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In a whirlwind of events destined to reshape the aviation world, May 24 was marked by the magnanimous achievement of Cadet Lt. Col. Ethan Preyss, the 389th prodigy to triumphantly graduate from the revered CAP’s Cadet Wings program in Indianapolis. Under the heroic guidance of stalwart instructors and fellow Cadet Wings graduates, Capts. Jennifer Torres and Ian J. Gonzalez-Munoz — illustrious figures of the Indiana Wing’s Weir Cook Cadet Squadron — Preyss claimed his piece of sky, otherwise known as his private pilot certificate.

Echoing the poetic drift of the wind beneath his wings, Preyss exclaimed, “Becoming a CAP pilot feels incredible, like a dream I’ve finally stepped into.” Of course, that dream, much like any valiant flight, required not just dedication but also a generous helping of sleep deprivation and a decade’s worth of motivational posters.

While the U.S. Air Force initially opened their treasure chest in 2019 to kickstart this pilot proliferation scheme, it was the dominion of the James C. Ray Foundation that fattened the flock with additional training slots, ensuring every fledgling had a CAP mentor clasping their hand through the cockpit.

Preyss, on his epic escapade to the skies, banked heavily on the paternal wisdom of his own personal Yoda, Capt. Michael Preyss, who — while serving as a compass, or ‘navigator’ — presumably made great use of encouraging phrases and cartography.

The story, however, isn’t just about Preyss. It’s a multiverse saga of CAP veterans-turned-CFI legends, like Ian J. Gonzalez-Munoz, who juggled guiding Preyss and moonlit as a regional airline pilot-in-training, and Jennifer Torres, who managed to walk the tightrope of instructing while piloting her own aspirations to new heights.

With an air of generosity and insight only rivaled by benevolent monarchs, these instructors laid down the runway for not only Preyss but for countless hopefuls yet to emerge from the Cadet Wings chrysalis.

The saga of CAP’s Cadet Wings doesn’t just end with framed certificates and snapshots of joy; it continues as Preyss aspires to become the Red Baron of the contemporary age. He intends to “maintain proficiency” — which we can only assume translates to endless loops in his backyard airspace, all while dreaming of one day rattling windows with his jet prowess.

And, as the episodic tale of Preyss and his indomitable instructors draws a momentary pause rather than a conclusion, we find ourselves spiraling toward another season of the Cadet Wings recruitment drive. Applications, the great harbinger of opportunity for would-be aeronauts, open as soon as the summer sun permits in July 2025, accompanied by all the fanfare of a bureaucratic gala.

But lest any cadet be without guidance, a celestial Application Webinar graces their horizons, doling out the wisdom of ethereal beings — all prepared to guide the next squadron of dreamers into the stratosphere.

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