You may have heard some parents telling their children to keep their heads out of the clouds and their feet firmly planted on the ground. This is not the case for Jason and April Kutzman of Olmstead as they are actually encouraging and supporting their 16-year-old son Nolan to do quite the opposite.
When Nolan Kutzman was 12 years old he realized right away what it was that he wanted to do with the rest of his life and it didn’t include spending all of it here on earth. Nolan is an aspiring pilot and when most kids that age are pointing out shapes in the clouds Nolan wanted to flying among them with a freedom his lips cannot express but his expressions most certainly display.
Nolan just recently completed a very large step in becoming a pilot, he soloed for his private pilot license logging in 20 hours and being found to be proficient in his flying.
“I love it,” said a grinning Nolan. “You feel so free and it’s amazing.”
Nolan says he was inspired to fly by two people, his grandfather John Kutzman, who is a pilot and Joe Lawrence, a neighbor who flies RC remote control planes. Nolan quickly befriended Lawrence who eventually signed the young boy up for his first flight during the Harrison Ford Young Eagles.
“Joe is really cool,” said Nolan who now also owns and flies his own RC remote control plane.
You have to be 16 years old to solo and as soon as Nolan reached that landmark he didn’t waste time reaching for a yoke and the stars.
The Logan County sophomore even joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) after Lawrence mentioned it may be something he would like. Nolan has been serving in the patrol for two years and has already reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. The cadets learn everything from discipline, physical fitness and structure to of course aviation. “It’s like a family, we all work together to get things accomplished,” said Nolan of CAP.
“I want to do everything I can to help him pursue his dreams, he has never wavered on wanting to do this,” said his mother April, admitting she does worry about her son when he is hundreds of feet off the ground where she can keep a motherly eye on him, but understands this is what he wants to do and is a part of who he is.
Nolan is contemplating going to college and possibly joining the United States Air Force or maybe becoming a commercial pilot, but wherever his life takes him it’s sure to include a set of wings and a prayer from his parents.
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