Flying With The Aero Experience: 2014 Cessna Discover Flying Challenge Tour

By Carmelo Turdo

We continue the Flying with The Aero Experience series with a look back to June of 2014 when the Cessna Discover Flying Challenge Tour (now known as Top Hawk) made a stop at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The program began its third year providing a select number of flight interns the opportunity to tour the country promoting general aviation and, of course, Cessna products. The participants plan and execute the dispatch and flight operations during the tour, gaining valuable experience in the process. 

The Aero Experience was invited to fly in the new Cessna 172S Skyhawk flown during the tour by Discover Flying Challenge pilot intern Keven Lenahan. A lucky young lady, Samantha Brinker, won the drawing for a flight with Cessna pilot Dave Richardson in the Discover Flying Challenge aircraft. The aircraft was equipped with the Garmin G1000 avionics suite and even had that “new plane smell.” The short flight around the local area was sufficient to demonstrate the features of the flat screen cockpit instrument and navigation systems and other refinements made to this general aviation workhorse. Currently, the Top Hawk Program partners with five university aviation programs to promote participation in aviation education and pilot training.

The Aero Experience: Carmelo Turdo

Pilots: Dave Richardson, Samantha Brinker
Aircraft: Cessna 172S Skyhawk