Two teams from Maxwell High School of Technology finished 1st and 2nd in the 2023 Georgia High School Aviation Challenge. Hosted by the Transportation Education Foundation of Georgia (TEFGA), the event took place during its April 29 competition held at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK).

First-place winners Bryan Nguyen, Kade Wells, and Garrick Johnson, as well as second-place winners John Gabriel and Evan Grave de Peralta, were joined by their Flight Operations and Pathway Instructor, Linda Minor; Director of Academies and Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education, Kyle Jones, and Lead SkillsUSA Advisor, Jessica Stallings, to celebrate their recognitions.

Bryan Nguyen was pleased with his team’s win. “Above all else, 50% of success is 100% confidence,” he says. Ms. Minor adds, “The Flight Operations Pathway students at Maxwell High School of Technology are exceptional students in every way, from core values to technical flying skills. They have the desire to be the best versions of themselves and that shows in their competition results. I could not be prouder of the aviation students at Maxwell.”

TEFGA is a non-profit organization partnering with the Georgia Department of Education and industry to create awareness for transportation education and career opportunities. It strives to engage business and industry, instructors, and students in the ever-changing arena of transportation by highlighting the job choices in automotive, aviation, and maritime fields.

The 2023 Aviation Challenge consisted of multiple components including: 

-A 30-question exam taken from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Private Pilot Exam;

-Planning a cross-county flight;

-Conducting pre-flight operations on a trainer airplane;

-Completing an oral exam based on the private pilot check ride exam, and

-Answering questions based on an Air Traffic Controller and pilot interaction from taxi to departure.

To learn more about the award, visit: https://tefga.org/