path. It is challenging and very time consuming, but in the long run after those checkride passes it is so worth it. The views you get are unbelievable, as well as the memories, and I am not even done yet. It is an amazing path and I look forward to my future.”

Any Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education program is open to any student, in any Char-Em district! Ask your high school counselor how to enroll. Learn more about the Aviation Science & Technology class and all CTE programs online: www.charemisdcareertech.org. 

 

‘Get your private pilot’s license before college’

Garin Janicki, a student in the first year of the Aviation Science & Technology program in 2016-17, shares his path to success and advice with future aviators 

As one of the first students to take the Aviation Science & Technology program in the 2016-17 school year, Garin Janicki looks back on the foundation it provided for his trajectory into the aviation industry. 

He recalled his instructor, Larry Froede, working hard to give students real-world glimpses into the life of being a pilot, often asking private pilots utilizing Pellston Regional Airport’s general aviation facilities to come in and talk to the students.

“It was very fun to talk to those who were in the position that all of us students wanted to be in,” recalled Janicki. “The program for sure helped me push my career toward the aviation route. Being at a busy airport (for northern Michigan) really helped immerse ourselves into the industry and see what a pilot’s everyday life would be like.”

Janicki also took the aviation class during the 2017-18 school year, the year which he graduated from Harbor Springs High School. Now 24 and continuing to build his career in aviation, Janicki’s path provides great insight for students wondering about how a potential pilot path might take shape.

After high school, Janicki continued flying in Boyne City with Leon Jarema to finish his private pilot license, which he received on July 2, 2018. On July 3, he left for Army basic training. After finishing basic training and advanced individual training in the early days of November 2018, he returned home and was placed on the waitlist at Northwestern Michigan College’s aviation program. 

“After some hurdles and bumps (mostly COVID related), I graduated NMC with my part 141 Commercial Rating with an instrument rating, seaplane, and multi-engine add-on by November of 2020,” Janicki said. 

In January 2012, he was hired by North Country Aviation located in Gaylord, where he accumulated over 500 hours flying part 135 as a co-pilot in the King air 90, King Air 200, and Cessna 421. He is still employed by this company. In January 2024, he was hired by Northern Michigan Jet Services out of Pellston and Gaylord, where he flies mechanics across the Midwest and central U.S. as a captain in the Cessna 310 and 421.

“As of October I have a Conditional Offer of Employment with Skywest. Because I went to a part 141 flight school (NMC) and got an associate’s degree, I am able to be hired by the airlines at 1,225 total hours instead of 1,500 total time,” Janicki said, and adding with excitement, “My current total hours are 1,200.4 JUST UNDER 25 TO GO!!!!!!!!”

His future plans are to fly for Skywest and travel with his girlfriend, Rachel. “Then when I accumulate enough hours, I plan to take a ‘pathway’ into Delta Airlines where I would most definitely retire from,” he said. 

Thinking back to his time in the aviation class in Pellston, Janicki said he is grateful for the skills it taught him that he still uses every day.

“My one big piece of advice I would have wished I would have followed while at the school was to pay attention to everything taught. You WILL USE a lot of what you are taught in the early stages of flying,” he emphasized.

The class also helped seal the deal that aviation was the path for him.

“This class really helped make my decision that ‘Yes, this is the career I want to do.’ Also, flying with a large price cut with the grants really cut the costs of flying up to my first solo flight. Unfortunately, due to other circumstances, the plane was no longer able to be used in the program which is why I continued my flying with Leon Jarema out of Boyne City airport,” Janicki said.

He said the ability to get a private pilot’s license in high school is a tremendous opportunity for students.

“Get your private pilot’s license before you go to college. Save yourself the couple thousand dollars and time,” Janicki said. “I 100% recommend getting into the aviation program. Get a jump on those who don’t take advantage of the program you are offered. We all have the same goal for a big time job, but it’s always good to get there first!”

Even though his story is inspiring to young aviators, he offered some additional words of advice to high schoolers finding their own journey. 

“You don’t have to follow the same path as everyone else – college or no college, in or out of state,” he said. “Just do whatever path is best for YOU and enjoy the flight.” 

Thanks to Garin for the sunset photo used on this page.