Daniel Kucherenko

About Me

I'm a junior at Tottenville High School, class of 2027. I show up almost everyday afterschool in D311 to practice on the flight simulators, use the Air Traffic Control simulator, or just spend time with friends. I help out around the room, either afterschool, during open houses, or other special events.

 

I am in the Science Institute, where I take (too many) AP and honors classes. So far, my favorite class has been my sophomore year of AP World History, and I have to give a massive thanks to Mrs. Braadt for being an amazing teacher and helping me get me a 5 on the AP exam. Definitely my favorite history teacher.

 

In addition to my high school education, I am currently training for my Private Pilot Certificate. I always felt like wanted to do something in aviation, but joining the STREAM program finally made it clear for me. The flight simulators are great tools for learning procedures and flows, familiarization with airports and airspace, and the MX-2 with its full-motion platform gets pretty close to how it is to really fly an airplane.

 

After I get my Private Pilot License, I'll get all the other certificates and ratings necessary to become an airline pilot. If you want to know what they are, they go something like this:

  • Instrument Rating: to fly with an Instrument flight plan/into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (poor visibility).
  • Commercial Pilot License: to fly an aircraft for compensation or for hire.
  • Multi-Engine Rating: to fly aircraft with more than one engine.
  • Certified Flight Instructor: there are multiple types, the Certified Flight Instructor, Certified Flight Instrument Instructor, and the Multi-Engine Certified Flight Instructor. All of these allow you to train students for different licenses or ratings. (These are not necessary, but instructing is the most common way people build flight hours.)
  • Airline Transport Pilot Certificate: the final one; allows me to fly for an airline.

Essentially, there is a lot of stuff I have to do and a lot of money that needs to be spent.

 

Extra Fact: The plane in my profile picture is a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, tail number N526ER, parked at Republic Airport. It's the plane I fly most often.