SKY’S THE LIMIT
Bismarck instructor teaches high school students how to fly airplanes By Tom Gerhardt NDU Communications
Brad Stangeland’s eyes are calmly focused on the sky above Mandan Municipal Airport. Arms crossed, he’s waiting for one of his high school pilots, flying solo, to sweep in from the north, attempting another practice landing and take-off.
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It’s just a rush. It’s kind of like being in the clouds is one of my favorite parts. There’s nothing like it, you know, being up high and just looking at everything. It’s so beautiful, it’s just amazing.”
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It’s been a whirlwind year for Stangeland, a Bismarck Public School aviation teacher at the Career Academy. Last summer he was approached by a local family to help their son get his private pilot’s license. Stangeland agreed and a couple of months later Nevin Fetzer achieved his goal. Local media picked up the story and that’s when the program literally took off.
Visit www.ndunited.org/news for a video story on Brad Stageland’s aviation class. One of those stories caught the attention of longtime pilot and local OBGYN Dr. Bob Scarlett. He was so impressed, he called Stangeland and agreed to donate the use of his Cessna 150. The cost of aircraft rental had been a major roadblock preventing aspiring young pilots from getting real air time, and suddenly the aviation program had one at its disposal. By November 2017 the plane was in place, and since that time three more high school students have earned their private pilots licenses while seven more have flown solo with three more soon to join the ranks. ND United Voices
