For four generations, you’ve been able to associate the Funk family with Kewaunee County skies. Aaron Funk graduated this spring from Luxemburg-Casco as he turns even more of his focus to becoming a career pilot with additional coursework at Fox Valley Technical College and training at Door County Cherryland Airport. Funk got interested in flying by watching his father work on his pilot’s license when he was four years old. His grandfather and great-grandfather also have aviation in the background, only adding to the interest as he would routinely fly with his father. Funk says the feeling of going up in the air never gets old.

Funk hopes to become an airline pilot one day but says there are several steps along the way he has to finish before he gets to that point. His scholarship from the Rio Creek Aviation Association will help him pay for his flight training and coursework. Funk says it is a good time to get into aviation, pointing out that there is a shortage of pilots in the industry as many of them approach retirement age.