Civil Air Patrol cadets spread their wings at Desert Eagle Flight Academy

EPHRATA — Getting that first driver’s license is kind of a rite of passage for a teenager. But some aren’t content to drive around on the ground. “You'd be surprised at how safe the airplanes are,” said Cadet Lt. Col. Sophia Taylor. “When you drive, you just turn on the engine. But with the airplane, there is this huge checklist just to make sure that you really don't miss anything, and we always follow that checklist in everything that we do. If you're following all components of the checklist and you're abiding by all regulations, then it's really safe.”