Dr. James Heflin, professor of Preaching and Pastoral Ministry at Logsdon Seminary, received his flight instructor’s license following a successful oral exam and check ride by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration on Jan 10. The license completes a two-year effort and adds to his current multi-engine and instrument commercial license ratings.

Dr. Heflin leaves the "office"

Fascinated with airplanes since he was young, Dr. Heflin remembers his mother telling him that he would cry to get into a plane every time they drove past the airport when he was 3 years old. After he married, his wife Dr. Wilma Heflin, adjunct instructor of Church Ministry at Logsdon, encouraged him to follow his dream and presented him with a gift from her savings so that he could begin to take flying lessons. After he learned to fly, he discovered that an airplane was a very fine way to travel and a great way to see more of the beauty of God’s creation. When he served as a pastor, he often flew to various meetings of committees and boards on which he served.

In addition to the privilege of teaching new pilots, Dr. Heflin believes the process of becoming a flight instructor will make him a better seminary teacher. He learned, from a unique perspective, “how individuals learn, how they retain and forget what they learn, and how they apply what they learn. I learned some new concepts that helped me to prepare better for the seminary classroom and, I hope, improve my teaching and testing methods.” Pilots are required to revisit the basics of their skill in order to retain their privileges. “The lesson for me,” he says, “is that ministers can benefit from reviewing the basics of ministry throughout our lifetime.”

He sees a very valuable application for future missionaries. “The experience of the Missionary Aviation Fellowship and other such organizations has demonstrated that people who are called to missionary service in remote locations can profit greatly from learning how to fly and maintain their own airplanes. A significant number of missionaries have learned to be mechanics and pilots. They testify that their training is very valuable to them and to the people with whom they serve. Some of them can reach certain locations only by air.” Dr. Heflin recommends that missionaries preparing for service in remote locations consider this skill and adds that he would be glad to discuss the benefits from a missions perspective, “certainly I would enjoy teaching missionaries or those preparing for missionary service how to fly.”

Dr. Heflin will teach beginning students, conduct flight reviews for pilots who already hold pilots’ licenses, check out pilots in various aircraft, and take people who are curious about learning to fly on discovery flights. Later, with additional experience, he will be able to teach advanced students, even those who want to become instructors.