Hear from Kaylin Hart – One of our Ed Moricoli Scholarship Recipients
Galt has been a part of my life since birth. I broke my arm here, learned to drive here, and learned to how to fly here. The memories amidst the runways and corn fields at Galt Airport are immeasurable. None of this, however, would have been possible without my Dad.
He is the most passionate aviator I have ever met. His love for the sport is like nothing I have ever seen, and inspired both my sister and I from a young age. He never forced us to be a part of it, but simply made it available. A lot of people use their time at the airport to escape their kids for just a minute and breathe, but my dad viewed it as a different opportunity. He used it as a time to share with my sister and I what he was most passionate about, in hopes to foster a new generation of aviators. I thank God every day that I get to be my father’s daughter, and for being born into such a beautiful family of gnarly cloud surfers.
This doesn’t just stop at my mom and dad, however, but extends to my second family: my Galt family. Growing up, all of my dad’s friends went above and beyond to make my sister and I feel included in anything airport related. Beth Rehm was one of the first female pilots I remember meeting around Galt and felt like my best buddy since day one. I would always look for Beth and Eric at Young Eagles events and chapter rallies, because I always felt so welcomed by them. Their presence lights up any room they enter, and I had a beautiful full circle moment when Beth became my flight instructor April 2020 and helped me beyond measure to achieve my private pilot license. During my check ride, there was a period where we were waiting for weather to improve, and I was sitting outside (nervous as all get out) and Beth and Eric were there giving me a pep talk and supporting me the whole time. That was the moment I realized I wasn’t sitting with my flight instructor or even simply friends, I was in the company of family.
EAA 932 is not about the events that are hosted or who consumes the most pancakes at a fundraiser breakfast, but about fostering a love for aviation that couldn’t be found anywhere else. It is about welcoming all ages, races and sexes to take part in a community supporting what they love: aviation. Without the people who make up this Galt family, I never would have become the aviatrix I am today.
Currently, I hold a Private Pilot certificate, and I am plotting my next move as far as ratings go. Professionally, I am a Junior in the Media Studies program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, and am kickstarting an independent aviation social media management / graphic design freelance business known as Kaylin Hart Media. In the future, I would like to follow in my dad’s footsteps and pursue a hobby in competition aerobatics and pursue the world of paramotors. This is just the start of my story, but I am proud to say the first chapter began at EAA Chapter 932.
