Introduction

Hello my name is Steven Stryker, I am currently enrolled in Eastern Michigan University majoring in Aviation Flight Technology. After this semester I will be complete with all my required classes and will only need to complete my flight training. This is my third year at EMU, I transferred from Washtenaw Community College after attending there for two years and receiving my associates degree in Liberal Arts. However I did not decide what I was going into until I completed my first year of college.

I grew up in the New Hudson and Howell area, in Michigan. I had many different interests and passions growing up. My first dream was to design cars, I love cars and I loved creating from the ground up. I took various art classes throughout the years trying to improve my drawing ability. My love for cars remained and I found myself becoming a sponsored race car driver for several years, my goals quickly turned from a car engineer to a race car driver. As the years went on, reality set in, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a high level of success with limited funds. We decided to put the racing career on hold. During this time I started learning the bass guitar, guitar, and piano. I played for several local bands and a couple bands with some friends for fun. After enjoying some success I considered pursing music as a career. Once again reality of becoming successful was extremely difficult. During this time I had a life changing event, I experienced flying for the first time.

Flying used to be my greatest fear. I used to be terrified of flying, just the thought made me panic. It wasn't until I was 14 years old before I worked up the courage to fly. I had signed up for a missions trip to Costa Rica to help less fortunate people for a couple weeks, putting in a lot of time and money there was no backing out. Right when we turned on the runway and took off I was hooked! I was flying! Every aspect of flight from that point on was fascinating to me and I wanted to know more. Once returning from my trip, I quickly got as much information about flying as I could. I became an AOPA member and read every issue of there flight training magazine. About a year or so later I took an introductory flight a Livingston County Airport in Howell, in a Cessna 152. Once again, I was blown away that I was in the air flying! Then a dream become something that was possible. Unfortunately, the cost of flight training was a concern for me and I didn't start training. At the time I put in the back of my mind, keeping it an option for an expensive hobby or career someday. As I began college, I struggled what direction and what passion to follow. At the end of my freshman year I visited Eagle Flight Center as well as a couple other college flight programs and decided EMU flight program made the most sense for me.

I am currently working on my instrument training and plan on finishing flying within the next year. I plan on continuing my training and Eagle Flight Center and eventually teach there. I currently work for Avflight a FBO on Willow Run Airport. I have had a great opportunity to meet a lot of pilots and managers of companies, that could lead to future opportunities. My goal for flying is to fly as many different aircraft as I can. I plan on one day flying for a major airline or a corporate business, while continuing to help grow aviation in other ways within the community. Aviation is something that I will always be involved in and will always give back to.