K-State Flying Club, Inc.

09/24/2026

Our featured member of the week is Cassie Jones! Cassie joined the K-State Flying Club in August and is a 2026 graduate of K-State Salina where she earned her Commercial Pilot Certificate with Single and Multi-Engine ratings as well as a Flight Instructor Certificate.

Cassie got her start in Aviation when her father encouraged her to take a Discovery flight. Cassie loved it and went on to get her Private Pilot certificate and enroll in K-State Salina Professional Pilot program. Her father had always wanted to fly and so he too went and got his Private Pilot certificate and then bought a Cessna 182 - which Cassie now gets to enjoy flying. That’s a pretty good family aviation story!

While at K-State, Cassie had the incredible opportunity to compete in the 2025 Air Race Classic, a women’s cross-country air race that took her team from Fairhope, Alabama, to Spokane, Washington. It was undoubtedly an experience that added some memorable miles to her logbook!

Cassie is now working as a flight instructor, building experience and flight time while looking toward her next aviation adventure. Her long-term goal is to fly corporate jets, with mission aviation also being a possibility.

09/17/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/19jVzyYhdC/?mibextid=wwXIfr

KPA MEETING & FLY-OUT
KPA AUGUST MEETING: Sept 26

KINGMAN AVIATION COMMUNITY
Lunch & Learn : September 26th
Kingman Airport-9K8
Clyde Cessna Field

11:00 AM-Noon | Burgers & Dogs at Tango Lima Sierra - Hosted by KPA

12:00 - 12:30 PM | 9K8 Kingman Airport
Where we are & where we are going

12:30 - 1:30 PM | Non-Towered Airport Fiight Operation
WINGS CREDIT AVAILABE FOR THIS PROGRAM!

Before 11:00 AM & After 1:30 PM -- CESSNA FEST!
Complimentary transportation from the airport to Cessna Fest in historic downtown Kingman.

https://www.cityofkingman.com/page/airport

09/15/2026

Our K-State Flying Club featured member of the week is Robert Busby. Robert began his flying adventure at the young age of 14, but life and a successful military career put his aviation dreams on hold. After retiring from the U.S. Army, Robert finally had the opportunity to return to his passion for flying and pursue his long-held goal of becoming a pilot.

Robert’s military career began at just 17 years old when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Following his time in the Air Force, he served in the Air National Guard and the Air Force again before eventually transferring to the U.S. Army, where he specialized as a Signals Officer and Telecommunications Engineer. Today, Robert continues to serve his country in a different, capacity, working for the USDA as a Cybersecurity Specialist.

Robert earned his Private Pilot Certificate in 2024 and is now working toward his Instrument Rating. He is especially grateful for the K-State Flying Club and the opportunity it provides to pursue flight training in a cost-effective and supportive environment.

Looking ahead, Robert plans on working towards his CFI certificate and share his passion for aviation with Civil Air Patrol cadets. His journey is a great example of how the dream of flight can be put on hold—but never has to be given up.

08/31/2026

The Doctor is in the House

(This seminar was originally scheduled for June but had to be rescheduled. Please note the new date and time.)

It’s not often you have a chance to talk medicals and medical issues directly with a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner. Join us TUESDAY, September 22 @ 7pm at the Manhattan Public Library for the following seminar with Bradley Harrison, MD. Whether you have a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd class medical or fly under Basic Med, you will learn how to manage the FAA medical system. The new MOSIAC rules for flying with a drivers license and how to transition to that option will be discussed. Most importantly, Dr Harrison will be available in this informal Q&A format to help answer your question related to medical, deferrals, denials, and your options to keep you flying. Please join us for this free seminar!

Sign up at:

Dr. Bradley Harrison is a pilot and Senior Aviation Medical Examiner and an expert on navigating the FAA medical process.Getting and keeping your medical is an essential process for pilots to keep flying. With Basic Med, MOSAIC and the standard FAA medical certificates there are a range of options....

08/27/2026

Our featured Flying Club member of the week is Julian Montenegro. Julian is a freshman at K-State majoring in Mechanical Engineering, with a career goal of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

Julian has always had an interest in aviation and was able to explore his passion for flying through the EAA Young Eagles program. His interest eventually led him to pursue flight training, and he was recently awarded the 2026 Ray Aviation Scholarship, sponsored by EAA Chapter 1364 in Junction City. The scholarship has been a tremendous help in making his flight training possible.

Julian joined the K-State Flying Club in June and soloed in August. He is now working on his cross-country training and recently completed a memorable cross-country flight to Eisenhower National Airport.

Julian lives in St. George and commutes to campus. His father is originally from El Salvador, and Julian had the opportunity to visit family there this summer.

We’re excited to watch Julian’s aviation journey continue and look forward to seeing where his hard work and passion for flying take him!

08/25/2026

Help us congratulate Travis Dierenfeldt on his first solo, August 25, 2026. CFI: Chris Dierenfeldt.

08/20/2026

Our featured Flying Club member of the week is also one of our newest members, Bryce Porter. Bryce joined the Flying Club in August to pursue a longtime dream of becoming a pilot, and fittingly, he took his first flight on National Aviation Day.

Bryce graduated from Kansas State University in 2000 with a degree in Agribusiness and began his career in banking. Over the years, he advanced through a series of positions and now serves as Branch President of Citizens State Bank in Waterville, Kansas.

Bryce and his wife, Nicole, have two daughters, both of whom attend K-State. Nicole is a veterinarian and owns Blue River Veterinary Clinic in Waterville.

Bryce first caught the flying bug back in 1999 while traveling to Denver on an interview trip. His interest in aviation was rekindled more recently when he saw his old college roommate taking flying lessons. With both daughters now at K-State, Bryce decided the timing was finally right to turn a longtime dream into reality and begin his own journey toward becoming a pilot.

08/19/2026

K-State Flying Club,

Fall Wash & Wax and bi-annual club business meeting will be Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 1300. Mark your calendars.

We will clean the airplanes and hangars, eat some pizza, and have our business meeting.

Hope to see you all there!

Russ Hart, President
K-State Flying Club

08/11/2026

This week’s featured member of the week is Melissa Carlson, an accomplished aviator who is about to take the next step in her aviation journey by beginning training with PSA Airlines!

Melissa began her aviation career at the Florida Institute of Technology, where she earned her Commercial Pilot Certificate with both single- and multi-engine ratings. After graduation, she joined the U.S. Army, specializing in helicopter maintenance and serving a tour in Afghanistan.

Following her Army service, Melissa married Christopher Carlson and joined Southwest Airlines in Ground Operations. Her experience at Southwest gave her a unique perspective—and helped her realize that she’d much rather be on the other side of the cockpit door!

She went back to school and continued adding to an already impressive résumé, earning her MBA, CFI, CFII, and A&P certificates/ratings.

Most recently, Melissa took to the skies for the 2026 Air Race Classic, flying with Lindsey LeBlanc as Team Pitch, Please #37. 🏁✈️

Melissa and Lindsey will be sharing their Air Race Classic experience at our next FAA Safety Seminar:

📅 Monday, August 17
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Manhattan Public Library

08/06/2026

Congratulations to Julian Montenegro on his first solo on August 4, 2026. CFI: Christopher Deirenfeldt.