OSKALOOSA — The highway between Pella and Oskaloosa looks different from the air. So do the fields, the rooftops and the town students thought they knew. For a group of Oskaloosa High School students, a May Term Discovery Flight at Pella Municipal Airport turned a class experience into something they said they will remember long after high school.
With flight instructors beside them, students climbed into small airplanes, learned how pilots inspect aircraft before takeoff and, once in the air, took the controls themselves.
For many of them, that was the moment the day became real.
“I was quite surprised that they let us fly the plane,” said Oskaloosa High School junior Kaden Toubekis. “Most people don’t really think high schoolers should be flying planes.”
The flights were part of a May Term course focused on investing in students’ health, finances, and futures. Classic Aviation was generous with its time, planes, and pilots for the experience, giving students a rare opportunity to move beyond talking about careers and step directly into one.
Before the planes left the runway, instructors walked students through the aircraft and explained the safety checks pilots complete before every flight. Students learned about controls, gauges, weather, fuel, and the maintenance that keeps aircraft safe.
Then they took off.
Toubekis said the flight gave him a view of familiar places from a perspective he had never experienced. From above, he could see the area around Oskaloosa and even take photos of his house.
“Definitely getting to fly the plane, that was really cool,” Toubekis said. “I was super excited leading up to it, and it lived up to my hopes.”
The experience also connected with his plans after graduation. Toubekis said he has been considering Indian Hills Community College for either diesel mechanics or aviation maintenance. During the trip, he had the chance to speak with aviation mechanics and learn more about the field.
“It was pretty interesting to talk to them and give me some more insight,” he said.
For Oskaloosa High School junior Nozilla Abdullayeva, an exchange student from Uzbekistan, the flight was her first time in a small airplane. She expected the ride to be rougher, but instead found herself surprised by how smooth it felt.
“It was nice,” Abdullayeva said. “I didn’t have a headache or feel nauseous in the air.”
Abdullayeva said her instructor explained how the controls worked and helped students understand how the aircraft moved up, down and through turns. One of her favorite moments came when the plane made a 45-degree turn on the way back to Pella.
“I think actually flying the plane was the most interesting part,” Abdullayeva said. “You could have control.”
She said the view from a small aircraft felt different from riding on a commercial flight. Instead of watching the world through a distant window, students were close to the experience. They could see the sky, feel the movement of the plane and understand how the pilot’s decisions affected the flight.
Abdullayeva plans to study engineering in the future and said the aviation experience gave her a new appreciation for aircraft and the people who work with them.
“Aviation was also a really nice experience for me,” she said. “I would love to learn more about planes too.”
For junior Andrew Hersom, the day carried a mix of excitement and responsibility. He had flown on commercial planes before and had seen flying dramatized in movies, but sitting next to an instructor and taking the controls felt different.
“When I took the wheel, it’s a little bit like, ‘I just got to keep it straight, nothing too crazy,’” Hersom said. “But it was super exciting. I was super pumped to just be able to take the wheel of something that goes that fast and try something new.”
Hersom said he was struck by the preparation behind each flight. Students learned that weather, wind and temperature all matter, and that aircraft maintenance is a constant part of aviation.
“There’s a lot more that goes into the maintenance than a car,” Hersom said.
But what he may remember most is the view.
From the air, Hersom could see the space between Pella and Oskaloosa in a new way. The highway seemed shorter. The towns seemed closer. The familiar landscape felt smaller and more connected.
“I think I’ll remember how little Oskaloosa and just how little the earth looks from up there,” Hersom said. “When you actually drive it, it seems a lot longer than when you’re in a plane.”
That shift in perspective is part of the purpose of May Term. The program gives students room to explore interests, try hands-on learning and connect classroom concepts to the world outside school.
Toubekis said May Term matters because students can choose experiences connected to their interests.
“You get out of it what you put into it,” he said. “I learned a lot about stuff I’m interested in.”
Hersom said the flight also pushed students beyond what felt familiar.
“It teaches you real-life skills, and it teaches you how to get out of your comfort zone,” Hersom said. “Things like this, that you can do hands-on, or do stuff that is maybe a little nerve-wracking, can help you.”
The day ended back where it began, on the ground at Pella Municipal Airport. But students returned with more than photos and stories. They returned with a clearer understanding of aviation, a stronger sense of confidence and a memory built around trying something most people never get to do.
