Courtesy photo

Pacific City’s newest pilot, Alison Harding, is flanked by check ride DPE Tyler Sturdevant (at left) and flight instructor Mark Farrier.

She’s Taking Flight

Pacific City resident Alison Harding is pursuing career in missionary aviation

Tillamook County Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol added a new pilot to their roster on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Alison Harding of Pacific City joined the ranks of the certificated private pilots. Even today, only 9.57 percent of pilots are women, and Harding’s success added one more to the statistics.

Not yet 21 years of age, Alison, better known as “Bullet,” because she moves “faster than a speeding bullet,” never thought she’d be able to fly. She was under the belief that because she wore glasses, she was prohibited from ever earning a pilot’s license. 

So, what’s the next best thing to flying an airplane? Flying a kite! 

Harding met an ultralight flier in Pacific City who volunteered to take her for a flight. A private pilot as well as an ultralight enthusiast, he told her she really could learn to fly if she wanted to right here in Tillamook. Wearing glasses did not prohibit her from becoming a pilot, as long as her vision was corrected to acceptable limit. FAA requires corrected vision to be 20/40 for a 3rd class medical to be a private pilot. And, so, her dream got off the ground.

She took wings a few days later with her friend in his Ercoupe. He introduced her to Capt. Mark Farrier, a flight instructor at the Tillamook Airport and member of the local Civil Air Patrol squadron. He told her about the local squadron-supported flight training program. In 2023, she joined the Tillamook County Composite Squadron in October and embarked on a journey that would see her complete her training and pass an FAA check ride, with flying colors, two years later.

Earning a private pilot certificate (license) is not an easy task. FAA requires individuals to take and pass a written exam, then demonstrate flying skills to pass a check ride with a Designated Pilot Examiner. The educational portion of the program covers everything from aerodynamics of flight to federal airspace regulations. The check ride involves demonstrating flight skills and safety procedures in an aircraft. Harding participated in a CAP sponsored year-long Ground School, gaining the knowledge she needed to pass the written exam, and began flying with Capt. Mark Farrier, a Certified Flight Instructor, at the Tillamook Municipal Airport. 

As a barista at Cold Water Coffee in Pacific City, Harding worked to earn flight money and time to fly between wind and rainstorms in the Pacific Northwest. She also faithfully attended South Beach Parrish (a Calvary Chapel) developing a sincere desire to serve God and humanity in countries much less fortunate than her own. This fired up her dream to pursue not only flying, but missionary aviation.

In 2024, Alison received a Bob Rissel Flight Training Scholarship for eligible CAP members provided by the Rissel family and Friends of Pacific City Airport, a local nonprofit. This local scholarship was developed to help young people dedicated to serving their community through Civil Air Patrol earn a Private Pilot license. Named after the patriarch of the Rissel family, Bob was a celebrated aviator and Pacific City State Airport supporter who passed away in 2019. The scholarship honors his memory while supporting enthusiastic young people who want to learn to fly.

Fast forward to Feb. 9, 2026 and the scheduled FAA Check Ride with DPE Tyler Sturdevant. It was a dreary day with forecasted hopes of clearing in the afternoon. Sturdevant met Harding at the Tillamook Municipal Airport building for a two-hour oral exam discussing everything from regulations, to why an airplane flies, charts, symbols, light signals, engine out procedures, airspace, speeds, and much more. It was a lively discussion during which Harding discovered their mutual support for humanitarian service and missionary flying. Because of inclement weather, Harding waited until the next day for her check ride. 

Utilizing Capt. Farrier’s Citabria 7KCAB, Alison and Sturdevant spent several hours going over the aircraft and flying. Reportedly, she “admirably” demonstrated her skills as a pilot, clearing the final hurdle for her becoming the newest certified private pilot in Tillamook. 

And that’s not the end of the story — only the beginning of a new adventure.  On Feb. 16th, Alison Harding departed for Cheng Mai, Thailand to begin a 6- to 9-month internship with the Free Burma Rangers. Their mission is to support, bring help, hope and love to people of all faiths and ethnicities in the conflict areas, to shine a light on the actions of oppressors, to stand with the oppressed and support leaders and organizations committed to liberty, justice and service (https://www.freeburmarangers.org/our-story ). Since 1997, FBR has trained more than 250 multi-ethnic relief teams and there are 125 full-time teams active in the war-tornareas of Burma. The teams have conducted more than 1,000 humanitarian missions of one- to two-months long into the war zones of Burma. On average, approximately 1,000 patients are treated per mission with 2,000 more people helped in some way. The teams have treated in excess of 500,000 patients and helped more than 1.1 million people. Now, one more pilot joins their team.

Alison Harding’s desire to serve God and humanity, as well as soar among the clouds, became a reality due to her own determination, internal fortitude, faith, and dedication. She is a shining example of what youth in our community can accomplish with the support of Civil Air Patrol, the Friends of Pacific City Airport, and the Tillamook community as a whole. 

To contribute to the Tillamook County Composite Squadron, contact Deborah Maynard, Lt. Col, at Deborah.maynard@orwgcap.org. To contribute to the Rissel Family Scholarship for Flight Training, contact Sally Rissel at heronlanding123@gmail.com.