Full Circle at Bowman Field: A Shawnee Alumnus Guides the Next Generation of Pilots ✈️
"I get to give back now. I get to help mold the program and answer these kids' questions and say, 'This is where you can be in ten or fifteen years—maybe less.'"
In the world of aviation, "full circle" usually refers to a flight path. But at the Academy at Shawnee, it describes something much more powerful: a legacy of success returning to its roots. David Brockman, a 1995 graduate of Shawnee’s inaugural aviation cohort and a current UPS Airlines First Officer, has returned to the hangar to coordinate and support the very program that launched his career.
As the Academies of Louisville model enters a groundbreaking new phase, Brockman’s role as a mentor is proving that the best way to navigate the future is with someone who has already cleared the runway.
The Story of a Shawnee Eagle
David’s journey to the cockpit began with a dream of being an astronaut. His father, who worked airport security at the old Standiford Field, would take him onto airplanes, but the experience was initially met with resistance. "I was terrified. I was actually terrified of airplanes. I was terrified of heights, and I'm like—but I want to do this," David recalls.
While in middle school, David discovered that Shawnee was launching its aviation program. "I was there," he reflects. "My family wasn't going to be able to get me my pilot's license, but it was what I needed to get me in the industry and get my foot in the door". He spent four years at Shawnee and graduated in 1995 with his Private Pilot's License already in hand.
His path to the captain's chair wasn't without turbulence. After high school, David built his flight hours by flying 50-mile cross-country routes to places like Lexington and Indianapolis. He eventually traded his labor at a flight school for advanced training, but just as he was nearing his instrument rating, 9/11 happened. "I was certain that there was not going to be any more flying," David said. "They were saying they'll never hire pilots again...so I gave up".
Six months later, the industry roared back stronger than ever. David rushed to finish his instrument rating, then completed his commercial license only 30 days later—followed by his flight instructor's license just seven days after that. He spent fourteen years at Republic Airways before finally receiving the call he had been waiting for from UPS in 2022, after seven years of applying every single month. Now, he uses that hard-earned expertise to coordinate ground and flight training for current Shawnee students.
“The world needs pilots. The industry needs to grow, and these kids might not have an opportunity otherwise.”
Pioneering a New Way to Learn
This year marks the first iteration of a high-intensity, immersive learning model where juniors and seniors are based directly at the airport, effectively turning the airfield into their classroom. In previous years, transportation was a massive barrier for students who relied on buses or parents to get to the hangar. "Now with them here at the airport, we can literally taxi an aircraft to the other side of the field and pick them up," David explains. "It gives them much more concentrated opportunities to fly in the environment they need to be exposed to.”
This consistency is vital for building muscle memory and ensuring that the students' progress remains steady throughout the school week. "They're in an airport," David says. "They're absolutely having school in an airport that we didn't have the opportunity of when I was in school. It's going to do nothing more than make those flowers—those kids—grow and flourish".
A Public-Private Flight Plan
This innovative experience is fueled by a strategic collaboration between Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), the Academy at Shawnee, and the JCPS CTE Department, which provide the essential funding for flight training and materials. This investment is bolstered by Louisville Aviation, where Brockman serves as Operations Manager to provide professional oversight, and Flight Club 502, a non-profit partner that facilitates the learning process by providing the ground school curriculum and professional learning spaces located right at the heart of the action.
By working together, these organizations allow students to move through critical professional milestones, beginning with passing the FAA written exam and completing pre-solo training, then advancing to the student solo flight and cross-country solo, and finally culminating in the FAA check ride and obtaining a Student Private Pilot Certificate.
Proof of Concept: The First Solo
The ROI of this new model is already visible through the success of the students. David coordinated the training for Shawnee senior Daggan James, who successfully completed his first solo flight—a milestone the program had not seen in several years. "We need pilots," David emphasizes. "The world needs pilots. The industry needs to grow, and these kids might not have an opportunity otherwise.”
By returning to his alma mater to support these Shawnee Eagles, David is ensuring that the path he once cleared remains open for those following behind him. He knows that for students like Daggan, having a mentor who remembers being a "terrified" middle schooler makes all the difference. As David prepares the next generation for the cockpit, he proves that while his own journey took him to the heights of UPS Airlines, his most important mission has brought him right back to the starting line at Shawnee.