Luke Polson, 24, joined Wings of Hope this past summer after graduating from the Aviation Maintenance Program at State Technical College of Missouri with his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certifications.

Given the shortage of A&P mechanics, Luke could have found a job almost anywhere — but he chose Wings of Hope.

“I thought I wanted to work on jets, but there’s something so intimate about being able to work on the full plane. And there’s a lot to learn here that you don’t generally get to do at other general aviation shops,” he said. “Here, you’re kind of doing the whole nine yards.”

Luke especially likes the problem solving: “If there’s an engine misfiring or something like that, you as a mechanic have to figure out why it’s doing that, locate it, and find the solution.”

And if he needs help, he turns to his fellow mechanics.

“It’s super helpful to have them as mentors,” he said. “Each one of them has skills they’re really good at — and if you know which one to go to, you can just cherry pick the best information from each one of them. That is honestly one of the best things about working here.”

As much as he loves working on small aircraft, Luke said what really makes Wings of Hope stand out is the mission: “I already love aviation but to do it and have that feeling of you’re doing it for good — that was unreal to me.”

After four months on the job, Luke said he knows he made the right choice in coming to Wings of Hope: “It’s probably one of the best things I’ve ever chosen to do. I’m happy here, I love what I do, and I love what I do it for. It’s very rewarding.”