Future in Flight Podcast: Episode Notes
Featured Guest: Vanzell Jenkins
Aviation Educator, Experimental Aircraft Builder, and Aspiring Air Show Pilot
Episode Summary
This episode features Vanzell Jenkins, an aviation educator from the South Side of Chicago who has pioneered a path in aviation without any family connections to the industry. Vanzell shares his journey from knowing almost nothing about aviation when entering college to becoming an educator who has inspired multiple generations of pilots. The episode explores his current project of building an experimental aircraft and his aspirations to become an aerobatic airshow pilot. His story highlights the importance of curiosity, consistency, and creating opportunities for underrepresented communities in aviation.
Key Takeaways
1. Vanzell’s Journey into Aviation
- Grew up on Chicago’s South Side with no aviation connections
- Discovered aerospace engineering in college through his love of science
- Had to overcome knowledge gaps compared to peers with aviation backgrounds
- Received unwavering support from his mother, who taught him “if you love what you do for work, it will not be work”
2. Building a Legacy Through Education
- Chose to become an aviation educator rather than an airline pilot
- Has spent 10 years introducing aviation to minority youth in Chicago
- Created a “lineage” of instructors who were once his students
- Emphasizes the “aha moment” when students realize aviation is accessible to them
3. Experimental Aircraft Building
- Started building his own plane during the pandemic (“worldwide midlife crisis”)
- Explains the difference between certified and experimental aircraft
- Describes the kit-building process as assembling “Lego pieces”
- Highlights the financial advantage of buying kits one at a time
4. The Breadth of Aviation Careers
- “Being a pilot may not be for everybody, but there’s something in aviation for everybody”
- Emphasizes that for every flight with two pilots, thousands of people make it possible
- Mentions careers from operations to design to engineering
5. Advice for Aspiring Aviators
- Learning doesn’t have to cost anything thanks to free resources
- Follow threads of curiosity from one question to the next
- “Dreams without goals are just dreams” (quoting Denzel Washington)
- Emphasizes consistency and commitment over just starting
Vanzell’s Philosophies
- “Evolve the life you’re in” – Your environment doesn’t define you
- “Dreams without goals are just dreams”
- “Without commitment, you’ll never start, but without consistency, you’ll never finish”
6. Aircraft Cleanliness Segment
- Explores airline cleaning procedures
- Discusses turnaround cleaning vs. deep cleaning
- Highlights post-COVID improvements in aircraft sanitation
- Mentions Cathay Pacific as the world’s cleanest airline for 2024
7. STEM in Flight: Supersonic and Hypersonic Travel
- Explains the science behind breaking the sound barrier
- Discusses challenges of supersonic flight including drag and sonic booms
- Explores hypersonic flight (Mach 5+) and its extreme engineering challenges
- Highlights applications in commercial travel and defense
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