CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 2012 Mt. Ararat High School graduate and Topsham, Maine, native is participating in a rigorous training process that transforms officers into U.S. naval aviators.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David Finley |
Lt. j.g. Michael Schuman is a student pilot with the “Stingrays” of Training Squadron (VT) 35, based in Naval Air Station Corpus, Christi, Texas. The squadron flies the T-44C Pegasus aircraft.
A Navy student pilot is responsible for learning to fly aircrafts within Navy standards and prepare and train for missions flying in the fleet as a naval aviator.
“I get to wake up everyday and learn about flying, and getting to see the practical application of what I first learn on deck and then in the air is awesome,” Schuman said. “I love to fly so I really enjoy my job.”
Schuman credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Topsham.
“My dad flew P-3Cs out of Naval Air Station Brunswick so I got to see a lot of the aviation community,” Schuman said. "From these experiences, I knew what to expect when I entered the aviation community so it made my transition into the program a lot smoother than most.”
The T-44C Pegasus is a twin-engine, pressurized, fixed-wing monoplane used for advanced turboprop radar aircraft training using two 550 shaft horsepowered engines, with a cruising airspeed of 287 mph.
VT-35’s primary mission is to train future naval aviators to fly as well as instill leadership and officer values, Navy officials explained. Students must complete four phases of flight training in order to graduate, including aviation pre-flight indoctrination, primary flight training, and advanced flight training. After successfully completing the rigorous program, naval aviators earn their coveted “Wings of Gold.”
After graduation, pilots continue their training to learn how to fly a specific aircraft, such as the Navy’s P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft or Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. They are later assigned to a ship or land-based squadron.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Schuman plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Schuman is most proud of earning his Wings of Gold that designated him as a naval aviator.
“It took two years of training to earn my wings so I’m excited each time I get to wear them on my uniform,” Schuman said. “It's rare to serve in the military flying for the Navy, so these wings will put me in some unique company.”
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Schuman, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Schuman is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My great-grandfather was in the Army Air Corps, my mom's dad, a helo air crewman and rescue air swimmer, and my dad was a naval aviator," Schuman said. "I'm very proud to represent and continue that family legacy of service.”
A Navy student pilot is responsible for learning to fly aircrafts within Navy standards and prepare and train for missions flying in the fleet as a naval aviator.
“I get to wake up everyday and learn about flying, and getting to see the practical application of what I first learn on deck and then in the air is awesome,” Schuman said. “I love to fly so I really enjoy my job.”
Schuman credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Topsham.
“My dad flew P-3Cs out of Naval Air Station Brunswick so I got to see a lot of the aviation community,” Schuman said. "From these experiences, I knew what to expect when I entered the aviation community so it made my transition into the program a lot smoother than most.”
The T-44C Pegasus is a twin-engine, pressurized, fixed-wing monoplane used for advanced turboprop radar aircraft training using two 550 shaft horsepowered engines, with a cruising airspeed of 287 mph.
VT-35’s primary mission is to train future naval aviators to fly as well as instill leadership and officer values, Navy officials explained. Students must complete four phases of flight training in order to graduate, including aviation pre-flight indoctrination, primary flight training, and advanced flight training. After successfully completing the rigorous program, naval aviators earn their coveted “Wings of Gold.”
After graduation, pilots continue their training to learn how to fly a specific aircraft, such as the Navy’s P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft or Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. They are later assigned to a ship or land-based squadron.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Schuman plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Schuman is most proud of earning his Wings of Gold that designated him as a naval aviator.
“It took two years of training to earn my wings so I’m excited each time I get to wear them on my uniform,” Schuman said. “It's rare to serve in the military flying for the Navy, so these wings will put me in some unique company.”
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Schuman, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Schuman is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My great-grandfather was in the Army Air Corps, my mom's dad, a helo air crewman and rescue air swimmer, and my dad was a naval aviator," Schuman said. "I'm very proud to represent and continue that family legacy of service.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Schuman and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Waking up and knowing your day-to-day tasks are meaningful and all in service of this great country is an amazing feeling,” Schuman said. “I like being part of the Navy team, especially in aviation, because it’s one of the best teams on Earth. That fraternal experience is also important to me. It's all about your crew and buddies in the air with you.”