Our Scholarship Recipient Noah Kaser

The online interview with Noah was in a question/answer format, conducted by Skip Brown.

Your Flying Experience:

How old were you when you became interested in airplanes?

I’ve been interested in planes since I was very little. I was always fascinated by them, and I would check out magazines and movies from the library that featured them. Growing up, we had a large field behind our house and sometimes paragliders would land there, which was a huge delight for me. My siblings and I would run out and help them pack up.

Where was your first ride in a plane & who was the pilot?

My first ride in a plane was in 2018. I was volunteering with my neighbor for a couple of stops in the Collings Foundation’s Wings that were close enough to drive to. They were incredibly generous people and towards the end of my time volunteering, they allowed us to ride in the B-17G “Nine-O-Nine.” It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life and has stuck with me. The pilot was Mac McCauley. He was an incredible person to know, and I am glad I was able to meet him during my time volunteering with the Collings Foundation. He is, unfortunately, no longer with us following a crash of the “Nine-O-Nine” in 2019.

What is your goal when you become a pilot?

Thanks entirely to the wonderful flying program at the Port Townsend Aero Museum, and more help than I can list from the pilots at the Jefferson County airport, I was able to get my pilot’s license on the 4th of July in 2023. Since then, I have had to take a hiatus from flying to focus on my studies. But I intend to join the flying club once I transfer to UW and begin flying again. My longer-term goal is currently to get my instrument rating and tail-wheel endorsement once I am able to fly again.

Your Background:

Where did you grow up? Different places you have lived I grew up all over the West Coast, but mostly in Washington. I was raised and lived in Issaquah, Washington for the first part of my life. We lived against the mountains, far away from the nearest town. From there I spent a few years traveling up and down Oregon and California before eventually settling in Port Townsend. I lived there until 2023 when I began staying in Seattle for college.

How long have you lived in this area? I’ve lived in Washington for almost all my life, and I’ve lived in Port Townsend for over 10 years.

When you were growing up, what did you think you would be?

Until I joined the Port Townsend Aero Museum and read a book called “Ed Heinemann: Combat Aircraft Designer,” I had no idea what I was going to be. I thought maybe I could get my captain’s license and work in shipping, or possibly I could join the Peace Corps.

What is your major in college?

I am currently in college, and I am currently getting an Associate of Science. But this is just a stepping stone, and I hope to get a degree in aeronautical engineering once I transfer to my final school.

What school are you enrolled in? I only have a few quarters left before I get my associate degree and begin work on transferring to the University of Washington in Seattle.

Your Interests:

Besides airplanes & flying, what are your favorite things to do?

Besides airplanes, I love reading books and designing things in CAD software. Whenever I have time, I look through the local used bookstores to see what interesting books I can find. Recently I have also started visiting a local gym to do indoor rock climbing with my brother. It’s relaxing and a great way to get some exercise since most of my time is spent studying or on homework.

Do you have any unusual, humorous, harrowing, or exciting experiences you can share with our members?

An unusual and exciting experience I had was being able to fly in the Student Prince. The Student Prince is a biplane built in the 1930s by students. Only 3 existed and there is only one registered today. It is owned by Summer Martell, who also conducted my check ride. It was my first time in an open cockpit, and it made for a great view when she took me on a short ride up over Port Townsend. It was a very interesting and somewhat harrowing experience for me. I was not used to feeling like there was nothing holding me in the plane, and I plan on sticking with a closed cockpit for the foreseeable future.

What is something most of your friends/family don’t know about you that you’re willing to share?

I had an immense fear of heights that lasted into my flight training. It made for some interesting early flights but it went away as I got more comfortable flying.