[Dave W]

Announced on AVweb today; I reckon this is rather fine.

"The Old Man in the Plane" - Midshipman Emma Hutchinson, USN

Emma Hutchinson, a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman, has won the inaugural Richard L. Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots, according to Sporty’s Pilot Shop. The company established the award last year under the banner of its Air Facts Journal, an online resurrection of the publication Richard L. Collins’ father, Leighton, launched in 1938.

Midshipman Hutchinson won for an essay called “The Old Man in the Plane,” a tribute to her grandfather who inspired her with his tales of flight. She wrote, “My grandpa told me the sky was his church, the place he felt the presence of a higher being, always present. He guided me to start my own journey in the old plane, this time with a new instructor.” Read the winning article here.

Hutchinson will receive a $2500 award to be presented during Sun ‘n Fun 2019. Hutchinson is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in English and earned her private pilot certificate in 2017. She’s a member of the USNA cycling team, paints and writes daily. Upon her commissioning, Hutchinson wants to fly helicopters for in the U.S. Marine Corps, a goal of which she says her grandfather, Ronald Hutchinson, would be proud.

Based on the success of this first year’s Writing Prize, plans are underway to continue this award in 2020. Details will be posted at on the Air Facts Journal site later this year.

[ClearOfCloud]

It is rather.

[Chris Martyr]

Presumably that is the Richard L. Collins who used to do the excellent training videos a few years ago . He was indeed a great tutor and had a relaxed but knowledgeable way of putting things across. So well done to Emma.

Emma sounds like a bright and intelligent girl and her grandpa would have been proud to see what his inspiration has led to . Her command of the English written word is also very [actually , very very] apparent , and like many U.S. authors , she gets just a bit carried away with this by being far too over-descriptive of the things she's trying to write about.

But I'm sure that by the time she gets to be some grumpy old curmudgeon commenting on aviation fora , that'll all have been kicked out of her..

[ClearOfCloud]

@Chris Martyr to be fair; over-description isn't really a US authors' affliction; more one of youth and inexperience. It will pass.

Yes, that would be the same Richard L. Collins. It's great to see the so much effort being made encourage youth into all areas of aviation. It is sorely needed

[flybymike]

But I'm sure that by the time she gets to be some grumpy old curmudgeon commenting on aviation fora , that'll all have been kicked out of her..

For which read the marvellous Martha Lunken in “Flying “ magazine.