16 Year Old Timberview High School Junior Flies Plane Solo
Remember when you were 16 years old, and you couldn’t wait to get behind the steering wheel of a car and drive…anywhere, just drive without your parents critiquing you. Did you ever dream of being 16 and climbing into the cockpit of an airplane and fly solo?
Jordan Duran may not be able drive yet, but he can already fly.
The Timberview High School junior recently took off and landed by himself at the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport as a 16-year-old, the minimum age to obtain a student pilot license and fly solo.
“I just have a big, deep passion for it,” said Duran. “I feel free, and it’s really fun.”
The aspiring airline pilot first realized he loved flying as a young boy when he flew with his uncle for the first time. Since then, he has put in countless hours to study, start flight training and earn his flight hours.
“This is just huge. He did this all on his own,” said Danielle Flores, family consumer science teacher and aviation club sponsor. “He’s 100% self-initiative. This is what you want from a student. He’s funding it himself; he has a part-time job. Jordan is an exceptional student.”
Timberview High Aviation Club Shows Students What’s Possible In Aviation
Flores added that the cost to obtain a private pilot’s license is anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. She said she started the aviation club at Timberview High to allow students to see the opportunities available to them in that field.
“You can do this as a hobby, but you can also have a great career as a pilot,” explained Flores. “If you realize that you love aviation early, there are scholarships available to offset the costs, and there are so many different jobs you can pick as a pilot.”
Duran, who is a member of the aviation club, said he will continue studying and receiving his pilot ratings and licenses. He said he won’t let anything get in the way of reaching his goals.
“Just put in the work, study—just pursue your dream.”
According to Texas State Aviation at the end of 2013, average costs and time investment for a private pilot’s license:
- $11,190 – including books, most materials, aircraft rental, testing and instructor charges
- Flight time average: 70.0 hours total, 47.4 Hours Dual with 22.6 Hours Solo.
Also: 14.4 hours Ground Training and 0.9 hours Simulator. - Average duration of training: 462 days from start to finish, including lapse time for various real-life events like babies, job-changes, moves, new jobs, etc.
So it’s great that Mansfield’s Timberview has given Jordan the opportunity to follow his dream. This young man is off to a solid start to pursue a career in aviation.
