Winchester Civil Air Patrol Cadet Awarded Glider Flight Training Scholarship
WINCHESTER, Va. (Feb 23, 2025) – Civil Air Patrol Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Kobe Kerns, of Winchester, has been selected to receive a $2,000 glider flight training scholarship from the Skyline Soaring Education Foundation (SSEF). The SSEF promotes aviation education for young adults by providing scholarships to support glider flight training. This scholarship is an opportunity for Cadet Kerns to receive instructional flights in a sailplane to get him to the point of a solo flight. Cadet Kerns will receive glider flight and ground training with the Skyline Soaring Club.
Cadet Kerns’ passion for aviation started in 2012, when he was just four years old, mesmerized by the flight to Disney World from Virginia. It did not stop there; in 2016, Cadet Kerns’ first Young Eagles flight was with Bob Prange, EAA 1092318, in his Beechcraft Musketeer, after which 26 Young Eagles flights reignited the fire that started when he was four. Fast forward to January 2024, Cadet Kerns completed his solo flight at Winchester Regional Airport in a Civil Air Patrol aircraft. In May, he was awarded the Ray Aviation Flight Training Scholarship from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).
This February, he completed his Federal Aviation Administration written exam and is anticipated to complete his private pilot certificate this year. Receiving this scholarship is another thrilling aviation opportunity for Cadet Kerns. When asked about the opportunity to receive glider training, he commented, “I am grateful to have been selected for this opportunity to advance my flying skills, which I feel will help me to become a better and more aware pilot.”
About Virginia Wing
Civil Air Patrol's Virginia Wing is home to 21 squadrons spread throughout the Commonwealth and has approximately 2,250 members, 13 light aircraft, 6 small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), and 28 multi-mission vehicles. These assets are available to federal, state, and local governments, as well as to emergency responders and law enforcement agencies to perform search and rescue, homeland security, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, and counter-drug missions. For more information on Virginia Wing, visit the wing’s website at https://vawg.cap.gov.
About Civil Air Patrol
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.
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For More Information:
Maj Jacob Bixler pa @ vawg.cap.gov
