Conor Clark wants to become a pilot and the Johnson Flight Academy is giving him the experience he needs.

Clark, 17, from Dixon, is a first-time cadet at the academy. However, it is not his first time flying aircraft.

He has flown powered aircraft and gliders before.

“I’ve always been interested in flight,” Clark said.

Clark said his interest in flying began when he was in seventh or eighth grade because a lot of his friends were joining the air force. Clark is also considering being a pilot in the air force or a commercial pilot.

Clark expanded the aircrafts he can fly by operating a hot air balloon at the Johnson Flight Academy this week. The weeklong camp ends Saturday.

“Our mission is to create aerospace leaders,” said camp director Rickey Oeth.

It was Clark’s first time flying a hot air balloon.

Clark said flying a hot air balloon is different than most would think.

“A balloon drops a lot faster than you’d expect it to,” he said.

The hot air balloon was not Clark’s first choice, but he said he is happy with it. Clark originally wanted to fly the powered aircraft, but the slots were full.

At the academy, cadets from the age of 14 to 20 can pick whether they want to learn how to fly powered aircraft, gliders or hot air balloons.

Oeth said of the 53 cadets, 25 are flying powered aircraft, six are flying hot air balloons and 22 are flying gliders.

The Civil Air Patrol has a fleet of aircraft and the Johnson Flight Academy is using seven powered aircraft, three gliders and two hot air balloons.

Oeth said there have been a few ups and downs with the aircraft because of maintenance, but that is to be expected.

One glider, while being towed by an airplane, was damaged by the winds and hit a runway light. Oeth said it was no big deal.

“We clean out one or two of those a year,” he said.

Some of the cadets at the camp attend year after year, which Oeth said is normal.

“Some students are career minded,” he said. “Others are here to say they’ve done it.”

Steve Peters, a Civil Air Patrol colonel, has had three sons who have attended the Johnson Flight Academy. He said the oldest son is now a Black Hawk pilot in the U.S. Army.

“It started here,” Peters said. “Time and time again we have so many success stories.”

Some cadets even come back to become staff volunteers at the camp.

Christie Ducote, commandant of the cadets, has been coming to flight camp since 2002 and now works as a volunteer.

The volunteers at the academy work for free.

“We all pay to be here,” Oeth said.

There are about 40 to 50 adults here supporting about 50 cadets.

Ducote said being on the other end of the camp is very different, but cool.

“It’s cool being able to see (cadets) experience what you’ve experienced,” she said.

Ducote has been exposed to flying since she was young. Her father, mother and grandfather all fly for a hobby.

“It’s a hobby for me too,” she said.

While Ducote was at the flight camp, she flew the gliders and hot air balloons.

“Balloons are just so peaceful,” she said. “You are just sort of suspended in the air.”

Ducote said the balloons are flown at sunrise and sunset – the most gorgeous times of the day.

Ducote did not fly the powered aircraft when attending the camp; however, she does have a license to.

When comparing gliders and powered aircraft, Ducote said gliders take more skill to fly.

“It takes a little more finesse because you don’t have the engines to back you up,” she said.

Cadets at the camp fly throughout the week, but only some get the chance to fly solo – without a certified instructor in the cockpit.

“One of the coolest things for me is seeing a cadet fly solo,” Ducote said.

An instructor will sign off a cadet who has the skills ready to fly solo.

Oeth said that normally happens around Thursday, but does not happen for everyone.

“We don’t solo that many students here,” he said. “There’s not enough time to go from zero to solo in seven days.”

Kristina Peters can be reached at 581-7942 or at kmpeters2@eiu.edu.