While most students at Carlsbad High School fret over learning to drive, one student takes to the skies. At just 16-years-old, junior Drew Sommers works towards earning his pilots license. This impressive feat seems long overdo for Sommers, who has been interested in planes since a young age.

“When I was young, my grandfather and I would play flight simulator together and my next-door-neighbor is a pilot, so that really got me interested,” Sommers said.

That interest soon turned into a career ambition when Sommers went flying for the first time.

“My neighbor took me up flying and that was when I knew what I wanted to do. It was very exciting but I wasn’t really nervous,” Sommers said.” I knew I had someone right next to me who could keep things under control.”

Sommers gets an early start on his future as he works on earning his pilots license. The path to becoming a pilot takes a lot of work, but Sommers feels up to the task.

“To get your pilot’s license you need to log hours in the air and on ground learning about the planes,” Sommers said. “The number of hours varies based on the individual, you work until you feel comfortable, but it usually takes between 30 and 40 hours. I have around 15 hours so far.”

Once Sommers earns his license he has ambitious plans for his future career.

“When I get [my license] I want to get my CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) rating so that I can become a flight instructor,” Sommers said. “I also want to go into commercial flying because I prefer to fly those style planes.”

Sommers future as a pilot seems bright and he feels confident about his decision to start so early in life.

“It’s my passion,” Sommers said. “the younger you start, the more experience you get, and the sooner you can start flying by yourself.”