CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — Ciera Deffenbaugh is going into her senior year at Forest Hills High School and she's already a certified pilot.
"Some people say, 'I'm scared of planes, I'm scared to fly, I'm scared of heights.' No. Once you get in the plane, you fall in love with it. When you get a good landing, it's the best feeling in the world," she told 6 News.
She started flying in May of last year after going on a discovery flight with Nulton Aviation in Johnstown.
I always have butterflies. There's not a flight that I go through that I don't have butterflies. I've always loved to fly. So, the second I actually got to be in control, it was amazing," Deffenbaugh said.We met Ciera at the first ever Summer Fly-In Community Day which 'took off' at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport.
Will Guzic, a Flight Instructor with Nulton Aviation, says the event was held to raise money for the 30 to 40 students in their flight program.
"A lot of people don't know that we have this over here. They don't know that you can train here at the airport. But we're able to offer you pretty much anything you need as far as training," he told 6 News.
He says this could also help combat the pilot shortage, which industry experts say could last until 2030.
I'm sure as many people see, there's a lot of delays in flights. Currently, we are trying to do our best to help build up the pilots for the pilot shortage that's happening right now," Guzic said.Since the airport worked out a deal with SkyWest Airlines to stay in town, they hope more people make the sky their second home.
"Everybody is so kind, so welcoming, so sweet. It honestly feels like a second family to me. I'm so grateful to be here," Deffenbaugh said.
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