ZK: How did you become involved in aviation?

 

HB: Aviation is still a relatively new field to me. My interest, however, began before I could remember. As my mother would recall, I’ve always shown a particular interest in planes. On one of my first trips to Florida (I believe I was 5 years old), it became overwhelmingly clear to my mother that I loved flying. While planes scared or upset other children, my mother recalls how I found them fascinating. She says she vividly remembers me begging to go home once we arrived at the baggage claim. She figured it was normal for a child to miss home. When she asked me why I was eager to go home shortly after arriving, my answer was the first indication of what I’d be doing 15 years later: “I want to fly!”

 

While I have been interested in aviation for as long as I can remember, I was not actively involved until March 2020. My introduction began with a discovery flight similar to most pilots. At the conclusion of this flight, aviation was not something I wanted to pursue but had to pursue.

 

ZK: Share with us the background regarding your practical test.

 

HB: I began flight training in March 2020 and received my pilot certificate the following November 2020. I must start by mentioning that coordinated flight was a stranger to me at the time; the only time I truly used the rudder pedals was on takeoff or landing - a recipe for disaster. Come the day of my check ride, the disaster came to fruition. I entered into an unintentional spin during a power-on stall and, obviously, failed. A week later, I passed my check ride and received my certificate, yet I didn’t feel a sense of accomplishment. Not only did I feel humiliated, but I was truly afraid of flying. I didnt’ know (at the time) what I had done to make the aircraft spin, or how to have corrected it. With this, I did not fly again for five months. 

 

ZK: Who encouraged you to work through your apprehension?

 

HB: Ryan Tierney, (pictured right) the captain of the Metropolitan State University of Denver aerobatic team, had been my friend since we began college. I knew him to be an amazing friend and an even better pilot. In the early months of me having a PPL, he would ask me regularly to go flying with him. When excuse after excuse arose, he eventually asked me if I was afraid of flying. With my response, Ryan developed a solution, aerobatics. He pushed me to start aerobatic training and join the team by promising that this fear of flying would go away and that my passion for aviation would return. He was right!

ZK: Why competition aerobatics?

HB: Through the university, competing is mandatory for sponsorship. This requirement, however, is not why I compete. Competition is where we see the results of all the hours of practice. I began my training in the Super Decathlon, but as maintenance issues arose, the Super D was not an option. Dagmar Kress, MSU Denver’s aerobatic coach, offered the team her Pitts S-2C to compete and practice with. I was the only one who wasn’t yet comfortable in the Super D, so I figured, why not?

When she decided to return to competition, she was still gracious enough to let me compete in her plane. Only now, the aircraft in mind was her Extra NG. While I enjoyed and valued my time in her planes, the true accomplishment was that I could fly with Dagmar. She taught me so much beyond the scope of aerobatics, and that was invaluable. From Dagmar,(pictured lower right) I learned that the best part of competition is not the competition itself, but the people you will meet and the relationships you develop.

ZK: What volunteer positions have you held? Which were the most rewarding?

HB: I've been a recorder and assistant judge, although, against popular belief, my most rewarding time was spent as a boundary judge (aka the corner). In the earlier part of the season, I despised being at the corner, but as the season went on, I developed an affinity for it. It’s an incredible place to see these amazing pilots in action!

ZK: What’s on the horizon?

HB: I aspire to compete for as long as I can in aerobatics. However, should I not be able to compete, I plan on to stay involved for as long as possible. My goal is to create a non-profit that helps to diversify the field we love. I believe that aerobatics is an amazing place to build relationships and to learn from people who have accumulated their own successes in aviation and outside of it. The flying is not too bad either!

 

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IAC #441728

IAC Chapter: 12

Occupation: Full-time Student at the Metropolitan State University of Denver