Spirit (Airlines) Is the Uplifting Force That Keeps Varian Dass Flying

The Spirit Airlines Diversity Scholarship, awarded by the Spirit Airlines Charitable Foundation, is keeping sophomore Varian Dass right where he wants to be: flying.

“I’m the youngest of four siblings and the only one in college. I don’t come from an aviation-oriented family, but now it has taken my family by storm,” he says. “My dad and older brother are all about it, and I take them flying.”

Dass’ “flight plan” is to commission as a United States Air Force fighter pilot and eventually switch seats from the F-22 Raptor to a commercial jet. Passengers appeal to him more than cargo because Dass is people-oriented.

“Flying cargo is not as service-oriented as flying with people,” he says. “Building relationships is part of why I want to be an airline captain.”

Dass has made considerable progress toward his goal since he signed up for an Aeronautics class at Sanford Middle School taught by a retired B-52 navigator. The simulator training and discovery flight with Young Eagles grabbed his attention, but that experience was topped by taking the copilot seat of an RV-8 for some aerobatic flying. Dass continued his aviation education as one of the first students at his high school’s Aviation Academy, and he joined the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Seminole High School and earned his pilot’s license. He has also done student outreach and community service projects at Orlando Sanford International Airport, near his home, which gave him the opportunity to see how different airlines operate.

Daas chose Embry-Riddle on the strength of its U.S. Air Force ROTC program. He is now a proud member of Detachment 157, the number one detachment in the southeast region.

Juggling classes, ROTC drills, a part-time job as a lifeguard at the Embry-Riddle pool and participation in the Caribbean Students Association, Dass stays busy.

“As a flight student, my days are pretty hectic. For ROTC, we wake up at 5:00 am to do PT for two hours. Then I go straight to class and then right from class to work. Then I have a class in the afternoon. So as soon as I'm done with work, I go back to my last class. I have maybe two or three hours of downtime. So I go to the gym, study, get some lunch, and then I go to fly. It’s just go, go, go.”

Thanks to his scholarship from Spirit, Dass can maintain this ambitious pace.

“My scholarship is a ginormous help. Normally, ROTC would cover most of my education. I have a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and a Federal Pell Grant, but flight training is expensive. So the Spirit Scholarship has helped me continue my flight training, and it helps cover room and board, too.”

He may not get to spend much time in his room, but his Spirit Scholarship keeps him in the air — right where he wants to be.