Davis HS’ Sergio Avilés-Aguirre is One of Only Two Students in Texas to Earn Private Pilot Certification

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Davis High School flight instructor C.S. “Chuck” Norris congratulates student Sergio Aviles-Aguirre on earning his Private Pilot Certification. Sergio is one of only two high school students in the state of Texas to earn the designation this year.

There aren’t many high school students in Texas who can tell their friends they can fly a plane.

Only two in the state this year have earned their Private Pilot Certification, and one resides in Aldine ISD at Davis High School.

As a senior at Davis High School, Sergio Avilés-Aguirre recently earned his Private Pilot Certification. Sergio began his quest to fly the friendly skies as a junior when he enrolled in Davis’ Introduction to Aviation class, taught by instructor C.S. “Chuck” Norris.

The program at Davis is the FAA 61 Flight School Program, which requires students to have 40 hours in a single-engine airplane. Twenty hours must be a dual instruction flight, accompanied by a Certified Flight Instructor. The remaining solo hours are when the students fly by themselves to practice and perfect their skills.

It took Sergio less than a year to accomplish his goal. He now has more than 90 hours behind the controls and hopes to teach others how to fly one day.

“It’s pretty cool to know that I can fly anywhere I want,” Sergio said. “I’m glad this course was offered in the district. I hope they continue it so others can get their certification. It’s a great class.”

Norris said he was elated for Sergio and hopes his trailblazing student will inspire others to follow in his footsteps and earn their certification.

“I’m very proud of him,” Norris said. “He took to it very naturally. The good thing about this is his certification never expires. Sergio is dedicated to flying. ”

Norris said Davis is one of only three high schools in Texas that offers the Introduction to Aviation class. The other two are offered at Baytown Sterling High School and Grandbury High School.

Sergio said he has enjoyed being a part of the first-ever Aviation class, which has focused him on what he would like to do in the future.

“I think being in this class has taken me a step closer to becoming a flight instructor,” he said. “My certification gives me the ability to do a lot of things.”

Such as taking his sisters on a flight around downtown Houston one evening recently.

“I  was sitting around the house with my sisters one night, and I asked them if they wanted to go check out downtown. So, I rented a plane. We flew around downtown at about 1,500 feet. It was pretty cool. They really liked it.”

Sergio has more than 90 hours of flight time.

As part of the certification process, he had to do his first solo flight, a cross-country flight (from Hooks Airport to LaGrange and have at least 15 hours of solo flight time.

The highest he has flown is 5,000 feet, and he hopes, with more experience, to go even higher.

He added he had learned much about responsibility and attention to detail by being in the class.

“When you fly people you care about, you have to be on your game. They won’t let you solo until you prove you can do it. I wasn’t really nervous when I did my first solo. I was more excited than anything else. My first solo was a key moment in my life.”

Sergio is now working on his Instrument Certification, and once he’s earned that designation, he will begin working on his Commercial Certification.

And from there, Sergio will fly the friendly skies for many years.