VIDEO: Virginia Teenager Flies Plane Before Earning Driver’s License

A teenager in Arlington, Virginia, was busy working on earning her pilot’s license before she learned to drive a car.

When 17-year-old Nilah Williamson was in sixth grade, she fell in love with aviation after attending a youth leadership program called Leadership LINKS, which taught girls about opportunities in STEM fields, according to First Coast News.

Williamson later took an aviation class at a career center her junior year that furthered her desire to become a naval aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“I have four generations of military service, and the same goals are instilled in me that the military has. I just am inspired by the people in my family who also were in the military,” she explained.

The Yorktown High School senior has since flown twice but needs to log 40 hours of flight time before earning her pilot’s license, a goal she hoped to meet before graduation.

However, she passed her written pilot’s exam on September 3.

Williamson’s inspiration for flying was due in part to Lt. j.g. Madeline G. Swegle, who received her Wings of Gold and became the U.S. Navy’s first black female tactical air (TACAIR) pilot in July.

“Seeing someone look just like me pursuing the same dreams I had was completely inspirational. Maybe one day I can be a first in one area, too,” she said.

For Williamson, being in the sky with her instructor made her feel calm.

“It’s a learning-as-you-go experience, being willing to make mistakes and learn from them, not being afraid of failure,” she said.

As she worked toward getting her driver’s and pilot’s license, Williamson will focus on her education and running the Patriots for Patriots club she started at her school last year.

“It was founded to help veterans and their families. I am a military child, so I understand the sacrifices not only our veterans have made, but their spouses, and the children, so I wanted to give back to the veterans in the community,” she concluded.