- Vanessa Collazo never got to go to the national competition, due to the pandemic. But now, as a coach, she gets a second chance to take to the skies.
- In this video, 23ABC's Ava Kershner gets the story behind the national qualification- and who the competition really means a lot to.
“We have a large team now and pretty much everyone is brand new, so we had to train from the ground up and so it was very rewarding,” said Samantha Coston, Co-Captain of the Flight Team.
The California Aeronautical University’s flight team is putting their boots on the ground to raise money for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s competition.
“We've been working really hard, and I think coming off of break we will be picking up the pace a lot more,” said Coston.
The team has lots of new members learning ground, simulator, and flight events.
All prepping to head to nationals in Wisconsin in May.
“Honestly, since nobody for the most part has been to a national competition on our team, it will be really beneficial to see the environment, it’s very fast paced compared to regionals,” said Coston.
Coaching the team is Vanessa Collazo, who despite being a graduate of CAU and being on the flight team, didn’t get the chance to go to nationals.
“I actually kind of got thrown into this position but I was really happy that I did. I used to be on the flight team when they first started, so it was kind of nice but then COVID hit. So I never got to actually compete. And then I graduated, so I wasn't able to participate,” said Collazo.
But Collazo is getting a new experience now, guiding the team members to the competition she always wanted to go to.
“Helping them throughout their training kind of helps me, a little bit of that competing experience even though I am not actually competing in the competition,” said Collazo.
Working to raise $35,000 before May, the team is going to the community to raise the funds, as well as hosting a fly in and barbecue.
All to take off to the competition. Something Collazo has been dreaming of since she was young.
“My dad was an aviation mechanic so that definitely threw me into the aviation world, they always traveled and I went with them through airplanes. So ever since I was a little girl, I was like ‘I wanna be a pilot,” said Collazo.
“He is, he is really proud of me,” said Collazo.
To help the team get to nationals, you can visit the website Aero Foundation
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