Luis Jaime working on an aircraft engine during an aviation technical operations lab
Raised in a southwest suburb of Chicago as a childhood aviation junkie, there was a pretty good chance Luis Jaime would pursue an aviation career at a collegiate program based "just down the road" in Southwest Michigan.
But what sealed the deal for Jaime was one of his two summer camp experiences at the Western Michigan University College of Aviation's location near Battle Creek.
Request College of Aviation Information
During one of those adventures was a thrill he said he "will never forget" -- a flight aboard a "Super D."
For many in the world of the aviation, the "Super D" is the CH-47SD Super D Chinook, the "chopper of choice" of both the U.S. military and the international aviation industry. Built by Boeing, the tandem-rotor helicopter had its first test flight in late August of 1999.
But in "WMU (Western Michigan University) College of Aviation Land," "Super D" refers to the aerobatic aircraft known professionally as the "American Champion Super Decathlon", which is used as one of the attractions for the college's advanced aviation camp. The campers get to experience emergency maneuvers and some basic aerobatics in the two-seater light airplane. As part of the college's curriculum, it trains student pilots in spin and upside-down recovery, as well as giving them the experience of sustained aerobatic stress. It is specifically designed for this because a "normal" aircraft can't provide this kind of training.
As one student testified, "it makes you a better pilot." But the real lesson is to never find yourself in those kinds of situations, but if you do, here's what to do. It provides the "Just in Case" or "What If" training, and it impressed the heck out of Jaime.
Jaime with fellow aviation technical operations student and faculty specialist Geoff Lindenberg
Now a senior majoring in aviation technical operations, Jaime calls "home" the 14,500-folks village of Midlothian, Ill. It was there where he frequently looked skyward to watch the planes follow their routes. Those kinds of seemingly innocent glances seemed "to make me happy," he recalls. That kind of uplifting drew him toward the decision to take part in the College of Aviation's summer camps.
"Before those two summer camps," he says, "I was not sure that I wanted to be in aviation. Those experiences (such as the Super D flight) showed me how it could be a great career. I got the feel of what this kind of major in college would be like and whether this was what I wanted. The summer camp showed me the different things the college had to offer. I would tell others that the summer camp is a great way to experience aviation if they don't really have a background in the industry before coming to WMU."
Thus, it wasn't exactly a Rubik's Cube-like, 3-D decision that Jaime chose WMU for his higher-education destination. "Western has one of the largest aviation programs in the country, plus it is close to home," he says. "WMU has a lot more to offer than other aviation schools." Indicative of that is his four-year allegiance to Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity where he has forged friendships with students outside of the aviation program and his solid support of WMU athletic events, especially the Bronco hockey games.
Jaime has always been a hands-on guy when it comes to leisure activities. He builds model cars, as well as Lego's plastic-construction creations. One of his latest projects is a 1,500-piece Ferrari race car that took eight hours to complete. That's symbolic of his favorite car -- the V-8 powered Ferrari 488 Pista -- "because of its speed and that it was built to race on the streets" on the Grand Prix circuit. If he's not running miles to condition his body, Jaime will be spotted at weekend auto shows. If Western had an auto-racing team, he would have been a four-year varsity athlete.
Jaime getting up close and personal with the F-22 at the Battle Creek Field of Flight Airshow
"Best of Show" when it comes to his favorite course at Western was the class in advanced structures taught by Dr. Gail Rouscher. "I liked Dr. Gail's class," he says, "because of the hands-on learning as well as the ability to create something on my own. My choice was a (World War II era bomber) B-17 Flying Fortress. We used all of the things we learned from previous classes to make more advanced projects." That "building" was something of a carryover from summer camp for him as well because at one of them "we built a fiberglass clipboard -- from scratch. That was great enjoyment and very fulfilling."
Choosing WMU and Kalamazoo for his training has turned out to be the perfect decision both socially as well as geographically. "My favorite part of WMU has been all the new friends I have made. Not knowing anybody when I first arrived, I was welcomed by many people who were in the same position as I was. The friends I have made at the College of Aviation since day one are still some of my best friends." Together, they have enjoyed "flying and more flying," and representing the WMU program at the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) AirVenture, billed as the world's greatest celebration of aviation in Oshkosh, Wis.
Once Western is in his rearview mirror, Jaime's immediate plans are to qualify for his A & P (Airframe and Powerplant) licenses, the certifications required by the Federal Aviation Administration for technicians to maintain, test and repair aircraft. That should lead him to employment in the airline industry or the cargo side of the business, preferably near his home area and hopefully with an enterprise based at O'Hare International Airport.
Jaime also believes a private-pilot's license is in his immediate future, along with building a few more model racing cars.