Briana, BB to her friends, has completed four lessons and is aiming to go solo on or close to her upcoming 15th birthday.
Her proud dad Andrew Smith is the General Manager of Centra Coast Aero Club and is one of Australia’s leading flight instructors.
Andrew has trained thousands of pilots at the Central Coast Airport at Warnervale, vindicating the role of the Airport in Coast life.
“Briana went for a flight with me a few years ago in a Bellanca Citabria aerobatic aircraft and absolutely loved it,” Andrew said.
‘She has not yet decided on a career, but is considering aviation.,”
Briana recently joined Women in Aviation International and Women in Aviation Australia Chapter and is very enthusiastic about her flying studies.
‘She has diligently been studying her Aviation textbooks and absorbing information about aerodynamics, aircraft performance, meteorology, air law and aviation human factors alongside her Year 9 studies at school,” Andrew said.
Briana has been volunteering at the Central Coast Aero Club for years helping out with various social functions. She is enthusiastic about helping other young women realise the wonders of flight.
Her success shows that the Coast’s young people can learn a career without having to leave the region.
Every day, thousands of trainees and tertiary students have to commute to Sydney or Newcastle to undertake courses.
The Aero Club is a striking example of how we can use existing facilities to train young people with the right injection of funds and expertise.
Aviation, the Arts, Media and Communications, Marketing, Maritime and Boating, Automotive, Computers and Internet, Agriculture and Horticulture, Construction, Medical and Community Welfare all have strong presences on the Coast with existing facilities available in each field.
A combination of practical on the job training, courses at facilities such as the Ourimbah University campus and the new TAFE facility, plus online study at home would allow the Coast to provide a stream of qualified, well trained local young employees.
