At five years old, Tyler already understood that lift, thrust, drag, and gravity were essential for a plane to fly. Over the years, on family trips, he often had the chance to sit in the cockpit of commercial aircraft. By age 10, during baseball practices, he’d consistently stop and track any plane soaring overhead. Tyler’s aviation journey truly took flight when he was 12.
His connection with Easton Airport began on a sunny Saturday during Easton Airport Day 2024. He and his mom, Alexandra, spent the day immersed in the excitement of flight. They watched the Qlarant Warbirds of Easton Airport Day soar in formation and participate in the Bluepoint Hospitality Rubber Chicken Drop Contest. Tyler sat inside a variety of planes, he met the Naval Academy Jump Team, watched the Talbot County Department of Emergency Services Drone Demo, learned all about aviation careers at the AECOM Aviation Career Education (ACE) Tent, and got up close to the aircraft and aviators who make aviation so thrilling and inspiring.
As Alexandra later shared, “Where else around here can a 12-year-old get so many smiles?” She added that they would often come to the airport to watch planes take-off and land, but never imagined all that Easton Airport has to offer.
That day sparked a deeper curiosity in Tyler, one we were thrilled to help nurture through our Aviation Career Education (ACE) Program. A few weeks after the event, Alexandra reached out to share their enjoyment and tell us about Tyler’s interests. We next arranged a tour of the Easton Air Traffic Control Tower. Thanks to the generosity of the Midwest ATC team, Tyler was treated to what Alexandra called a “Masterclass in aviation,” where professionals like Lars and Jacob shared their real-world experiences and answered Tyler’s many questions.
This summer, we offered Tyler a Discovery Flight through the ACE Program in partnership with Tidewater Aviation. After a bit of calendar juggling, Alexandra and Tyler took to the skies in mid-June with flight instructor Pete Harrison.
The result? “Spectacular,” according to Alexandra. She’s no stranger to adventurous flight, having skydived, bungee jumped, ballooned, and even piloted aircraft herself, but nothing compares to flying in a plane piloted by her own son. She called watching Tyler take control of the plane breathtaking and loves that his story will include flying a plane before driving a car. She also described Pete as being everything she hoped he would be beyond his impressive piloting skills he was knowledgeable, encouraging, and funny. Adding that “flying with him was an absolute privilege.”
At Easton Airport, we believe in opening doors to aviation for the next generation. Whether it starts with sitting inside a cockpit, a walking tour, visiting us at an event, or a Discovery Flight, our ACE Program is designed to help young people like Tyler explore the world of aviation.
We’re honored to be part of Tyler’s story, and we can’t wait to see where his passion takes him next.
Does your student have an interested in aviation?
The ACE Program and Easton Composite Squadron – Civil Air Patrol are hosting Summer Learning Activities this July. The activities are free and open to youth ages 12–16. To learn more and register, visit www.eastonairport.com/ace-summer-learning. To learn more about Tidewater Aviation, visit www.flytidewater.com