Published April 1, 2025
BY SAVANNA RADOWICZ
For senior Eryll Rose, flying planes is more than a hobby: It’s a passion. Having flown with the High Sierra Pilots Club since his freshman year, the pilot-in-training has recorded 44 flight hours.
Prior to each lesson, Rose’s instructor gives him a brief on the skills they will be practicing, such as stalls and steep turns, the methods to perform them and the physics behind it all.
“Learning about how the physics work in the aircraft and all of the little systems is pretty cool,” says Rose. “It is very complicated.”
CHS senior Eryll Rose prepares for take off at the High Sierra Pilot’s Club runway. (courtesy of ERYLL ROSE)
With so many opportunities on the horizon, some students at Carmel High have turned to aviation as a viable career path with many choosing to get an early start in the industry. With the help of local flight schools and instructors, these motivated students can get a jump start on their careers from the jump seat.
A flight instructor for North Aero, Inc, a flight school out of Salinas Municipal Airport, Erick Teeters recalls always having a handful of dedicated Carmel High students taking lessons with the program. His goal is to prepare students for the various levels of aviation, from obtaining a private license to a commercial license and even flight instructor status.
The multi-step process helps students obtain the knowledge necessary to take the extensive written and practical exams and prepares them to make educated decisions while in flight. Aside from the practical appeal, Teeters believes that learning to fly gives students a unique opportunity to try something new.
“It’s a huge confidence builder,” claims Teeters. “We’ve had a lot of high school students go through the program and walk away in a better place to handle other things in their life because they’ve been able to structure themselves, take personal responsibility and have the discipline to do this really awesome thing safely.”
CHS junior Ross Lykken goes over protocol and skills with his flight instructor at North Aero flight school. (courtesy of ROSS LYKKEN)
Prior to taking their first solo flight, Teeters has a tradition of writing “you can do anything” on the back of his students’ shirts as a sort of goodluck memento and ode to their commitment to safety.
CHS junior Ross Lykken, who takes lessons with Teeters, has always felt a pull towards aviation.
“It’s always been in my family, so it’s just kind of natural for me,” he reflects.
What he finds the most rewarding and exciting is taking cross country flights. Having already flown to airports in Livermore, Paso Robles and most recently Palo Alto, Lykeen feels that same sense of confidence that Teeters finds so valuable.
Junior Carson Varney started taking lessons with AeroDynamic Aviation about six months ago. Based out of Monterey Regional Airport, the local flight school teaches students the basics of aviation as they sail over the scenic views of the Monterey Peninsula.
“It’s the best view you could ever have and a pretty fun place to be able to work eventually,” says Varney.
However, the cost of this professional prelude is no small sum. While prices vary based on location and program, they can include plane rental, fuel costs, instructor fees and club memberships.
What each of these enthusiastic aviators have in common is their goal to make flying into a career. Senior Dean Bullas, who wants to fly for a commercial airline, became set on the idea after receiving flying lessons for his 16th birthday.
“I am excited for the freedom that I’m going to get,” remarks Bullas. “You’re only allowed to work about 1,000 hours a year and then I get to travel.”
North Aero takes student aviators on lessons over the scenic Monterey Bay coastline. (courtesy of ERICK TEETERS)
With dreams of cliff jumping in France and snowboarding in Switzerland, the flexible schedule and amazing travel benefits certainly appealed to Bullas and made the path to such a career even more exciting.
Rather than actively working towards a pilot’s license, Bullas has developed a structured plan that works for him. After attending San Jose State University and fulfilling all of the requirements at a nearby flight school, the soon-to-be college student hopes to work with Alaskan Airlines before moving onto a larger airline like Delta or United.
Teeters is a strong advocate for starting this training process early. More than anything, he thinks that the challenge and sense of accomplishment that comes with flying a plane is unmatched.
“You’re being challenged by life in one of those really rare, good ways,” he says. “This is one of the coolest challenges you can take on, and it’s really rewarding. Just availing yourself to the opportunity, that alone can be transformative.”
To reflect his desire to help young people take opportunities like this, Teeters has offered to take any Carmel High student on a free introductory flight if they reach out to him at erickfi@gmail.com.
