Gallatin teen secures pilot license through school program
GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — A high school student is taking flight after becoming the first student in the school’s aviation program to earn her private pilot’s license.
Now, not even the sky is the limit for Addison DeWitt, as she plans her next steps after high school.
For the last two years, the Liberty Creek aviation program has taught students about aviation and aerospace through high-tech flight simulators, allowing students to learn the basics before taking flight.
BNA ranked among most punctual airports
“We have four virtual reality simulators,” aviation teacher Keye Perry said. “Those were the first in high schools across the country. These were also used at the Air Force Academy, and now they are used for many other flight schools.”
DeWitt is a senior at Liberty Creek High School. She started her flight training as a junior at LCHS.
“I had room for an elective, so I kind of just jotted one down and ended up loving it,” DeWitt said. “Being up there and being able to see the sky in front of you and being able to control which direction it moves, it was incredible the first time I went up, and I just fell in love with the feeling.”
DeWitt found her love for flying by taking introductory classes in aerospace and aviation before starting her training at Jet Access, where she had flight classes three times a week.
“She has put in a lot of hard work on her own,” Perry said. “I will tell you that there are times that she will come in and I’m like, ‘So what did you do today?’ And she is like, ‘I woke up at 4:30 and went out to airfield so I could get some flight time in.'”
📧 Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts →
With 70 hours of flight time, DeWitt passed her private pilot test in February.
She said she is looking forward to her future and sharing her love of flying with family and friends.
“I am going to fly my best friend out to Tullahoma, and we are going to go skydiving,” DeWitt said.
“There’s a lot of benefits that come with being an airline pilot, and I’ve always loved traveling,” DeWitt said. “I’ve always loved seeing parts of the world, and I just think this will be an amazing way to do it.”
DeWitt told News 2 that she will attend Purdue University and will complete their three-year bachelor’s degree in professional flight. She added that she hopes to become a commercial pilot while also teaching a future generation of pilots.
“Just being able to move through this and see that it is possible,” DeWitt explained. “Something that I have dreamed of doing since I was little, even though I didn’t know I could, has just been surreal and amazing.”
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
