Emma Traxler, junior, has wanted to travel to many different places since she was a kid. Now, as a teenager, she may have her chance.

Traxler is training to be a pilot.

“Right now, I can take off and land,” Traxler said. “I still fly with an instructor right now, but I’ll be able to fly on my own pretty soon.”

Traxler was introduced to flying through her father’s experience in the Navy. He encouraged her to pursue something different yet related to the force. 

“He was like, Emma, I don’t want you going into the Navy, but maybe think of something you can do that’s as fun but not as dangerous,” Traxler said. “And so I chose flying.”

Traxler said that pilotting gives her a sense of control and freedom in being able to control the aircraft and where it goes. When she flies a Cessna, a small plane, she said she feels like an astronaut or a bird.

“It’s an insane feeling, being up there,” Traxler said. “I will say it is scary at times. When there’s certain types of weather patterns, it will shake the plane pretty hard.”

In the future, Traxler hopes to apply her piloting skills to her career path and continue flying.

“I would like to become a pilot or a private pilot or even join the Air Force,” Taxler said. “If I don’t pursue something with flying directly, I’ll probably do aerospace engineering.”