By Cyndi Goodrich

Moapa Valley Progress

Logandale resident, Skylar Hill, stands next to a Cessna airplane at the Overton airport. Last week he completed his first cross country solo training flight. Photo by Cyndi Goodrich.

Local teen, Skylar Hill made his first cross country solo flight on Tuesday, July 17. At around 2:00 p.m. that day his plane touched the ground at the Perkins Field Airport in Overton, arriving from St. George, Utah.

Skylar stopped to say hello to his family, filled out his flight log, and then got back into his Cessna to do his required touch and go’s. His training for the day would include another two stops, each with three required touch and go’s, before he returned back to St. George.

Flying is in Skylar’s blood. His grandfather, Gary Hawes, of St. George, Utah, is his flight instructor. Hawes’ experience includes being a fighter pilot in the Air Force for twenty-five years. After retirement from the air force, he then flew commercially for SkyWest Airlines for fifteen years. Skylar’s uncle, Sean, has a current pilot’s license and was also instructed by Hawes.

Training has included midnight flights from St. George, Utah to Henderson, Nevada. Another training exercise involved stalling the airplane in mid-air. This one caused his mother, Star Hill, some slight anxiety.

Skylar said that he feels comfortable flying and he plans to make it a part of his future. He may even make a career out of it, he said. Skylar is currently employed at the St. George Municipal Airport.