When Jared received a phone call from Wings of Hope with the news that he had won our spring airplane raffle, he called the experience “surreal.”
This was his first time participating in a Wings of Hope airplane raffle, and it happened by chance.
“I was on a website looking to buy a plane and stumbled upon an ad for the airplane raffle,” he said.
He read about Wings of Hope and thought, “It’s going to a good cause. I’ll throw my name in there — I’ll never get it.”
“Never say never” has taken on a whole new meaning to Jared who has plans for his new Piper Cherokee 180.
“My long-term dream is to start a nonprofit aeroclub to help the crew chiefs and the loadmasters at my Air National Guard base get their private pilot’s license,” he said.
Jared, who flies C-130s for the California Air National Guard and is a flight instructor, said the base prefers that those applying to the military pilot training program already have a private pilot’s license. Many applicants have some flight experience, he said, but if they have their private pilot’s license “they have already demonstrated their aptitude to learn how to fly.”
“But the cost is crazy to get a private pilot’s license and to rent a 172, so I’ve been thinking about ways to try to drive that cost down for these enlisted troops,” he said.
Jared is also dad to four children, ranging in age from seven to 14. He said he is hoping “at least a couple of my kids will want to learn how to fly” when they get a little older.
Until then, he is excited to use the plane to take them on weekend adventures.
“I’ve always wanted to take the kids to weekend getaways that would just be too far for a car to go on a weekend,” he said. “This plane will definitely open up opportunities to have fun with the kids.”