Annie Targosz swore she was not going to become a pilot.

“I was always very adamant when I was a kid that I wasn’t going to be a pilot, but I always thought my dad had the coolest job in the world — being able to travel, being able to explore the world and get paid for it,” said Targosz, of Orland Park.

Flight captured her interest early. Her father, Steve Targosz, is a pilot working for United Airlines. Annie said she recalls trying to hide in his car so she could go places with him. It never worked, but she enjoyed the trips they took together to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for air shows.

Her uncle, Steve’s brother, also flies. She has a cousin pursuing flight. And Annie, a 21-year-old Sandburg High School graduate, is right behind her, wrapping up a degree in aviation flight science this spring at Western Michigan University.

Targosz said she has been lucky to be able to continue flying over the past year. While WMU was closed at the end of last March through June, with no training taking place during that time, things have been back in “full swing” since June 30.

Targosz is getting a certified flight instructor license to build up hours by teaching others.

“At this point, I can get paid to fly; I can get hired,” Targosz said. “Once I get to 1,000 flight hours, I plan on going to fly for the airlines.”

She is hoping the job market is there when she is ready for commercial flight. The aviation market has changed significantly over the past year, with an overall decrease in commercial air travel.

“Obviously, it sparked a bit of stress,” Targosz said. “But I think once people are comfortable traveling again, it’s going to come back full force. I’m really optimistic.”

Her mother, Tricia, is comforted by the cyclical trends of the industry over the years. She used to work as a flight attendant and has watched her husband fly for decades, dealing with roughly 10 airline bankruptcies along the way. While the industry can be tumultuous — rattled by big events such as the pandemic — it also has bounced back again and again.

This time around, there are still question marks about whether virtual meetings may permanently replace many in-person ones in the business sector. But Tricia said she thinks people will always travel for fun, and cargo opportunities may be there, as well.

“It’s going to be different,” Tricia said of the profession post-pandemic. “I think aviation is going to survive, but it’s definitely going to change.”

Annie said it helps that she has had the support of WMU’s aviation community along the way. While she has not been quite as active because of COVID-19 restrictions, Targosz still serves as an ambassador for the flight school. She said because aviation is a unique profession with unique challenges, it can be helpful to be part of the groups on campus.

“I think it’s really important to meet people with the same interest,” she said. “Networking is also super important.”

She also has her dad to compare notes whenever she wants to talk about aviation.

“I call my dad after every flight I do and just talk to him about it,” she said.

For Tricia, that is a comfort too.

“She’s very well-trained,” Tricia said. “Safety is paramount.”

Tricia said she and Steve never thought Annie would follow in his footsteps. She said they never pushed and just “let it be.” Annie came back to it on her own after researching the job market.

“It’s a wonderful job and has many blessings,” Tricia said. “I’m super excited for her.”

Tricia noted Steve’s mother wanted to fly, but women were not typically pilots at the time. Instead, she encouraged that passion in her sons. And even when Tricia was working as a flight attendant, she said there were only four female pilots who worked out of Chicago Midway Airport. Today, those opportunities are opening up, with outreach and mentorship programs for women as the industry tries to diversify.

“It’s an exciting time in many,

many fields,” Tricia said.

In addition to pursuing a dream job, Annie said it is simply a pleasure every time she has a chance to take to the skies.

“The views are spectacular,” she said. “I definitely love the journey as much as the destination.”

The next generation prepares to take off

The Southland is a gateway of sorts to the skies.

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 in January announced five of its students — Central’s Amanda Lask, a senior; East’s David J. Nelson, a senior, and Connor Lindaur, a junior; and West’s Logan Clarida and Adam Pearse, both juniors — received Air Force Junior ROTC Flight Academy Scholarships.

The scholarship program, which allows students to attend accredited aviation universities in summer 2021, is a collaborative effort between the aerospace industry and the United States Air Force to address a national pilot shortage in both civilian and military sectors, according to the AFJROTC Flight Academy. The academy also aims to address diversity in the aviation industry — one of the least diverse. Women make up less than 6% of pilots, and minorities less than 10%, according to the academy.

But retired Lt. Col. Constantine “Dino” Tsoukatos, an Air Force veteran who serves as a senior aerospace science instructor for District 210, said there is potential to change that through this program. Of the 125,000 AFJROTC cadets enrolled across the United States, minorities make up 58% of the student body, with females totaling 40%.

“By offering the scholarships, they’re hoping to continue to boost interest,” Tsoukatos said of the academy. “It’s a huge advantage. They have the opportunity to solo at the end of this program and then earn their private pilot license.”

More than 1,340 cadets from across the country applied for the 230 available scholarships. The scholarship, valued at roughly $22,500, covers transportation, room and board, academics, and flight hours for the eight-week program.

“It’s a huge honor,” Clarida said of being one of the recipients. “I’m very excited for it.”

Clarida said his mother works in the industry as a safety and regulatory specialist. His interest in aviation was piqued at a young age.

“I just thought planes were really cool,” he said.

Clarida said he plans to join one of the service academies after high school in hopes of one day being commissioned as an officer in the Air Force. He said he appreciates the AFJROTC for fostering his love for aviation and the other life skills it instills in students.

“AFJROTC is a great program,” he said. “Everyone should be more aware of it.”

Tsoukatos said that while students are asked to fill out a survey for five years following their academy training, there is no military obligation to the scholarships. The program as a whole is more about “leadership and citizenship,” he said. They also learn the value of teamwork through the program. There are community service obligations.

“Our focus is on building better citizens for America,” he said.

Nelson said it does that and more. He is excited to be heading to flight school on a scholarship this summer. He originally got notice of the scholarship in 2020, but with the pandemic complicating that summer’s academy the scholarship was extended to 2021.

“The scholarship really meant a lot to me,” he said. “I’m going to save a lot of money.”

Nelson said he, too, was drawn to aviation young. He traveled a lot and enjoyed it. He also found that he likes learning about aviation. He is working toward flying professionally for one of the major airlines.

“What’s better than to get paid to do it,” he asked. “In the next 5-6 years, when I enter the industry, I’m sure it will be revived.”

In addition to AFJROTC, he has been in the Civil Air Patrol — also supported by the Air Force — since seventh grade. He hopes to attend a Midwestern university to further his education in the fall. By then, his summer flight academy should already be in the bag.

“I am just very grateful that I have this opportunity,” he said.

Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.