Photo courtesy of Mindy Lindheim.
Austin Courson’s FFA experiences took him to new heights this summer when he received an opportunity to fly with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels in Pensacola, Fla., before their air show.
Courson, an FFA advisor and assistant principal at J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla., and past Florida FFA state secretary, was selected as a “key influencer rider” in recognition of his commitment to students, specifically those in his school’s agriculture classes and FFA chapter.
On July 11, 2024, Courson traveled to Pensacola for the ride of a lifetime. He took the second seat with the #7 pilot in an F/A-18 Super Hornet. In the air show, this aircraft travels at speeds up to 700 mph (just under Mach 1), and pilots experience up to 7.5 G’s (or seven-and-a-half times the force of gravity).
“We did a safety briefing, then they suited me up,” Courson says. “We did a high-performance takeoff and went out over the Gulf of Mexico. We did the barrel roll and all the maneuvers they do in the air show.”
Earlier this year, Austin Courson experienced what it’s like to fly in the cockpit of a F/A-18 Super Hornet.
Although these maneuvers are breathtaking to see (and Courson recommends everyone try to make it to the Blue Angels air show at some point), he was most impressed by the service members themselves.
“The best part of the experience was seeing what our armed forces do each and every day,” Courson says. “When you look at what they represent and stand for, it’s vital to our nation. It was so powerful for me to see this firsthand.”
A Leader in the Classroom
He’s taken that inspiration back to the classroom, where he teaches agricultural foundations, agricultural mechanics and an unmanned aircraft in agriculture class, which was the result of a State of Florida Grant through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Courson’s alma mater. In this class, students learn about remote sensing, GPS technology and precision farming — real-world skills they can use after graduation as unmanned aircrafts become more prevalent in agriculture.
Building these skills and connections to the industry are Courson’s primary goals as he continues to teach and guide FFA members.
“My favorite part of teaching is building consumers who understand agriculture, so they can make informed choices and understand how we are feeding and clothing everyone in this changing world,” Courson says.
Courson (far right) was recognized by the Blue Angels for his continued commitment to helping his students and FFA members succeed.
Under Courson’s leadership, J.M. Tate High School’s FFA chapter was selected as a “Florida’s Finest” chapter, which recognizes the top 10% of chapters in the state that completed a National Chapter Award program application. Both past and present students of his are also reaching new heights, as one of them is currently attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and hopes to become a U.S. Naval Aviator in the future.
Let Your Interests Soar
Interested in a career related to aviation? Check out this infographic that outlines what it takes to become an agriculture pilot, then continue your search on AgExplorer.
