A 17-year-old has become one of the world’s youngest pilots before he’s even graduated high school after earning his private flying license
Reese Tarman, a senior from Carlsbad, California, started navigating the skies after his uncle gave him a surprise gift in August 2023 – when he was just 16.
And after about 110 hours flying over only 16 months, he passed his flying test last November – and can now fly a rented Cessna 172R solo.
Reese, who is one of the youngest pilots in the world, flies about every three weeks – even taking his family and friends to lunch.
And now he dreams of becoming a commercial pilot with Southwest Airlines.
“People told me I’d be more interested if I stuck with it, so I kept pushing on. Around December, I decided that being a pilot was what I wanted to do for my career.”
The schoolboy added: “My uncle just kind of surprised me with a, like, ‘Let’s try something new.’ So I went on a discovery flight,” Reese recalled.
“I didn’t really have anything going on in my spare time, and it was intriguing. I started taking lessons, but I wasn’t totally into it for the first four months.
Reese’s uncle, Ted, 64, a retired custom home builder also from Carlsbad, recalled taking the young aviator and his twin brother, Luke, on familiarization flights two years ago.
“At first, they both thought it was cool, but then Reese took to it,” Ted shared, noting you have to be 17 in order to receive a license. “I got him a logbook, signed him up, and the rest is history. Now, he’s a full-fledged FAA pilot.”
From that point forward, Reese fully committed to his goal, earning his license in just 16 months — a milestone he calls “totally worth it.”
“It was something I decided I needed to dedicate myself to, to show myself that I could do it. I had a good support system, and that made all the difference,” he said.
Reese’s fascination with aviation actually began much earlier, thanks to his uncle’s influence.
“When they were about five, I took them on a B-17 airplane tour,” Ted explained. “I thought it was just a walkthrough, but it ended up being a flight.
“They strapped in with five-point harnesses, and we took off.
“Reese and Luke were so little, they could barely verbalize what was going on, but when they got off, they were just in awe.”
Reese recalled being around five when he stepped onto a B-17 airplane, a World War II bomber.
“I remember being so interested in it,” Reese shared.
“But I’d never been in a small plane until my discovery flight.
“Starting lessons was exciting — getting to try something new while also proving to myself that anything’s possible.”
Like most journeys, Reese’s path to becoming a pilot wasn’t without challenges.
“Learning to do power-on and power-off stalls was one of the hardest things,” Reese admitted. “It took me a few months to get over the fear.
“The plane pitches back until it stalls, and then it kind of free-falls to one side. It was really scary, but I couldn’t move forward in training without mastering that maneuver.
“I eventually got over it, and now I can do stalls, no problem.”
Landing a plane also proved tricky.
“I had a weird habit of porpoising the plane during landings,” he explained. “I’d land on all three wheels instead of the rear wheels first, and the plane would bounce.
“My first solo flight was a struggle because of it, but I worked through it. Now, it’s second nature.”
Reese flies a rented Cessna 172R and SP model but dreams of piloting larger and faster aircraft in the future.
“My dream plane is probably a Cessna Citation. Those are pretty cool — they can go fast,” he said.
“Ultimately, I’d love to fly for Southwest Airlines one day. It’ll take a lot of time, work, and money to get there, but if other people can do it, I figure I can too.”
His next steps include attending either Southern Utah University or Arizona State University, both of which have prestigious aviation programs.
“Through college, I plan to get all my ratings —instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and my CFI rating,” he explained.
“I’ll build hours as a Certified Flight Instructor and, hopefully, get picked up by an airline right after college.”
For Reese, flying is about more than just mastering the technical skills — it’s about connecting with others who share his passion.
“There’s another kid at my school doing the same thing with a different flight school, and I’m actually being interviewed for my school news program this weekend,” he said.
“It’s definitely cool to meet other young pilots. I know three or four people around my age, a little older, who are also into flying.
“We talk, share advice, and mentor each other — it’s a great support system.”
For Ted, Reese’s decision to pursue flying came as no surprise.
“Reese is a great kid. I hate to use the word ‘sweet’ because he’s 17 now, but he really doesn’t have a mean bone in his body,” Ted said.
“I told him it was going to be hard — navigation, aerodynamics, physics — but he kept his nose down, worked hard, and got through it. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
As Reese prepares for the future, he reflects on what this journey has taught him.
“If you dedicate yourself and push through your fears, you can accomplish just about anything.”
