Solo at 14! Soaring: an early and economical gateway to a life in aviation

Saturday, February 21, 4:30 PM | South Foyer

Brian Hart, AGI and CFIG. and Jonathan Hart, CFI, CFII, CFIG and AMT Airframe, Hood River Soaring

Father and son team Brian and Jonathan Hart are glider instructors. At Brian’s recommendation, Jonathan began glider training and soloed at age 14, then passed his glider checkride on his 16th birthday. The skills and command of the cockpit learned this early in the glider led to his successful powered checkride on his 17th birthday. He began towing gliders in the Pawnee the next day and passed his instrument checkride 10 days later. At age 19, he has over 1300 hours and is president and chief tow pilot of Hood River Soaring. He is an active CFI, CFII, and CFIG with an AMT Airframe certificate, soon to finish Powerplant. Brian followed Jonathan’s path through glider training to become an AGI & CFIG. He is now youth director & chief instructor at Hood River Soaring. Brian and Jonathan will introduce other young soaring pilots who will share their own experiences and passion for soaring far and high while showing you how soaring can be a powerful and fun gateway to your personal and career aviation goals.

Brian & Jonathan will be joined by HRS youth members Anastasia Mitsky, Kylan Mullis, Isabel Ulland, and Henry Mason—all licensed glider pilots under 18 years of age, and each with a unique path into and through soaring—to talk about their early soaring gateway to aviation, some of their amazing glider experiences, and how an early soaring education is helping prepare them for future endeavors in aviation and in life.

Father and son Brian and Jonathan Hart are glider instructors in windy Hood River. Their soaring journey began with Jonathan’s glider training at age 14, leading to glider checkride on 16th birthday, airplane checkride 17th birthday, and instrument checkride less than two weeks later. At 19, Jonathan is now a CFIG, CFI, and CFII with 1300 hours total time, a certified Airframe mechanic well on his way to his Powerplant license, and chief tow pilot and president of Hood River Soaring. At the age of 61, Brian followed Jonathan’s lead and is now an AGI, CFIG, and chief instructor and youth director at Hood River Soaring.