What do you want to be when you grow up?

It’s a question we all heard as children. For students in Western Colorado, one local program is helping them explore an answer through aviation.

Bruce Erickson and Matthew Jeffers pose for a photo in the cockpit of the Aeroprakt A22LS shortly after landing at the Mack-Mesa Airport.

Founded in 2015 by members of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Chapter 800 (EAA800), HAWK Aviators gives junior high and high school students hands-on experience in aircraft maintenance, flight training and other aviation careers. 

“More pilots are aging out of the system,” said volunteer John Caldwell, 77. “We want to kindle interest among kids and give them some hands-on experience to see if aeronautics might be a good fit for them.”

Every Saturday, Caldwell and a dedicated team of volunteers gather at the hangar at Mack-Mesa Airport to teach, mentor and inspire. The first Saturday of the month is a building day, where students work with mentors on restoration projects. The second and fourth Saturdays are ground school classes, where they learn everything from bending sheet metal to understanding the role of an air traffic controller. The third Saturday is reserved for EAA meetings, but students still show up to learn and have fun. 

LAUNCHING A LIFELONG INTEREST

Mentors include former pilots, engineers and aviation enthusiasts like Pat Wehling, 77, who has worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and flown for Mesa Airlines. 

“I’m on my third airplane restoration here,” said Wehling. 

Wehling works closely with Landon McPhail, 16, who joined HAWK a year ago. 

“I just like learning about all the various systems—the electrical, the engine and the frame design, and seeing how they all work together,” McPhail said.

HAWK Aviators students and mentors stand in front of the Piper Cherokee, a restored aircraft used to train student pilots.

Another mentor, Erik Cornelison, 60, once built a submarine as a kid and later served in the Navy before he and his wife became hot air balloon pilots. Now, he shares that passion with HAWK students using ballooning equipment donated to the group.

“HAWK Aviators is an amazing program. My kids have both been part of it,” Cornelison said. “My oldest son is interested in an air traffic control career, and the youngest is leaning toward aeronautical engineering. They’ve both benefited from being here, and there was a place for me as well.”

Even volunteers with no aviation background, like Jeri Hurt, 75, play an important role. A retired science teacher, she first connected with the EAA after accepting an invitation to tour the hangar, and soon began bringing her students on annual field trips. Today, she serves as HAWK’s cook and takes pride in watching the kids build, learn and pursue their passions.

INSPIRED BY THE SKIES

Funding for HAWK comes from community donations, grants and two major fundraisers—a golf tournament and annual peach sales. Restored aircraft are sometimes sold to reinvest in the program. 

“We have been fortunate to acquire a couple of crafts to get us started,” said Caldwell. “Three college professors donated the Piper Cherokee after it sat outside for 10 years. West Star Aviation donated paint and a place to work on it and several others donated supplies and funds. The HAWK kids also helped, and it became our training aircraft.”

HAWK recently sold the Piper Cherokee and replaced it with a Ukrainian-built Aeroprakt A22LS Light Sport aircraft, which is more economical to fly.

For older students, HAWK offers discounted flight training. Matthew Jeffers, 23, recently earned his private pilot’s license after working toward it since 2021. 

“There are other flight training programs in the area, but it was a matter of cost for me,” Jeffers said. “I was able to pay a smaller cost to rent the Piper Cherokee, and Bruce Erickson, HAWK’s president and a retired American Airlines pilot, volunteered his time to be my instructor.”

Volunteer Rocky looks on as his son, Brock, 10, works at the fabrication table to help build an airplane from scratch.

Students also learn to build an aircraft from the ground up—from riveting frames to installing electrical and engine components. Electrical engineer Jerry Friedman, who is certified to work on aircraft engines and authorized to perform official inspections, oversees much of the technical work.

Amelia Wimsatt, 11, was inspired to join HAWK after learning about her namesake, Amelia Earhart.

“Ever since I learned about Amelia Earhart and dressed up as her for Halloween, I’ve been interested in flying,” said Wimsatt. “I am learning a lot about how planes work, and I like working on things here. I think I would like to fly some kind of plane one day, but I don’t want to be a commercial pilot.”

Leah Talbott, 16, hopes to study aeronautical engineering at the Air Force Academy. 

“I worked with my dad repairing the inside of the Piper Cherokee,” said Talbott, whose father, Donovan, is also a licensed pilot. “It’s a good place to learn something new, and learn how to figure out what type of aviation field you’re interested in.”

HARD WORK & HIGH HOPES

In the last 10 years, eight HAWK students have earned their pilot’s licenses before graduating high school. There are several who now work full time in the aviation industry.

HAWK Aviators mentors and students, from left: Jason, 14; Sterling Hurst, 81; Bryant, 14; Brayden, 11; Brock, 10 and Bruce Erickson, 70.

One of HAWK’s success stories is Christa Jankeviciute. Originally from Lithuania, she rode her bike 12 miles to Mack-Mesa Airport every Saturday. Through HAWK, she flew hot air balloons, a glider and the Piper Cherokee. She now works as a flight instructor in Pensacola, Florida, and was recently featured in “Mentor,” the official magazine of the National Association of Flight Instructors.

HAWK Aviators also offers field trips, including visits to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin—one of the largest aviation symposiums in the world. Scholarships may also be available to help with flight training costs.

“We look forward to recruiting more mentors and students,” said Erickson, 70. “An interest in aviation is helpful, but people who enjoy working with kids and can teach basic machinery skills are welcome.”

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