Josh Nienhaus enrolled at West Michigan Aviation Academy in Grand Rapids as a freshman in the fall of 2010, when the school first opened.
The charter high school, which was founded by Dick DeVos, is located right at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and gives its students an incredible head start on a career in aviation or engineering.
Right from the start, Josh knew he wanted to be a pilot. And he thanked his lucky stars that there was a charter school right in his hometown that could help make those dreams take flight.
When we first caught up with Josh back in 2013, during his junior year at WMAA, he told the story of finding the school.
“I've loved aviation ever since I was a little kid and I know that I've always wanted to be a pilot and one morning getting ready for school, normal day at middle school, my mom called me down because she heard about this aviation academy,” he told us back then.
“She's like Josh, this would be great for you. So we heard about an open house, looked at the website. Honestly, when I went to middle school, what I thought every single day was, man, I would love it if I could go every day and be able to learn about aviation, because I just love it. And seriously, when it came on the news, it was just like, oh my gosh, there's a place where I can go to do that. And it's right here in Grand Rapids.”
Fast-forward 12 years and all of Josh’s dreams have come true. He’s now flying jets for a living, working as a First Officer for Allegiant Air. And he’s based out of Grand Rapids, working at the same airport where he went to high school.
He credits his charter school with setting him on that path.
“WMAA gave me such a head start in the aviation field by immersing me in it,” he said. “I was able to get my private pilot’s license to jump start my career as a professional pilot. It was an experience that no other high school in the area could have given me.”
Josh was a leader at WMAA from the start, and during his senior year in 2014, he became the school’s first licensed pilot. There have been hundreds more from WMAA who have followed in his footsteps, but Josh was the first.
After graduation, he enrolled in the highly acclaimed flight program at Western Michigan University with the goal of joining and one day becoming the captain of the elite SkyBroncos Precision Flight Team.
Check another goal off the list. During his senior year in 2018, he became the captain of the SkyBroncos.
From there, he began his career as a professional pilot, a journey that eventually landed him just a few hundred yards from where it all began – as a pilot at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
As he drives to work every day, he passes West Michigan Aviation Academy and sees the current crop of students, many of whom hope to follow the school’s pioneer pilot.
“The education and work ethic skills one receives from WMAA are truly invaluable,” he said. “It sets young adults up for a successful future in our ever-changing work environment. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to attend this special school.”
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