Avionics News May 2015 - 38

position at FreeFlight Systems where, he said, "I get to keep
flying and selling the best equipment for ADS-B and radar
altimeters."
Eagles chairman, inspired Universal Avionics CEO Paul DeAdam Ralstin, 27, of Cincinnati Avionics grew up as the
Herrera, to get involved with the Young Eagles Program and
kid who took everything apart - "lawn mowers, trucks, go
become a volunteer pilot. Since starting his volunteering for
carts, cars - it all came naturally to me," he said. During
the program a few months ago, DeHerrera has flown students
high school, he took a job at Sporty's Pilot Shop with a cafrom the Tucson, Arizona, area in his Cessna 172N, providing
reer ambition to be a Caterpillar mechanic.
local Young Eagles their first flight experience.
In a conversation one Saturday with Hal Shevers, Sporty's
The Young Eagles program was enhanced a few years
founder and chairman, Shevers convinced him to shift to
ago with Flight Plan, a program sponsored by Sporty's Pilot
aviation. "I got my A&P at Laurel Oaks in Wilmington,
Shop whereby any Young Eagle, past, present or future, can
Ohio," Ralstin said, and he was put to work maintaining
access Sporty's online Private Pilot course as well as other
Sporty's fleet of 12 training aircraft. One day, he was sent
benefits to help these young people beto Cincinnati Avionics to help because
come pilots. Brian O'Lena, EAA prothe shop was so busy, and there he has
gram manager of the Young Eagles,
stayed for the past three years.
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE
said, "Sporty's understands the Young
At first, he shadowed the senior
MADE OUR CAREERS IN THE
Eagles mission and stepped forward to
technicians to learn the job. "I worked
provide ways for those young people
as a right-hand man, watching and
AVIATION INDUSTRY OWE IT
to further explore aviation through a
learning," Ralstin said. Now he has his
TO THE NEXT GENERATION TO
pathway that is available in the techown projects - currently upgrading the
nologies used today. This means that
panel of a Cessna Cardinal. He enjoys
more than 30,000 young people have
the variety of the work and the vari
varithe opportunity to pursue aviation in a
ety of airplanes he gets to work on. In
focused and meaningful way."
fact, he said, "It's still work, of course,
Of course, the Aircraft Electronbut I enjoy it more every year." When
ics Association is in the forefront of
asked how the avionics industry could
awarding scholarships for aspiring
attract more people like him, he sim
simmechanics and technicians. More than
ply replied, "That's the million dollar
$125,000 was disbursed through the
question."
AEA Educational Foundation in 2014, and more than $1.5
Jessica Koss, 31, manages media relations at Garmin. She
million since the Foundation's inception. AEA's scholarships,
grew up in an aviation family where her mother was a pri
priprimarily from AEA member companies, range in value from
vate pilot and her uncle a corporate pilot. "In high school, I
$1,000 to more than $35,000 each.
went to an airshow and saw the Blue Angels perform," she
recalled. And that did it. She attended ground school during
Talking to today's young(er) professionals
high school, and went on to earn a four-year degree along
Doug Campbell, regional sales manager for FreeFlight
with her certificates at the University of Dubuque. That led
Systems, claims he was just born with the aviation bug.
to an internship with American Airlines. As she was build"When I was a kid, I was always fascinated by airplanes,"
ing hours to become an airline pilot, the economy turned
he said. "I grew up near an air reserve base in western
south and her career plans changed.
Massachusetts and always saw A-10s, F-15s and C-5s flyThat led her to Garmin since she had been flying with
ing overhead." He saved enough money working at a golf
Garmin equipment for years and her first job in product supcourse during high school to take flying lessons. He was
port. "Everyone in product support is a pilot, and we would
hooked: "I soloed and I knew that this was what I wanted
take phone calls and emails and help customers," she said.
to pursue."
Her next step was to her current public relations role. "I
A series of events led him to Avidyne's internship posithink it's important to be a pilot and be able to talk to the
tion, and he was hired. "It was great to be working in the
media. Our industry needs the younger generation. I try to
industry and also use my business degree," he recalled.
encourage young people to go flying."
Campbell also realized that after a few years, he would be
This includes her daughter, Addison, who is 7 years old.
making an income beyond that of a flight instructor or first
officer at a regional airline. The internship led to his current
Continued on page 40

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