Cason Brinkley, a 16-year-old, 3.9 GPA senior at Cleveland Central High has been selected as the Eagles 2 Summer Camp Ambassador, on June 9-13, at the University of Oklahoma Sooner Flight Academy in Norman, OK. 

Historically, on July 15, 2024, Cason, 16, soloed at Panola County Airport (KPMU) under the guidance of his Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), Ken Taylor, owner of New Heights Aviation, thereby making Mississippi history as the youngest African American to solo an airplane in Mississippi.

Taylor is a retired Army helicopter pilot and air ambulance pilot for Air Evac Life Team out of Batesville. 

Taylor, known as the “Pilot Maker” in Central and Northern Mississippi, has 25 students in his flight school from all over the state.

Eagles 2 is an annual University of Oklahoma School of Aviation summer camp that is a five-day non-residential camp for teens 15 to 18 years old from all over the country. The theme for the week is ‘Leadership and Teamwork,’ as well as the ‘Physics of Flight.’

“It has been an absolute honor to serve as Cason Brinkley‘s primary flight instructor. Cason is not only an exceptional young aviator but also a well-rounded and disciplined leader in every sense of the word.  At just 16 years old, he has already soloed and demonstrated a level of maturity, focus, and humility that you rarely find even in adult learners,” said Taylor.

“His involvement in sports, music, and church, while simultaneously excelling in aviation, speaks volumes about his work ethic and character. I am proud and excited to see him represent our state and New Heights Aviation as an ambassador to the University of Oklahoma Sooner Flight Academy, as he truly embodies the future of excellence in aviation.”  

Eagles 2 campers will encounter an intense learning experience exploring aviation science/principles and related career fields through demonstrations, hands-on activities like operating an ATC Simulator, and contact with aviation professionals and faculty.  More so, the campers will take a tour of OU’s main campus and hear from the Aviation Department Director as well as counselors and students who are going through the program now, and get information on how to apply to OU’s School of Aviation.