NEW BERN, N.C.—On Monday (June 14), D2 Flight Academy (D2FA) welcomed 20 Air Force JROTC cadets to their campus to begin a 60-day pilot training program to earn their Private Pilot License.
The Summer Flight Academy program is a unique partnership that brings together cadets from all over the country to expose them to aviation in a college environment surrounded by experts in the field. Each of these future aviators have already undergone a rigorous and competitive selection process to be counted among the few who will be tested in an intense 60-day program.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to share with these outstanding cadets our passion for aviation,” D2FA President Darryl Centanni said. “Our job is to provide the training, aircraft, instruction and resources as these future aviators take their first steps towards service to the country.”
The mission of the Air Force Junior ROTC (AFJROTC) is to instill in their student the values of character, citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment. This program and partnership reflect that commitment.
“We have designed a unique program for these young people,” AFJROTC Supervisor Wally Calabrese said. “We have combined our experience and training with the Craven Community College of Aviation Program with our expertise in developing private and commercial pilots.”
This condensed program will take students from their first flight to certification with 40 hours of flight time in 8 weeks. D2FA has dedicated their entire fleet of training aircraft to this purpose. In addition, each cadet will receive instruction in the state of art Redbird simulator as well as several hours of classroom teaching that includes Jeppesen’s pilot training courseware.
“Our dedicated staff will strive to inspire a sense of accomplishment while emphasizing the importance of serving their nation and community,” Centanni said. “We pride ourselves on modeling the type of behavior that the Air Force JROTC program desires to instill in their cadets.”