Winton Scholar 2023 – Nathan A.

Gregory Winton, Esq. was an aviation law advocate, a commercial pilot, and a certified flight instructor for more than 30 years. He devoted his personal and professional life to the advancement of the aviation industry. Greg believed in the importance of cultivating the next generation and he became involved with Anne Arundel County Public Schools to share his experience and expertise with future generations and to mentor students. 

He served on the Education Foundation of AACPS Board of Directors since 2017. 

A scholarship was created in his name to sponsor high school students in the Anne Arundel County Public School system to get their pilot’s licenses. Through this scholarship fund, we honor Greg’s legacy and continue his passion for providing guidance and direction to advance students’ pursuit of aviation and interest in soaring to new heights by becoming pilots.

Nathan Aldridge, a senior at South River High School, is one of the 2023 winners of the Gregory S. Winton, Esq. Scholarship. 

We had a chance to talk with Nathan about winning and his future in aviation. Here are some of the highlights:

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where do you go to school and what are two characteristics that people would say describe you?

I am a senior at South River High School and I am a part of the STEM program at the school. I study Aerospace Engineering, so anything that flies is interesting to me. I also ran track and was in the Wounded Warrior program at school. For two characteristics, I’d say I’m passionate. My friends call me “the Plane Guy,” so I’m all in on aviation. I would also say I’m driven because I think I do a lot with the little time I have. Next year I will be going to the US Air Force Academy.

What are 5 words that you think of when you think about flying?

I put a bit of a spin on this one and I would say I am “forever looking towards the sky.” I found that once I took my first flight, I constantly look up to see what planes are flying by. I am grateful to have the child like wonder when I look up at the sky.

How did you learn about the Winton Scholarship and what motivated you to apply?

My engineering teacher sent me a link for the scholarship in Google Drive. I remember telling everyone, since I was a freshman, that I was going to be a pilot. When I got that link, I knew it was meant to be. The interesting part is when I received it, the deadline was pretty close. This matters because the next day I went to have my wisdom teeth taken out, so I was out of commission that whole day. I remember waking up early next day, still on pain killers, and went directly to the link and started filling out the application, because I really wanted to apply to the scholarship. My goal is to fly and I did what was necessary to help myself achieve my dream.

When did you know that you wanted to be a pilot? 

When I was younger my parents liked to ride bikes and we went to ride at a bike park near BWI. I always watched the planes more than I rode the bike.  Planes are so fascinating. One specific time we were at the bike park I brought a toy airplane with me. That day I held the airplane in my hand and every time a plane took off, I made my toy follow along the same path as the plane to the end of the fence. I thought to myself, “this is what I want to do!”

There is a difference between wanting to be something and actually taking the steps to become what you want. When did you realize you would fulfill your dream of being a pilot?

The first step I took was applying to the Air Force Academy. It became real for me when I did my first landing in a flying lesson. I adjusted the throttle, the rudder and I got the plane lined up and I landed. I knew it was real at that moment. I knew this is what I am going to do.

What specific skills do you need to have and practice to become a pilot?

From my experience, I think it’s composure under stress and the ability to multitask.  As a pilot you need to command the plane, navigate, and communicate with others. So being composed while handling multiple tasks is very important.

How have your family and friends reacted to your journey in aviation?

They’ve been pretty awesome. When I got the call about the scholarship, I called my uncle Trevor, who was an Air Force pilot that went to the Academy, and he was very excited for me. He was kind of shocked because he knew I was interested, but when I got the scholarship he knew I was really serious. My friends are great too because they always have lots of questions. They ask “do you really fly the plane?” “Is someone with you when you fly?” They always want to know more. My parents always ask me how did I feel and how did I do when I fly. They are really excited for me.

What do you see as your future in aviation and how will the Winton Scholarship help you achieve it?

My future in aviation is to spread the love of flying to as many people as I can. Regarding my career, my goal is to use the scholarship to help me be better prepared to enter the Air Force Academy.

Looking at the advances in aviation technology, what is one thing you are most excited about?

It’s autopilot. I love Control Theory Engineering. It’s about taking a system and driving it towards a specific destination and autopilot uses Control Theory. It’s fascinating to me. An example that stands out to me is that some fighter jets, like the F-16, are designed to be unstable, so a pilot is unable to fly them without help. So the fact that there are computer systems that are designed to help the pilot control the plane by inputting commands while also having the pilot stabilize the plane is cool to me. The way it works is awesome.

The Winton Scholarship was created to help advance students’ pursuit of aviation and with you being a recipient of the scholarship this year, how has it fulfilled its mission in selecting you?

Through the scholarship I have been able to enhance my knowledge and skill set in aviation. Not only that, but friends now see aviation as accessible because I am in aviation. They’ve asked me how do they apply for the scholarship. That feels great. The scholarship is helping the interest in aviation spread with people in my age group. I’m very thankful for the opportunity they have provided to me.

Louis Nesbitt, PDM Department