[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 140 (Tuesday, September 10, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E875-E876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING CASON BRINKLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 10, 2024

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
dedicated efforts of aviation student enthusiasts, Cason Brinkley.
  Cason, a 16-year-old resident of Cleveland, Mississippi, is the son 
of Carl Brinkley, a retired aviation and logistics instructor from 
Delta State University, and Markeita Brinkley, the Special Education 
Director for Cleveland Public Schools.
  Cason Brinkley, an 11th grader at Cleveland Central High School, 
recently attended the Saint Louis University Aviation Summer Academy 
June 9-14, 2024. This program invited promising students entering 
grades 11 and 12 to explore various areas of study and career paths in 
aviation. The program selected 20 students out of over 100 applicants 
for the six-day, five-night residential camp, and Cason was one of the 
top students to attend. While there, on June 10, 2024, Cason made the 
First Alert Live News, in Saint Louis, Missouri, in the story, 
``Aviation Summer Academy returns to St. Louis Downtown Airport.'' On 
Monday, July 15, 2024, Cason Brinkley, who recently turned 16 and is 
now eligible to solo under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
standards, undertook his maiden flight at KPMU (Panola County Airport) 
in Batesville, Mississippi. He was mentored by his Certified Flight 
Instructor (CPI), Ken Taylor, the owner of New Heights Aviation--one of 
the state's premier flight schools dedicated to nurturing aspiring 
aviation enthusiasts like Cason.

[[Page E876]]

  In the week leading up to the flight, Taylor informed Cason's parents 
that he was ready for solo flight after successfully completing his 
final safety sessions, including controlled stalls that he had to 
master. Following this, he was cleared to take to the skies on his own. 
While not yet official, an investigation is underway to confirm that 
Cason Brinkley made history as the youngest African American to solo a 
plane at the age of 16 in Mississippi on Monday, July 15, 2024. During 
this flight, he completed his scheduled solo and earned his first 
pilot-in-command hour.
  Currently, Cason boasts an impressive 3.82 GPA on a 4.0 scale. He is 
actively involved in various extracurricular activities, including the 
Technology Student Association, National Student Beta Club, Student 
Council, and National Honor Society. Additionally, Cason is a mentee in 
the Kappa League program of the Cleveland (MS) Alumni Chapter of Kappa 
Alpha Psi Fraternity. Outside of academics, Cason participates in 
football, bowling, and track at Cleveland Central. He finds time to 
volunteer, particularly with his mother's special needs students, and 
expresses his musical talents by playing the organ and singing at his 
church and other venues when invited.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Cason 
Brinkley for his dedication and hard work for his milestone moment in 
performing a solo flight on his 16th birthday.

                          ____________________