August 2018 Student of the Month
Meet Jacqueline Sellmann, age 27, from Germany. CFI currently working on IFR and CFII.
What point in your life did you know you wanted to fly helicopters?
My mom gave me a helicopter flight for my 18th birthday. The second the pilot let me have the controls, even though it was only for a couple of minutes, I knew that was what i wanted to do! I signed up to begin my private rating the very next week.
What is your favorite helicopter to fly?
I haven’t flown a lot, yet! But I really enjoy the r-22, especially “z”.
What obstacles have you had to overcome to get where you are today?
I had to leave my horse behind when I moved to Hawaii, I guess that was the hardest thing for me to do. Everything else is not really an obstacle just new experiences, hard work but also a lot of fun and I found amazing new friends.
Where do you hope your training will take you? Goals?
My goal, for now, is to finish the training and find a job. The overall end goal is for me to work in EMS one day. Though I realize that could change, too. I like to challenge myself and try out a lot of new stuff.
What advice would you give to people just starting out in there training?
Never give up and always keep on working towards your goals and dreams. Everybody will be going to experience some harder times that’s just normal, after all, we’re going to fly helicopters and if that would be too easy…
I mean where’s the fun in that and we wouldn’t feel “special” anymore 😉 but honestly it’s worth it and you’ll for sure find some new friends, too that will help you when you struggle, the instructors are awesome and you’re gonna have a great time
What has been your favorite experience while flying with MLH?
I absolutely love flying through the valleys!!!! It gives me that Jurassic park feeling.
How did you pick MLH?
Picking the right school was a hard decision just because there are so many throughout the USA. I got in contact with at least 7 or 8 different schools, talked to the owners, compared websites and talked to some students too. I would definitely recommend that if you have the possibility. talking to students is important! I mean, what really convinced me was the phone call I had with Ben. I had a whole list of questions prepared, but to be honest, I was super nervous and forgot a couple, but he was just super nice, calm and comforting. Told me about the school, the training and just about a little bit of everything. I just felt that Hawaii and MLH would be a good choice. Never regretted it!
Whats your favorite thing about flying in Hawaii/ at MLH?
I love my instructor, she’s always keeping me motivated and kicks me in the a** if needed. Of course, the view from the cockpit is just beautiful and never gets old and I just enjoy being around the MLH family.
Are you looking to kickstart your aviation career? You could be our next Student of the Month!