As a kid, Shane Van Hoven, senior, would beg his parents to take him to the airport, just to watch the planes take off and land from behind the fence. Now, the only thing that has changed is the view from where he sits.

For as long as Van Hoven can remember, aviation fascinated him.

“Before I could talk, I thought about how cool it would be to sit up there, all alone in an airplane, doing what I want to do, seeing what I want to see,” Van Hoven said.

The atmosphere of aviation lures him back to the airport each weekend. It’s a feeling of true passion that he does not experience in any other location.

“After you arrive at the airport and you breathe in that first breath of air filled with the smell of jet fuel, you know you are in the greatest place on earth,” said Van Hoven.

Shane’s parents could tell that the thought of flight captivated him at an early age.

“Those early T-ball games where kids are daydreaming? Shane never missed watching the airplanes fly over. He was even caught watching them [planes] in his most recent summer of baseball. He is a bit smarter about it now though- he only watches between pitches or from the dugout,” said Roger Van Hoven, Shane’s father.

Shane began flight training in the summer of 2013.

“To become a private pilot, a person needs to pass a written exam that tests your knowledge of aerodynamics, regulations, weather, physiology and navigation, 40 hours of flight time behind the controls of an airplane, and pass a flight test with an examiner to prove your skills,” said Kevin Bondy, Shane’s flight instructor.

During training, every hour of flight time required a half hour of time spent in the classroom.

“I learned in a two seat airplane. Single engine, very basic,” Shane said.

Shane went through the first third of his flight training with an instructor in preparation for his first solo flight.

“You don’t know when it’s going to happen. All of a sudden, the instructor gets out of the airplane, stands on the tarmac, unhooks the leash, and says ‘Okay, now fly!’” Shane said.

On Sept. 7, 2013, Shane soloed his first flight, fulfilling a lifelong dream, making a memory that he will remember for the rest of his life.

“If you ask any pilot about their first solo, no matter how much flight time they’ve had, they can probably give you the date and tail number of the airplane that they soloed in because it was the biggest accomplishment of their life up to that point,” Shane said.

This was not only a thrilling accomplishment for Shane, but for his whole family.

“When he soloed for the first time, his dad, brother and I met him at the airport,” said Jan Van Hoven, Shane’s mother. “We just had a little celebration with the instructor.”

Shane recalls being very focused during his first solo flight.

“You’re just in the zone, focusing and then you realize halfway through that there is nobody there so it is completely up to you to figure it out. You’re so well prepared for it that any nerves you may have had at the beginning all go away,” Shane said. “It’s the most incredible feeling of ‘Look ma – no hands!’”

Although they completely support him, Shane’s parents admit to getting nervous while Shane flies.

“We can track his flights on Flightaware [a flight tracking software] and I sometimes think that’s a bad idea for me. If there is a glitch in the web app, I worry that it’s a glitch in his flight. It never is; I should know better and just wait for his text when he lands,” Jan said.

Shane’s family is confident in his flying abilities, as they know he is well trained.

“Knowing that Shane is safer in an airplane than driving to school puts everything in perspective. I’m sure I would have more hesitation if Shane was passionate about race car driving,” Roger said.

Roger could tell that Shane was aware of his surroundings and was a knowledgeable pilot when he joined him on a flight to St. Cloud.

“Shane communicated very well about what was going to happen and briefed me on what safety rules I needed to know. I was a little anxious at first, but once we were in the air, it was obvious Shane was both very confident and competent,” Roger said.

Bondy was also impressed with Shane’s knowledge and persistence as a pilot right from the start.

“In my opinion he is one of the top pilots I have ever trained,” Bondy said. “He will be a tremendous addition to any avenue of aviation that he chooses.”

Shane is not only competent when it comes to flying, he is passionate about it too.

“I am constantly reminded how lucky I am to have this privilege,” Shane said. “It is just out of this world; I never want to see the day when flying isn’t a part of my life. [That] would be a very sad, sad day, because so many dreams are fueled by the promise of flight.”