Monroe man's dream takes flight in Air Force training

Ever since he was a young child, Monroe resident Slava Ulanovskiy dreamed of being a pilot.

"I was always fascinated with flight,GÇ¥ he said.

And he's well on his way to achieving his dream. On June 13, Ulanovskiy graduated from Central Washington University in Ellensburg with a bachelor's degree in Russian and an aerospace studies minor. That evening, he was sworn in as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, through the university's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program.

Next, Ulanovskiy will begin training in an elite military flight-training program known as the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT). He was one of 51 cadets from across the nation selected for ENJJPT, beating out more than 800 other candidates for the spot.

ENJJPT pilots are selected based on stringent criteria related to their order of merit, which assesses things like military performance, scholastic aptitude, grade point average and physical fitness.

The 2011 Monroe High School graduate will travel to Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, in May 2016 to begin the intensive 55-week training program. Program fundamentals include undergraduate pilot training, pilot instructor training, introduction to fighter fundamentals (IFF) and IFF upgrade instructor pilot training.

"Basically why they choose so few people is that it's kind of a fast track to fighters and bombers,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said. "Everybody, for the most part, wants to be a fighter pilot, and it's a difficult position to have. You have to have the character and personality to go along with the skillset.GÇ¥

ENJJPT is one-of-a-kind. It's the only multinational pilot training program in the world, and the curriculum is demanding. ENJJPT's mission is to "produce the world's finest NATO pilots with the skills and attitude to succeed in fighter aviation.GÇ¥

Ulanovskiy, originally from Russia, moved to the United States with his family when he was just five years old. The 22-year-old has early memories of the Russian town where they lived, and has been back periodically to visit relatives.

"There's not nearly as much opportunity as there is here,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said. "Especially for young people.GÇ¥

He moved to Monroe around the age of 13 and started attending Monroe Public Schools. He was a two-year starter on the Monroe High School basketball team, and said he learned a lot about integrity and perseverance from coaches Nick Wold and Dan Baer. It was while he was at Monroe High School that he heard about CWU.

CWU is known for its aviation program, and Ulanovskiy figured it would be a great opportunity to pursue aviation as a career. But when he arrived, he learned that the program came with a $15,000 price tag, on top of the standard tuition. Ulanovskiy was disappointed, but decided to make the best of it, and spent his freshman year focused on core curriculum. He said he began to consider kinesiology or exercise physiology as an alternative career option.

He settled into college life, and his girlfriend eventually Casey Neumann transferred to CWU after a semester at Washington State University. Ulanovskiy, who became a U.S. citizen while at CWU, is the first person in his family to attend college.

But the planes called to him. A student in the aviation program at CWU learns to fly in a Cessna 152, a two-seat aircraft used primarily for flight training. Ulanovskiy spotted the small planes frequently, soaring through the air above campus. He recalled a pivotal moment as he and Neumann were taking a walk; each time he heard a plane in the air, he couldn't resist looking up.

To a casual observer, it wouldn't have seemed significant, but Neumann recognized it for what it was. She urged Ulanovskiy to pursue scholarships, loans; whatever funding was necessary to get him into the pilot's seat.-á -á -á

Eventually, Ulanovskiy realized the military could provide him with that opportunity. He visited the ROTC office on campus, and talked to a recruiter. As he learned more about the Air Force, he said he realized how well suited he was to a military lifestyle. He completed four weeks of basic training in Alabama, in between his sophomore and junior year. He said he excelled at basic training, and was honored with Distinguished Graduate status.

"I did really well in that,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said. "I was very successful, learned a lot, and then came back and just kind of took it from there.GÇ¥

He returned from basic training filled with confidence. His junior and senior years were paid for with a full scholarship that included a modest monthly stipend, which enabled him to focus on his studies and flying. Ulanovskiy said he worked hard in school, knowing that students have to apply for their positions in the Air Force, and his top marks earned him a few options. He achieved a pilot's position, but he could have pursued remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) training, which was another area of interest.

When the call came in for ENJJPT, he said it was an honor to be selected.

Ulanovskiy is in it for the long haul. His scholarship came with a four-year commitment, but the pilot track is a 10-year commitment. Including the training, he'll serve for at least 12 years, which is perfectly fine with him.

"You have to find out what aircraft you're actually going to fly, and then you have to go to training for that, and then your commitment starts,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said. "The time isn't a huge deal at all for me; I'm seriously just thinking about doing a career thing.GÇ¥

ENJJPT graduates typically have their choice of which military aircraft they want to fly based on their order of merit. Ulanovskiy is partial to the F-35, which is the latest and greatest single-seat, single-engine fighter plane. But during Seafair, he had the opportunity to see an F-22 up close, and now he's a bit torn between the two.

"I want to fly the F-35 really bad, but after seeing that F-22 in person, I've never seen that much power and maneuverability,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said. "I've just got to compete and try to get as high up on the chain as possible, so I can have those options. My wish list is F-35 and F-22, but I'll take anything they've got as long as I'm up there.GÇ¥

He knows firsthand that ENJJPT will be an intense challenge, as he is in touch with a 2014 CWU graduate who was accepted into the program last year. A member of the CWU Air Force detachment has been accepted into ENJJPT for the last three consecutive years, which is significant.

"That is certainly atypical,GÇ¥ said Lt. Col. Richard Warr, CWU aerospace studies professor and detachment commander, in a news release. "It's an indicator of the quality of our cadets and the strength of our program overall.GÇ¥

Ulanovskiy describes himself as "goal-oriented,GÇ¥ and is prepared for the challenging road ahead.

"My long-term goal is to become an astronaut,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said.

While at CWU, Ulanovskiy clocked more 50 hours learning the basic maneuvers of flight, such as slow flight, stall-recovery and spin-recovery. He loves being in the air. His first solo flight was absolutely incredible, he said.

"That feeling was just amazing. It was like taking a car out if you want to go for a ride,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said. "It's the best feeling ever.GÇ¥

Ulanovskiy plans to spend the next several months working and preparing for his move to Texas. He and Neumann plan to marry in a Dec. 27 ceremony. He credits his mom, stepfather and younger sister, Sophia, for supporting his goals, and Neumann for recognizing and encouraging his dream of being a pilot. -á -á

"If she didn't transfer, if we weren't walking that day, if she didn't see me look up at that plane, literally I would have been a personal trainer by now,GÇ¥ Ulanovskiy said.