Local teen takes first solo flight

WORLAND – Most teenagers plan on celebrating their 16th birthday by getting their driver's license. Lexi Boltz of Ten Sleep celebrated her 16th birthday by taking her first solo flight Thursday afternoon at the Worland Municipal Airport.

When asked which she was more excited about, getting her driver's license or her first solo flight she stated, "The solo is more important than my driver's license."

Boltz, with her flight instructor Bill Pennington watching, did all the preliminary safety checks before the two pulled the 1960 Piper PA-22 Tri-pacer aircraft out onto the runway. Together the two taxied and took off doing a touch down and take off before landing. Once landing, after a brief discussion Pennington exited the aircraft and Boltz proceeded to take her first solo flight with family and friends watching from the ground.

"Taking your first solo flight on your 16th birthday is a big deal. It's exciting for everybody and doesn't happen very often," Pennington said.

Boltz is the youngest member of the Worland Flying Club. The club meets monthly with individual flight instruction once per week. She was taken on her first intro flight by Pennington in 2014.

According to Pennington, Boltz has about 23 hours of flight time under her belt but was unable, due to federal law, to fly solo until she was 16. "She will make a fine pilot; she's an excellent student, diligent and has integrity. She's been ready to fly solo for a long time now," he said.

Boltz plans on following in her grandfather's footsteps. Her grandfather, a pilot, just retired Dec. 4 from Southwest Airlines.

"She's dreamed of being a pilot since she was about 10 years old," Brandi Boltz mother of Lexie Boltz stated.