Pictured are Lt. Zach Harrell, left, and his wife Allison, at his recent commissioning ceremony. Submitted photo.

Lenoir Community College graduate Zach Harrell of Seven Springs knew exactly why he wanted to enroll in the Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology program in 2012 – to get his foot in the door for the dream job he is about to start.

“My end goal was to fly for the Air Force and I knew that any and all that I could learn would help me in that journey,” Harrell said. “I had recently gotten a few college letters from Embry Riddle down in Florida, but that was too expensive for what I wanted and poked around for some aviation classes in the Goldsboro area and stumbled upon LCC's program without having any knowledge it was available.” 

Harrell said he was amazed that there was something so close to him and fit exactly for what he was looking. “My path was pretty much solidified at that moment. I believe that I had already met Mr. (Jeff) Jennings (the program chair) through his flight school in Goldsboro, I'm not quite sure how that timeline falls, but he is the reason that the LCC aviation program is so good.

“He is so knowledgeable and genuine in his approach to the students that it really is impossible to leave a class without learning something,” he said. “Between him and the flight simulator that the building has within, there isn't much that is left to be desired.

“I have always been an adrenaline junkie to the point that on my 16th birthday, my parents got me a discovery flight (an hour or so flight in a Cessna around the area) to see if I really meant what I had been telling them about wanting to fly airplanes,” he said. “There was no question in my mind that that is what I wanted, and I enrolled in the flight school almost immediately following my high school graduation to pursue the feeling.”

Harrell graduated from LCC in 2014 with an aviation management degree and decided to join the US Air Force. In August, he went to basic training in San Antonio, Texas and after four months of basic and technical training, he started his job as an engine mechanic on the massive C-5 Galaxy.

“For about three years after that I had learned a ton and met some amazing individuals who were pushing me to do more,” he said. “I went back to the dream of flying and knew that I needed to complete my degree in order to do so. I looked around and found an ROTC program through Liberty University that would set me up to accomplish just that. After three years, shorter than normal thanks to my two-year degree, I graduated last May with a business degree and a slot to attend pilot training in October. I got married on April 20 of this year and my wife, Allison, and I left for Vance AFB, Oklahoma in September.”

Looking back on his time in flight school, Harrell said the best thing was the flight simulator. “It was top of the line at the time I was there, and we could program it to change about anything we wanted including weather, wind, locations within the world, and even the aircraft we were flying,” he said. “It was all useful to the training environment as we could learn about something and then hop into the simulator to experience it.”

Harrell said there really was no replacement. “I had built a pretty good relationship with Mr. Jennings and he trusted me enough to be the co-pilot with some of the students as I had already shown capability in the things that was being taught,” he said. 

“This time allowed me to build flight hours on my own logbook so it really was a win-win. I remember one lesson where the class had to partner up and map out a route from one airport to another while taking into account the wind affects, give him an amount of time that it would take, and then fly the simulator the exact way it would be flown in a real airplane all while the class watched and discussed the situations from outside the simulator on a computer. My partner and me happened to win the contest, which helps the memory, but that was always extremely cool to me.”

Harrell said there was no doubt that Jennings has an enormous amount of experience. “He took the time to ensure that we thoroughly understood the topic before moving on, even if that meant speaking in basic terms. I'm not yet sure what pilot training in the Air Force has in store for me, but I can't imagine that it will not be a challenge. I'm just hoping everything goes smoothly in this coming difficult time.”

As far as the future, Harrell said he hopes to continue his education and be the best pilot and husband he can be. “We should know sometime within the next few months what exactly it is I will be flying for the military, but for now I tell everyone that I really do not care what they give me; anything would be an improvement from turning wrenches on them.”

Harrell said he would tell potential students who are considering a career in aviation to really think about their goals. “Mine was to eventually be in the military and fly for the Air Force, but I wasn't sure how to get there so I enlisted to gain some knowledge.

“If the goal is to fly commercially, the military may help, but isn't necessary,” he said. “Programs like LCC's and other four year schools will be able to set people up to do so just fine. If the individual knows that they want to be in the military, I really would recommend finding an Air Force ROTC detachment at a local school to join. That is without a doubt the best way to become a commissioned officer in the military, but it's all about knowing what someone wants to do.”

He said that aviation students need to have an open mind to learning. “As obvious as it may be, flying is something that is extremely dangerous. Weather changes, aircraft components malfunction and a million other things could happen which jeopardize safety,” he said. “You have to be able to dedicate yourself to the process of learning the basics before anything else. There will always be someone around who knows and/or has experienced more and to be able to recognize that person is crucial, and to be able to learn from that person is a must.”

For more information on the LCC Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology program, contact Program Chair Jeff Jennings at (252) 522-1735 or email jljennings79@lenoircc.edu.