Student Profiles

Joerg Lamprecht
Germany - Flies for fun
Joerg came to Horizon from Germany with very specific goals. He is the owner of a Twin Comanche at Kassel Airfield, near Frankfurt, Germany. For Joerg flying is "...a huge hobby, passion - everything." He came here for his Multi-Engine rating so he can fly his TwinCo around Europe - and who knows, maybe even around the world.
Chris Porter
Training to be a CFI
Chris grew up down the street from TF Green Airport. After his dad took him to an airshow in 1991, he was convinced he would be a fighter pilot. But, after getting his college degree, he entered the corporate world. While working at a financial institution in Boston, he would eat his lunch at Long Wharf watching the planes come and go at Logan Airport. He couldn't stand it any longer.

He started training to be a pilot in 2005 and received his private license in 5 months, flying on the weekends. "it would have been four months but I got rained out six weeks in a row for my check ride."

He enjoyed Horizon so much, he gave up his lucrative 9-5 job in Boston and moved down to Providence to study and work fulltime at our flight school. Even amongst the pilots here, Chris is known as an airplane junkie.

His goal? "Teach aerobatics. It's the most fun I've ever had."
Kristen Brennan
College Program Student
Kristen started flying in April 2006 after a trip to Florida which left her thinking "...this would be really cool..." She checked out a few flight schools, but the idea of flying seemed like an unattainable dream, until someone walked into her workplace and mentioned Horizon Aviation. She came in, read some material, spoke with Zeke, and was walked through the process, including figuring out financing. She is in the college program and has both her private pilot license and her instrument rating...next up is finishing her commercial, hopefully flying to the Grand Canyon along the way.

She says that at Horizon Aviation "everyone's so friendly; they make you feel comfortable right away" and enjoys the camaraderie of the aviation community. As for flying..."just being up there - flying an airplane it's just amazing." One day soon, Kristen hopes to fly jets, not just be a passenger.
Kim Sparks
Private Pilot License Student
In March 2006 Kim started pursuing her private pilot license. Not daunted by the size of TF Green and dealing with Air Traffic Control, she says "I feel more safe and secure" here because of the control tower, compared to an uncontrolled airfield.

Kim had been mulling over learning to fly for a long time. She would see the small airports when stuck in traffic to the Cape, and think - wouldn't it be great to just fly over, not have to wait in Cape Cod traffic. Thus, the dream was born.

When she talks about the people at Horizon, she talks about the diversity - with women her age, men, kids in high school. She says she shares a common bond with the students and that it is really a community of pilots.

Kim started this journey with the Discovery Flight at Horizon and is well on her way to earning her Private Pilot License.
Vicky LeBlanc
Career Student
Vicky is a mother of four and a former researcher at Rhode Island Hospital. For Christmas 2005, she received a gift certificate to fly at Horizon. She had been up in the air in a GA aircraft once 20 years ago, but hadn't been up since. She finally used her certificate in October 2006. Little did she know she was going to have a life changing experience...the day after her first lesson, she went in for her second. By her third lesson she was completely hooked.

When Vicky asked Zeke how she could fly more she learned that as a career student she could fly the most. Vicky was at a point in her life where she needed a change and flying was exactly what she was looking for. She has being flying about 30 hours a month - as often as she can.

What hooked her? "It was just the incredible feeling of taking off; it's hard to describe in words."

Her current goal is to be a charter pilot, but she likes the idea of teaching so much that she's keeping her options open.

On Horizon: "the staff are wonderful, they treat you really well, they treat you like family, I feel like it is a cohesive group [at Horizon]. If you have any questions you can turn to any instructor, and at any moment they will drop what they are doing and answer your questions."
Tom Rabe
College Program Student
Tom has been flying with Horizon Aviation since September 2006, but he was born with an interest in flying. He knew that this is what he wanted to do for a living since he was a child, and after coming to an open house and speaking to Zeke for a bit, he knew Horizon was where he wanted to learn. To him, Horizon Aviation has "...a very laid back atmosphere...[and] they don't hesitate to help." He has his private pilot license and is currently working on his instrument rating. When all is said and done, he wants to fly for the airlines.
Aviva Blum
Private Pilot License Student
Aviva has been flying with Horizon Aviation since 2000. She found out about Horizon through her co-worker, who also flies at Horizon.

She's had an interest in flying since she was young and going on trips with her family. "They always made it so much fun, I could care less where I was going" For Aviva, it was all about the flight there.

Aviva recently finished up her instrument rating and looks forward to flying in whatever the conditions may be.  She now plans on obtaining her Commercial rating this summer. 
Benjamin Emerick
College Program Student
From Uxbridge, MA, Ben commutes over an hour each day to get to Horizon Aviation. While sitting at a desk in the Air Force, helping to design planes, he realized that he would much rather be flying planes than designing them. He quickly decided to transfer to Horizon and volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol. Within a year, Ben received his Associate Degree and all 7 licenses available through the Global Aviation Degree Program offered by Horizon in conjunction with Utah Valley State College. He is currently working on his Bachelor Degree and finishing up his Certified Flight Instructor certificate.

Ben plans on being a flight instructor with Horizon Aviation and then a cargo or corporate pilot. He wants to "[fly] jets high and fast" but no matter what, for him the "...experience of flying is like none other."
Beth Philbrick
Private Pilot License Student

Beth’s love for flying started with her father flying at Wiggins Airport in the 1950s, now known as Norwood Memorial Airport. Beth has been exhilarated and engaged by meeting the constant challenges learning to fly presents her. She has found the same love of aviation that her father new. She put it best when she said, “We get into these little planes and actually fly… not many people have this opportunity. It is my most cherished experience.”

Looking forward Beth plans on completing her Private Pilot License soon. Then it’s off to Florida to take her Dad flying. After that Beth is planning on continued training in the Diamond DA40 and getting her Instrument Rating and Multi Engine endorsement. She has big plans to continue flying to exciting places up and down the East Coast and beyond.