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Wiles takes
flight
After more than three decades of wondering what it would
be like to soar through the skies solo, David "Gunner" Wiles
could think of only one word to describe it.
"Exhilarating," said the Salina Airport Authority's manager of
operations. "We landed on the runway, my instructor got out and
watched me do three stop and go's."
Wiles had about 10 hours of flight training under his
belt when his America Jet instructor, Charlie Soljka, let him loose in the
Cessna 172N Skyhawk.
"I didn't even realize I was flying by myself until about the third
stop and go," said an ecstatic Wiles. "I was too busy worrying
about the procedures."
No stranger to traditions, the retired chief warrant officer's shirttail
was removed and now hangs in his office next to legions of Marine Corps and
firefighting memorabilia.
According to aviation lore, the removal of the student pilot's shirttail
stems from the days of tandem trainers, when an instructor would pull on
the student pilot's shirttail to get his attention then shout into his ear.
The instructor removes the shirttail to signify his faith that the student
no longer requires a shirttail.
"We usually tell people they can solo at around 10 to 12 hours, but
many stay until 15," said Soljka, who is also an aviation maintenance
instructor at KSU. "When Gunner decided he wanted to learn to fly, he
really made the commitment to fly regularly and I was able to solo him in
fairly record time. I have every confidence in him as a pilot."
The first phase of training is learning the basics of takeoff and landing
and how to communicate with tower. Then there is a written exam and a
medical certificate.
"After 30 years of waiting, it's just as cool as I thought it'd
be," he said.
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