Flight program is designed for student success

MOSES LAKE - Joseph MacDougall said his interest in aviation began on a long trip, when he got bored and started teasing his little sister.

The flight attendant came back to tell the kids that the captain of the airplane wanted to talk with them, MacDougall said. She took them up to the cabin, and the pilot and co-pilot talked with them for about an hour, he said. "That's what really got me interested, was that one hour in the cockpit on a long trip. While the plane flew itself."

MacDougall obtained pilot training and an aeronautics degree, worked as a pilot in Argentina and as a flight instructor in the U.S., he said. He became a senior flight instructor at Big Bend Community College in 2000, he said, and was named as the chief flight instructor for the 2014-15 academic year.

MacDougall replaces John Swedberg, who retired at the end of the 2013-14 academic year.

"What I really love about flying is that every day is different. Every flight is different and has its own challenges," MacDougall said. "You learn something new every day."

MacDougall said he started with a two-year training program at Mt. Royal College in Calgary, Alberta. He graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in aeronautics. By graduation he had enough hours to qualify as a flight instructor, which is one way young pilots build up their flight experience, he said.

He went to work for a company specializing in "weather modification." he said, which in practice meant flying into thunderstorms. "We were doing hail suppression." he said. The crew would discharge a chemical into the clouds, which encouraged the formation of smaller hailstones. The company worked all over the world, including Argentina, which is where they sent MacDougall.

That's where he met his wife Mariana, he said. "She was a doctor at the airport. I met her up in the flight planning office." After four years flying through thunderstorms, he accepted a position at St. Louis University in Missouri. Then in 2000 he joined the program at Big Bend, he said.

"Great job, great community. A fantastic place to raise my kids." he said. "I've loved it here."

The BBCC flight program is a pretty good one, too, he said. "The thought put into our curriculum is really to the student's benefit. It's designed for their success." he said.

The college has 26 airplanes in its fleet and six senior flight instructors on the faculty. "We have a very diverse fleet." MacDougall said.

"The fleet is very unique and large enough to allow a lot of flexibility in the flight schedule." he said.

The BBCC fleet includes single engine and twin engine aircraft, a plane that can operate either on land or water (called an amphibian) and one plane designed for acrobatics. It's used, among other things, to teach pilots about spins. "That's the best roller coaster ride in Moses Lake, there." MacDougall said.

The senior flight instructors all are certified to train pilots in all BBCC aircraft, and can conduct certification testing, MacDougall said. "The senior faculty is really what makes this place unique."

The pilot training center is located next to Grant County International Airport, "a perfect place for training." MacDougall said. The weather allows flying almost year-round, and the airport is bigger than Seattle-Tacoma International or Portland International. The flying conditions also allow pilots to learn pretty much every kind of flying technique, he said.

But it's not easy. "This is a challenging program." he said. Students are trying to earn an associate degree along with their

flight training, and most are carrying 19 to 21 credits per quarter, he said.

His students, he said, "love a challenge. They want to see the world. They don't want to sit in an office all day."

Flight training is more than just flight - a pilot is also a meteorologist as well as knowing aviation electronics and mechanics, and understand air traffic control, he said.

"In order to be a good pilot you have to be a problem solver. you have to have good judgement.

"Flying is like playing chess. You've got to stay a couple steps ahead."

Pilot training is good for the instructors too, he said. "Every two hours I go up with a different student." All those different perspectives teach the instructors some lessons. "Students come up with some great questions."

Students are encouraged to obtain a four year degree, he said, which expands their options. And right now the field is full of options. New pilots are in high demand as veterans retire and the demand continues to expand, he said." Everyone is hiring right now. I don't see that changing in the next five years."

But in a way, flight itself is its own reward, he said. Every flight provides new challenges and new memories. "Every flight is unique."