Midway sophomore takes first solo flight one hour before getting driver’s license on 16th birthday

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A local high school student had a 16th birthday to remember, piloting in a plane alone before getting her driver’s license on the very same day.

Flying alone before she could drive alone was a longtime goal of Midway High School sophomore Piper Starling, who is a third-generation pilot and has loved aviation as long as she can remember.

Piper’s dad, Sam, 48, is a private pilot who owns JETPRO Texas, a company in McGregor which buys and sells aircraft. Her grandfather, Don, 86, is also a private pilot and retired officer in the U.S. Air Force with decades of aviation experience.

“My dad and I set this goal because it’s a really unique experience, especially, as a girl and it’s the beginning of me becoming a third-generation pilot,” Piper told KWTX.

Piper can’t remember not being in a small aircraft with her dad at the controls.

Her parents recall Piper sitting in a car seat in the co-pilot’s chair of her dad’s plane as young as three years old.

At 15 years old, Piper started taking lessons to get her Student Pilot Certificate but you can’t attempt a solo flight until the age of 16 and Piper wasted no time.

Piper took off from the McGregor Municipal Airport around 10:30 a.m. the morning of her 16th birthday and after about 30 minutes in the air, made her first successful landing with no one else on board.

“God and I had really big chats leading up to this and I knew He had her,” mom Deanna said. “I trust Sam and his teaching and training with her. They had been working really hard, with a lot of time in the air.”

As soon as the wheels were down in McGregor, Piper and Deanna drove to Central Texas Driving School in Waco where Piper took and passed her test to get a driver’s license.

She later drove to the DMV in Groesbeck where she had her license in hand by 5 p.m.

Piper’s family says they’ve never heard of anyone accomplishing both feats in one day.

“I grew up in aviation and soloed when I was 18,” Sam laughed. “Piper is winning!”

Piper says taking to the skies at such a young age, especially as a female, is something she hopes will encourage other young girls.

“I hope to send the message that you can set high expectations for yourself and with hard work you can do anything you put your mind to,” Piper said.

Piper will continue working on her instrument ratings with the goal of getting her private pilot’s license at 17, which is the youngest age possible.

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