Pilot by Night

Kids all over the world aspire to be professional athletes, doctors, singers, and many other things. Many of these dreams end up changing as life goes on, but not for Alec Synakowski — Lower, Middle, and Upper School Music Teacher. Synakowski has always aspired to be two things: a pilot and a teacher.

Synakowski’s aspirations came at a very young age. Synakowski said, “When I was a kid, I would always go to the airport in the small farm town in upstate New York where I grew up and watch the planes land.”

Synakowski has an unwavering intrigue and love for planes. “I’ve always loved flying ever since I was a kid,” Synakowski said. “There is just something magical about it. To move through all four dimensions is just so freeing.”

As he continued on with his life and began teaching, his love for planes resurged and he decided to look into getting his pilot’s license, “I studied to get my private license which is the most basic license,” Synakowski said. He went on his first flight in 2012.

Nick Robinson, Assistant Director of Communications and colleague to Synakowksi, was a passenger on Synakowski’s first flight. “We all went to Gary, Indiana where his plane is kept in a hangar,” Robinson said, “It was a gorgeous night in February, crystal clear without a cloud in the sky. We flew from the hangar down towards Chicago by the riverfront.”

The flight was a success according to Robinson. “It was a great flight with a very impressive landing,” Robinson said.

One feeling that Robinson did not encounter was fear. “Before the flight, I didn’t have very much fear. I trusted him and figured he knew what he was doing,” Robinson said. “It was only until we came back when someone asked me if I scared having it been his first flight but it didn’t even hit me to be nervous.”

Another colleague who had the opportunity to fly with Synakowksi was seventh grade Math Teacher Chris Stader. This was Stader’s first airplane flight ever. “My first flight was with Mr. Synakowski,” Stader said. “I had a conference coming up later in the year that I needed to fly. He offered to take me up which is backward than usual because most people would start on a big commercial plane and then go to a smaller plane.” Stader and Synakowski’s flight took place a few years ago around November.

After achieving his private license, Synakowski began his quest for the next level pilot license. “I studied for my instrument license which took me another two years,” Synakowski said. “I then got my commercial license which allows me to get paid for flying.”

Synakowski is left with little time on his hands between teaching and studying to become a pilot. “I was forced to do most of this during the summer because I was so busy during the Parker school year,” Synakowski said. “I would learn the books whenever I had time, then take the written tests, and then the practical test.”

The highest level that a pilot can be is a flight instructor. “It is a four to five step process to become a flight instructor,” Synakowski said.

After almost 8 years of studying, Synakowski ventured to become a flight instructor. “Just last summer I got my flight instructor rating,” Synakowski said. “Which means I am a commercial pilot who can legally teach people to become pilots.”

While becoming a pilot is enjoyable, it comes with some challenge. “Becoming a pilot is very expensive, each flying hour cost between $100-$200 depending on the airplane,” Synakowski said. “To become a basic private pilot you need 40 hours and to become a commercial pilot you need 250 hours.”

Synakowski has had to find a balance between teaching and flying which is a challenge. Although as Synakowski said, “I love teaching and I love flying.”