Air Tank

Look up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a tank? Well, Tank Parrish, that is.

Parrish, 15, on the surface, is your typical high school sophomore, playing sports, a member of the band, and an officer in the Future Farmers of America, and like most kids his age, his head is in the clouds, with one caveat, he’s usually in a plane.

It’s his greatest passion, and he loves spending as much time there as possible.

“ One day, I looked up at a commercial airliner flying over and thought, that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life,” said Parrish.

A student at Hull- Daisett a High School. Parrish hopes to live in the sky, with aspirations of either working as a commercial pilot or with TxDOT in the future.

Parrish has dreamed of pursuing a life in aeronautics since he was just five years old, after a trip to the Used Book Store on Martin Luther King Drive in Liberty with his mother, Krystal. That Is where he came across the book “Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge,” by Paul E. Illman.

Ten years later, Parrish dreams of flying and making it a reality as he pursues his pilot’s license.

Just this past weekend, the young aviator surpassed 17 hours in the cockpit with an instructor, which is just the first half of the process as he works his way to the 40 hours needed for his license, the final 20 being without an instructor.

Parrish’s flight instructor is Joe Waltz, President of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 302 in Conroe, TX, where he participates in a monthly program.

He also participates in the Young Eagles Rally program, designed to introduce young people to civil aviation, throughout the year. Parrish handles the organization’s social media as well.

Earlier this summer, he was afforded an opportunity to attend the EAA Basic Air Academy for a week in Oshkosh, WS, after receiving a pair of scholarships.

One was from his EAA chapter, and the other was special, as he was awarded the W.G. Shivers Scholarship for travel expenses. He was the first freshman to receive that scholarship given to Hull-Daisetta students.

While in Oshkosh, he took part in ground school and pre- flight classes while learning more about planes and other projects, like crafting an air-compressed rocket.

It was his first major trip away from home, and while his mother had her reservations, she was excited for him to have the experience.

When asked about his favorite thing about fl ying Parrish, he hit on the technical and visual aspects.

“Learning all of the different functions and seeing all of the great views from the air,” he said.

He talked about some of his favorite maneuvers and love for doing stunts in the air, which his mother just asks that he keep out of her view.

Parrish was able to get his mother up in the air for his 15th birthday; while he loves heights, her not so much.

Parrish is exceptionally well-versed in all of the jargon and is intrigued by the technical side of aviation, even the sounds; he can even identify many planes by ear.

“He has a full flight simulator set up at home,” said Krystal Parrish.

After high school, Parrish hopes to attend Texas A&M University, and become a member of the Corps of Cadets and the Drumline, following the guidance of his mentors.

“After flying with Col. Waltz, my flight instructor, he explained all of the fascinating and intriguing traditions of the university,” said Parrish.

After Parrish wraps up his studies in Aggieland, he hopes to join the United States Air Force eventually.

Parrish is also quite the photographer and has documented his love for the skies throughout his journey, which seems just to be getting started.

So next time you see an aircraft high in the sky, remember it might just be Air Tank.