Student Stories
Grace Zeller
Aviation graduate
Pilot – Western Helicopter Services
"I chose COCC because the flight program offered both helicopter and fixed-wing, as well as financial aid. Within five minutes, I knew helicopters were the only choice for me. One of the most impressive things to me were the professors and the diverse backgrounds they hold. Leading Edge made me feel very comfortable with their high quality of maintenance, dedication to safety, and level of organization. I fly a Hiller 12E, with a Soloy turbine conversion. I absolutely love my job, which is forestry agriculture, flying in the mountains over timberlands and helping trees grow."
Elexis McAllister
Aviation graduate
Certified Flight Instructor and student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Gravity seems to be losing its grip on Elexis McAllister. A former ranked snowboarder who competed at the state and national levels throughout high school — including taking home a gold medal in the soaring halfpipe contest at the Oregon Interscholastic Snowboard Association state competition — McAllister, also a kiteboarder, is now gunning for higher heights.
"I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study," admits the former Hood River resident on life after high school. She had already trained to become a volunteer firefighter, but sought something that promised new experiences and distant sights. While considering a career as a flight attendant, she began to think bigger — and more toward the front of the plane.
"I found myself becoming more and more intrigued with piloting," she says. After an entry flight in Hood River, she got a taste of the open skies and felt the pull. "I still wasn’t 100% dedicated to the idea of being a pilot until I did my first solo. The feeling of being in the air felt so free and right. I knew from that day that this is the life I wanted."
"The instructors at Leading Edge and the professors at COCC were not only great mentors, but also great role models."
Having completed her Associate of Science degree in Aviation, McAllister transferred to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is earning her bachelor’s degree in aeronautics while working as a certified flight instructor. Beyond that, she intends to fly corporate or private aircraft while accruing her 1,500 flight hours (required by the FAA) in preparation to becoming a regional airline pilot.
"The instructors at Leading Edge and the professors at COCC were not only great mentors, but also great role models," she says. "I always enjoyed my Aviation classes at COCC because the interactions during class kept the learning alive. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the guidance from those professors."