(Left to right) Joe Pettinato, George Harrison, Ian, Ben Cumberland, Katie Pettinato, Reagan Anderson, and Gianna Caccavale
By: Reagan Anderson
On January 15, six WASA (What is WASA?) students traveled to Allentown, PA, to explore the career paths through a charter organization. An aviation charter organization is a company that schedules, arranges, and bids on flights for any person or group of people in need of a private flight. These flights can be scheduled for months in advance or with four hours’ notice in some cases. Pilots hired by the charter company will be scheduled to fly, and they are expected to be on call 24/7.
The six WASA students who went on this trip were Reagan Anderson, Gianna Caccavale, Ben Cumberland, George Harrison, Joe Pettinato, and Katie Pettinato. These students toured the hanger where the jets are stored, maintained, cleaned, and more. They were able to tour from a pilot and office worker, Ian. Not only were the students able to tour the hanger, but they were also able to explore the interior and cockpit of the jets. While there, they also met another pilot named Storme. Storme had a lot of great experiences, like Ian, that she was able to share with the students.
Along with the tours of the jets, the students observed the business happen in real-time. While there, a private flight was ordered, and Storme was there to respond quickly. Within an hour, the jet was off to a nearby airport to pick up a passenger. All of these trips are important because they help students understand themselves better and their future paths. Whatever aspect of the aviation industry students might be interested in, building connections with those involved in the industry will provide them more opportunities in the future for whatever route they might choose.
