Tucked in with the advanced placement biology and British literature, advanced math and chemistry, there's the studying necessary for her check ride. That's the two hours of oral exam and two hours aloft in a single-engine airplane for her private pilot's license.
“I just have a thing for flying,” the 17-year-old junior at Valley Christian High School said. Seeing the Air Force Thunderbirds at a Missoula air show four years ago triggered the itch, and she's been scratching ever since.
The check ride has demanded about five hours of practice time in the air and another 10 hours of study. (Question: What's the age above which a passenger must have a lap and shoulder belt? Answer: 2)
A Federal Aviation Administration examiner oversees the check ride.
“It's a lot of work and effort to get to that point,” said flight instructor and Bitterroot Aviation owner Mark Roth. “The FAA requires a minimum 40 hours in the air for your private license, plus about 40 hours of ground training. If you're flying once a week, it takes a year and a half.”
Moore took her first solo flight on her 16th birthday, and has been working on her cross-country skills for the past year. She's also been doing some bookkeeping, plane cleaning and other odd jobs at Bitterroot Aviation to help pay for lessons.
There's still a long way to go. Beyond the basic pilot's license, there are tests for instrument flying, night flying, commercial flying and instructor ratings. Roth said many pilots go for the instructor rating because it makes it more affordable to get the flight time for further qualifications.
A single-engine plane rents for $50 or more, while flying lessons start at $5,000 and climb steeply.
Moore said she's attracted to tough challenges. She plays varsity basketball and tennis for Valley Christian, and likes to hunt big game with her father, Bill. She said the prospect of military initiation isn't a matter of “Am I tough enough,” but rather “How well can I do it?”
“I'm a patriotic person,” she said. “I'd consider it an honor to do something for my country. If I die, I'd die doing something I love to do. My dad says he's letting me go and become what I want to be. He was an enlisted man in the Air Force for four years. He's always wanted to fly, so he's saving up for his license right now.”
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