YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan-

Yokota Air Base Aero Club instructors hosted their first-ever Aim High Flight Academy immersion at Yokota Air Base, Japan, July 24 to Aug. 12. 

The AHFA immersion is a 15-day introductory flying program for high school and college students with little to no prior aviation experience to practice flight simulation, identify different components of an aircraft, and learn to fly a plane. 

“The goal for the Aim High Flight Academy is for Air Force recruiting,” said Ray Brannam, Yokota Aero Club manager. “We introduce them to flying and hopefully they’ll eventually fly for the Air Force.”

Yokota’s Aero Club is the first ever non-university to host the Aim High Flight Academy as well as the first overseas location. The program gave six high school students, Air Force ROTC students, and U.S. Air Force Academy cadets exposure to careers in aviation while completing 15 hours toward their  Pilot Candidate Selection Method scores.

“Before I joined this program, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do,” said Winston Cutshaw, a student in the AHFA. “I knew I wanted to become a pilot and travel the world, but I didn't know how to get there. But since I joined the program, I have learned a lot of paths I can take to get there.”