Official Site of the Government of Stevens Point, Wisconsin

"Am I High" Aviation School

Am I High Aviation Flight Training has landed at Stevens Point Municipal Airport and promises to take flight training to new heights. The new school is operated by local residents Wanda Zuege, ATP (Flight Instructor, Airline Transport Pilot) and John Thompson, CFII (Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument). "Unlike flight instructors who quickly come and go, we're in it for the long haul. Some pilots teach just in order to accumulate flying hours. Once they have enough hours to get a professional flight career, they stop being flight instructors. Their students are left flopping with no one to pick them up," Thompson said. "We teach for the sheer love of flying. For us, it's a way of life, a passion." Thompson taught at the last two flying schools that opened and closed at the airport, namely Sentry Aviation and Pegasus. Zuege taught at Pegasus for two years before it closed last July. Students learn to fly after completing a 30-hour ground school and a minimum of 40 hours of flight training.

Why the name "Am I High" Aviation? "A 16-year-old girl I took flying once wrote a beautiful report about the experience entitled 'Am I High?' That's where we got the name for our school," Zuege said. "The experience of flight has spawned similar expressions from other flyers." Some call the cockpit their therapy room. It's better than a margarita in the afternoon, cheaper than a therapist, and a whole lot more fun," Zuege said.

What makes Am I high flight instructors unique? Together, John Thompson and Wanda Zuege bring over 50 years of flying experience to the classroom and cockpit. Thompson was a U.S. Army Helicopter gunner and crew chief in Vietnam. When he returned to Wisconsin in 1966, he obtained his commercial pilot's license at Grimm's Flying Service. Thompson has been a Civil Air Patrol volunteer and flight instructor for 15 years. Thompson currently owns Advantage Vans and has been a Civil Air Patrol volunteer and flight instructor for 15 years. Zuege fell in love with flying in 1988. "At that time, my job as a Social worker put me under a tremendous stress. To get relief from all that pressure, my husband and I bought an ultralight plane. I was hooked on flying immediately," Zuege said. She gave up social work and became a pilot. She's been a flight instructor for 10 years. "One of our main goals is to instill good safety procedures into our students with a really solid learning experience," Thompson said. "To aid in that endeavor, we make learning interactive with lively classroom discussions using Rod Machado's instruction materials, digital images, computers and power point presentations. Using these tools makes our classes lively and interesting. It's a truly refreshing approach to instruction," Zuege said. "Unlike other ground school courses, our Private Pilot Ground School is held every Wednesday evening, 6 pm-9 pm, year round," Zuege said. "Then, of course, comes the best part of teaching, the pure joy of watching them go from student-pilot learning to fly to becoming the pilot in command of their ship."

Am I High Aviation ground school student Susanna Gorski, 38, of Winchester said she has been trained "to always look for where you could land the plane and what to do if something happens." She and her husband are already grooming their seven-year-old daughter, Maria, to become a pilot. "Our present ground school class consists of students aged 14 to 72 from diverse backgrounds," Zuege said. The school's youngest student is Emily Thurier, 14, of Stevens Point. The oldest is 72-year-old Alvin Hoffmann, a retired farmer. "At first flying overwhelmed me," Hoffmann said, "but Wanda and John are such good teachers. They introduced me to other older pilots, and I even learned about a guy who is still flying at 92. Now I wish I'd become a pilot years ago."

Flying is reportedly far safer than driving a car. "Most crashes are caused by a series of mistakes made on the part of the pilot," Thompson said. "Some pilots are trained on a typical trainer-plane. When they get their license, they will purchase a much more complex and faster airplane that is beyond their level of training." How old do you have to be and how long does it take to become a pilot? "The fastest I ever saw anyone get his license was two weeks, but it usually takes one season depending on the weather and the frequency of training. Students may enroll in the Private Pilot Ground School program at age 15, and solo the airplane on their 16th birthday. "To help get people started, we offer a lively four-hour Flight Camp package including three hours in class and one hour actually flying the plane." Zuege said. Am I High offers 24/7 online flight scheduling for on-demand convenience, flight instruction, ground school, flight reviews, flight-seeing tours, plane rental and exploration flights for hunters, sports enthusiasts and realty flights. Am I High Aviation Flight Training will hold an open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 13. Instructors will be on hand to answer questions, learn-to-fly digital presentations will be ongoing, air rides will be available all day for $20.00 (weather permitting) and music will be provided by the Road House Rockers, featuring the Am I High flight song. Please call Wanda at 715-252-3326 or John at 715-340-1135 if you plan to attend. Am I High Aviation is located at the Stevens Point Airport, Highway 66 East, in Stevens Point. Am I High Aviation Flight Training Web Site

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