January 2010 What’s Up With Alex?
#2
(God’s Thunderin’-Trumpet Blowin’ Missionary Pilot - Class of 2012)
Classroom with a View
I left off last summer thanking my family,
friends, and supporters for all the help, encouragement,
and prayers that led me to earn my Private Pilot License
on July 23, 2009. Since that time I have enjoyed the privi-
leges of being in an elite class of men and women encom-
passing less than 1% of the world’s population. One of
these privileges was winning instructional material to
help earn my Instrument Rating. In truth, the real re-
ward is spending class time soaring 10,000 feet above my
peers, soaking in the marvels the Lord crafts for us daily.
This semester I have met many great pilots
whom serve the Lord and have become my instructors;
specifically in aviation weather, instrument ground train-
ing, and honing my visual flight skills. I spent much of
my flying time this semester working with Steve Brinly
(B.S., CFII, A&P) to master the entirety of the school’s
standard operating procedures to allow Liberty School of
Aeronautics to admit me fully into the program.
This thanksgiving, Alex
enjoyed taking his father
and sisters up in the sky to
show them what he does
best. The wind was a little
much for the faint of heart
but the family trusted his
11-27-2009 practiced skills.
View of Liberty University’s
campus from a few
thousand feet. Even though
you’re above everyone else
you are humbled. You
realize how small the world
is and how big God is.
12-08-2009
NASA astronaut Leland
Melvin couldn’t see Liberty
University’s monogram
from space, so he took a
part of it with him. The pic-
tures depicts a pilot flying
above Liberty Mountain. He
also took along the school’s
patch (seen below).
11-2009
alex@carolinacoopers.net
It was a rough 17 credit semester including both jazz
and marching band practices and performances. In addition to
classes, performances, and weathering the harsh Virginia cold,
I sought to complete the Instrument Written test administered
by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With time
crunching, mind clenching accuracy I studied until my brain
pushed against my skull and passed the FAA exam with an
85%. Next semester I will put all that Instrument knowledge to
use as I continue my flight training to earn my Instrument
rating (this will give me the flexibility to fly through clouds
and bad weather without visual reference to the ground).
As they say, connections are everything. I was in need
of a good summer job to quell the quickly amassing sums of
money I would owe. My grandfather ran into an old acquaint-
ance; Pat Epps. For those that do not know, Pat Epps is son of
the aviation legend, Ben Epps, who designed and flew the first
aeroplane in Georgia. Mr. Epps followed his father’s aviation
footsteps to perform at Oshkosh’s yearly airshow and amass a
growing business as an FBO at an Atlanta airport. After a two
hour ride to Atlanta, a tour of the company, and a pseudo-
interview, I secured a summer internship as an aviation me-
chanic apprentice at Georgia’s second busiest airport.
Alex had the privilege of
being trained by his very own
grandfather, Jerry Cooper
(CFII). Their shared time
will prove to be valued
memories as Alex progresses
in his career.
11-27-2009
The Kodiak Quest is a STOL
capable single turbine, de-
signed to carry more cargo
into smaller airstrips. In the
near future I hope to be
trained to take this million
dollar equipment overseas.
Kodiak
JAARS pilot and mechanic
Steve Bevelhymer corre-
sponded with Alex via email
several times. Steve has flown
for JAARS in Cameroon,
Kenya, and the Philippines.
11-09-2009
Liberty University School of Aeronautics currently enrolls
over 200 students. It is the largest university offering helicop-
ter training and the largest evangelical Christian university in
the world. In the past months the school has opened its new
mechanic shop for A&P training and purchased the FBO at
Lynchburg Regional Airport.
School of Aeronautics
Joseph “Alex” Cooper MSC Box E8376
706-617-4175 Liberty University
P.O. Box 20,000
Lynchburg, VA 24506-8001