HAWK balloon glow at 26 & H Roads in Grand Junction, CO where Christmas light viewer traffic was streaming by, and stopping to watch. The balloons belong to Erik Cornelison. HAWK students and mentors assisted as crew.
First Private Glider Pilot’s Certificate

Courtesy & Copyright Trevor Rund, Photographer
Today marks a big event for HAWK. Britton is the first student to receive his Private Glider Pilot’s Certificate through the HAWK glider program.

Courtesy & Copyright Trevor Rund, Photographer
Britton and Designated Pilot Examiner Elliot Crawford
Courtesy & Copyright Trevor Rund, Photographer
Instructor Bruce Erickson, Britton and Designated Pilot Examiner Elliot Crawford
Courtesy & Copyright Trevor Rund, Photographer
Britton Solos in Pipistrel
Courtesy & Copyright Bruce Erickson, Photographer
Britton with instructor Bruce Erickson
Courtesy & Copyright Bruce Erickson, Photographer
Britton with the Pipistrel glider
Courtesy & Copyright Bruce Erickson, Photographer
Britton with the Pipistrel glider
Courtesy & Copyright Bruce Erickson, Photographer
Britton, our newest solo student, soloed today in the Pipistrel glider.
Britton is the grandson of the late founder of Hawk, Eddie Clements.
HAWK on TV: KREX5-KFQX Last Night

March 26, 2021
Courtesy & © KREX5-KFQX/Nexstar Inc.
Did you watch this last night on KREX-KFQX last night?HAWK on TV
Click on the image and watch Natasha Lynn, William, Greg Lilley and Brian Miller explain the HAWK Aviators program.
Click on the video above or visit the Western Slopes Now website:
(HINT: Turn on the sound in the lower left corner of the video box)
https://www.westernslopenow.com/news/local-news/hawk-aviators-2/
Background:
William Completes Solo, HAWK Aviators/High Country Aviation Workshop for Kids, August 8, 2020, https://www.westernslopenow.com/news/local-news/hawk-aviators-2/
Become a Pilot, Student Pilot’s Certificate Requirements, FAA, https://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/student_cert/
The Ray Aviation Scholarship Fund is a program funded by the Ray Foundation, managed by the Experimental Aircraft Association (national) and administered through the EAA Chapter network. This program provides up to $10,000 to deserving youths for their flight training expenses.
https://www.eaa.org/eaa/eaa-chapters/eaa-chapter-resources/chapter-programs-and-activities/ray-aviation-scholarship-fund/about-the-ray-foundation
About HAWK Aviators/High Country Aviation Workshop for Kids, https://hawkaviators.org/about/
Donors HAWK Aviators/High Country Aviation Workshop for Kids, https://hawkaviators.org/donors/
HAWK on TV
Krista is a pilot!
Krista is a pilot!
Shockingly enough, I’ve been a “good influence” on young people once or twice.
Krista is one of the few female members of the High Country Aviation Workshop for Kids (HAWK) in Mack Mesa, Colorado. I interviewed her in 2017 for an article I wrote for EAA Sport Aviation magazine about the amazing work that this non-profit organization does getting kids involved in aviation.
I visited her home airport a couple years ago and she came along in the backseat when I took the A-Star up for a whirl. She shadowed me at Oshkosh in 2018 and 2019, getting a behind the scenes peek of EAA AirVenture media. You can imagine my shock when people kept asking if she was my daughter! (I guess there IS a resemblance.)
I’m not her mama, but I am SO PROUD of her shiny new private pilot certificate! Her voice, in the final paragraph of the story I wrote:
“The sky is such a different place; it’s like a different world,” she said. “You get freedom that you don’t get anywhere else.” Krista thinks she would like to become airline pilot. “I can’t imagine myself flying those huge airplanes, but I think I could do it,” she said. “I have no doubt that I’ll be able to become a pilot because of HAWK. This is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Beth Stanton,
As posted by Beth on Facebook 18 August 2020
Reposted on HAWKaviators.org with permission.

Mack-Mesa Flat Tire Weekend, May 2018
Photo Courtesy & © Beth Stanton, Photographer

AirVenture 2019
Courtesy & © Beth Stanton

Inspecting the Seaplanes at
AirVenture 2019
Courtesy & © Beth Stanton

Testing the feel of a gryocopter
AirVenture 2019
Courtesy & © Beth Stanton

Courtesy & © Bryan Miller
Clements, Eddie, Mack-Mesa Flat Tire Event, 2018, https://hawkaviators.org/fat-tire-weekend-report/