If one day an F-35A fighter jet soars by, there is a chance that William Popp will be behind the controls.
This dream is not out of the realm of possibility for the newly licensed graduating senior from Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Potomac Shores. At the start of the second semester of his senior year, Popp enrolled in flight school in hopes of one day becoming a military pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
Growing up in a military household, Popp was accustomed to frequent changes and different environments, moving a total of six times throughout his life. During these times, Popp began to foster a love for aviation. He frequented air shows as a child and was immediately hooked on the idea of taking flight. Popp recalls the time he witnessed the launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 in Cape Canaveral, Fla., that sparked his interest in the world of aircraft. It was the first crewed test flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft that launched May 30, 2020. Seeing this in person, Popp was determined to one day achieve the dream of soaring through the air himself.
Fast forward, the 18-year-old senior grasped the unique opportunity this past January to enroll in Piston2Jet Flight School in Manassas. “My mom has worked with Mr. Doug Yurovich, owner of Piston2Jet, for the past several years through his generous donations of Discovery Flights to the Angelus Academy Gala,” he said. “He is also a fellow parishioner at St. Raymond of Peñafort Church, where my family and I attend church as well.” Enrolling in this premier flight school meant he had to give up being on the school crew team. He said it was “worth the sacrifice.” Popp’s goal was to earn his pilot’s license before graduating high school. He’s due to finish the flight program next month.
This fall, Popp plans to study aerospace engineering at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. “After I was accepted into the aerospace engineering program, my parents arranged for me to fly with Mr. Yurovich this past January. It was an incredible opportunity that further strengthened my passion for aviation,” said Popp. He said his inspiration comes from his uncle, Paul Szymiczek, a mechanical engineer, and his former Boy Scout scoutmaster, Mark Angersbach, who was a pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps. In addition to his hope of becoming an Air Force pilot, Popp said he would love to, “God-willing,” join an astronaut program and dive into a career of spaceflight and exploration.
When asked how he could inspire others, Popp said, “Chase your goals and don’t let anything get you off track of achieving them.”
For Popp, soaring toward the heavens is a goal that would not be achieved without his Catholic faith. Popp’s faith has been instrumental in bringing peace and reassurance throughout his airborne undertakings. His first solo flight was nerve-racking. But he said, “It’d be up to me and God up there.”
A special devotion to St. Lucy has motivated Popp in his path to become a pilot. Enduring an eye injury as a child, he placed his trust in the patroness of eyes from a young age. That devotion will buoy him as his plans take flight.
DeJak is a Catholic Herald summer intern studying at Catholic University in Washington.
