Mentoring Matters: Shared Passion For Aviation Helps Mentor Get Mentee In The Air

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – For aviation enthusiasts, attending flight school sounds like a dream come true.

And for one South Florida student, that dream is now a reality, thanks to a mentor with a common love of flying.

Sanjay Sohan is now ready for take-off.

"I love flying. I try to get up in a plane anytime I can," Sohan told CBS 4's Lauren Pastrana.

Sohan is a student at Broward College's Aviation Institute and is logging plenty of time in the sky, thanks to help from his mentor, Broward College trustee and trained pilot, David Maymon.

"He loves aviation himself which makes him such a great mentor," Sohan said of Maymon. "I love to connect with people who love airplanes, love aviation history. And David Maymon is the perfect person for that."

Maymon met Sohan when he was just a sophomore at Miramar High School, an aviation science magnet program and also Maymon's alma mater.

"To know Sanjay is to fall in love with him. He's a fantastic young man," Maymom said.

The two bonded over their shared passion for aviation.

So when Sohan graduated, he turned to Maymon for help.

He wanted to become a pilot, but flight training, coupled with the cost of a bachelor's degree, is expensive.

Maymon says about 1 hour in the air for flight training costs roughly $175.

"Fuel, flight training, aircraft, insurance. What you see is a bunch of students start the flight training, but they won't be able to continue on," he said.

So Maymon started a scholarship program for students like Sohan to get a shot at earning their wings.

"For Mr. Maymon to do that, it was a dream come true. Literally. He really put himself on the line," Sohan said.

He's in the air, too, with Sohan at the controls.

The mentor now gets to see his mentee in action, and he couldn't be more proud.

"Has a bright future ahead of him," Maymon said of Sohan. "Got a big heart. Authentic. And he has a passion for aviation."

Sohan says he can ask Maymon for tips and advice.

"It's that link, that advice, that connection that gets me to be a better pilot and a better person," Sohan said.

Maymon says mentoring makes him a better person, too.

"Whatever your specific goals, accomplishments are in life, give back, help others. It's going to make you feel good," he said.

Maymon is hoping to be able to offer more scholarships to future pilots.

In the meantime, Sohan will keep working towards his degree and logging as many hours in the sky as possible.

If you are a mentor and would like to share your story with us, please email us at mentoringmatters@cbs.com.

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