As students get older many think of what they want to become or do for the rest of their lives. And the son of a local farmer is choosing to pursue a lifelong dream in aviation rather than take over his father’s farm.

With the invention of the plane by the Wright brothers flying has swept the nation, inspiring students to pursue their dreams of aviation.

“I love flying planes,” Drake Olson, ’08, said. “Ever since I flew on a commercial airplane I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.”

Olson started flying planes when he was 12 and has loved it ever since.

“My parents gave me my first flying lessons as a present for my 12th birthday,” Olson said. “When I first started I needed a seat cushion to see over the cockpit panel.”

While he still helps out on the farm in Easton, Olson’s dream to become an aviator took a big step when he took the stick for the first time last year. And his father is one of his biggest fans.

“My family lives on a 300-acre vineyard,” Drake Olson, ’08, said. “My dad would like me to take over the farm, but I am pursuing aviation. I just don’t want to farm. I want a change in scenery and my dad encourages me to do so.”

In December 2005, Olson flew by himself for the first time a few days after turning 16.

“Flying by myself is fun and amazing. The acceleration of going 120 mph off the runway is exhilarating,” Olson said. ” The best aspect of each flight is the landing because of the challenge it presents.”

Olsen wants to become a pilot for his future job.

“I stared flying for more than one reason,” Olson said. “It was a combination of my loving my first flight in a Boeing 767 and a long time obsession with the movie Top Gun.”

Olson will be able to attempt to get his pilot’s license in June of 2007.

“I have taken this year off to complete my ground school,” Olson said. “Completing this is required to pass the written exam.”

Olson goes to Chandler Downtown Airport in Fresno and rents a Piper Cherokee 180 for a aviation class once a month.

“I think that Drake is a savage for flying planes,” Vincent Cabias, ’09, said, “because flying planes could be dangerous so I think its cool that he does fly planes.”

While some don’t think much about flying, others have a dream about flying their own plane, similar to Olson.

“I would want to fly planes, Elizabeth Mendrin, ’07, said. “It is my lifelong dream to fly a plane. If I learned then I could get my own plane and fly where ever I wanted to go.”

Every day, millions of people travel to their chosen destinations via plane.

“I think flying is fun and useful,” Andrew Khouzem, ’10, said. “Flying gets people to places faster and you can go over water faster.”