Staff report

MIDDLEFIELD — Two local youth recently took their first solo flights at the Geauga County Airport as members of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 5.

Luke Shipman, 17, accomplished this feat in a Cessna 172 airplane Oct. 29 and was a recipient of the Ray Aviation Scholarship through the national EAA organization. He is the son of Chris and Melanie Shipman and lives in Greene, where he is a student at Maplewood High School.

Isaac Burden, 19, took his first solo flight Oct. 17 and received a partial scholarship through the local EAA Chapter 5.

Both young men flew through the Young Eagles program and previously attended an EAA 5 Summer Youth Aviation Camp at the airport in Middlefield.

Luke enjoys fishing, hunting, playing baseball and bowling. He received college class credits from Kent State University and is applying to aviation-related colleges such as Bowling Green, Kent State and Liberty University to get his professional pilot degree.

“My plan is to fly for an airline starting with regional flights and eventually moving up to international flights,” Luke said recently.

He is also considering flying privately.

His interest in aviation comes from his grandfather, Don Cunningham, an aircraft maintenance technician and owner of Cunningham Air Services. Cunningham is a pilot and is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform inspections, repairs and maintenance on aircraft.

Growing up, Luke spent weekends at the Geauga County Airport assisting his grandpa and as time went on, he began to love aviation more and more. About three years ago, Luke knew he wanted to pursue getting his pilot license. Luke’s parents were not surprised that he was able to solo before his 18th birthday.

“He has been laser-focused on his goal of becoming a pilot,” they said. “Luke is a leader in character and a son with a kind heart and genuine spirit. We’re very proud of him and know he is destined to do great things. We can’t wait to see where his flying career takes him.”

Cunningham has been a staple at the Geauga County Airport since July 1982 and a distinguished member of EAA 5 for more than 25 years. He enlisted Luke to cook and help out with pancake breakfasts in elementary school.

“Geauga County Airport has been part of my life since I can remember,” Luke said. “The community at the airport has been nothing short of amazing…there is a lot of experience that the people at the airport are happy to pass down.”

Isaac is the son of Jennifer Burden and is a 2024 graduate of Agape Christian Academy in Troy. He resides in Hiram and is studying engineering and competing in men’s cross country and track & field at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa.

Isaac’s personal interests include aviation missions and airforce avionics training. He became interested in aviation at age 9 when he took his first Young Eagles flight. Since then, he has aspired to become a pilot.

“My plan is to be an aviation missions pilot wherever the Lord calls me,” he said.

“Fostering Isaac’s boyhood dream of flying has been a real adventure…it has been a real blessing to have so many wonderful people invest in our son and help him toward realizing this goal,” Jennifer Burden said.

He received one of the first matching scholarships given by EAA5 to obtain his pilot’s license. He feels blessed for this opportunity, stating that “EAA Chapter 5 has assisted me by providing me with a $6,000 scholarship as well as continual support and advice during my training. I am grateful to those who are willing to provide tips and guidance on how to be the best pilot out there. The atmosphere encourages continual learning and the stories I hear have helped guide me.”