Jordan Backes and Zeb Hoffman, both 26, and both of Linn, grew up together, best friends for as long as they can remember. Many have friends like that but not so many are in a position to train and certify their best friend as a pilot.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Backes when asked why he chose to pursue a pilot’s license. “There’s a different view and freedom from the sky. You get up there and can go wherever you want.”

Backes said he’s glad to have been able to complete his training and testing in Jefferson City, as opposed to St. Louis. “I grew up here, and looking down I could see a lot of the landmarks I was accustomed to but from a different perspective,” he explained. “It’s very cool to be able to do it locally, and it makes instruction easier, I think.”

Backes said flying to Linn was especially rewarding. “I flew over my house and there was mom on the back porch trying to take a picture,” he said.

Backes grew up near the State Tech airport and saw planes all the time flying over his house. “It was always cool to stand there and watch them,” he said. “I didn’t think about it as a career or even something I would do recreationally until I got to college.”

It was then that he considered aviation on his way to becoming an engineer as he finished his degree in December of 2017 from the University of Missouri.

After researching several companies, Backes wound up at Boeing.

“Going into the field of electrical and computer engineering, I started thinking about flying,” said Backes.

He had no doubt about who he wanted to teach him.

Hoffman, despite the fact his parents, Ron and Veronica, are Air Force veterans, doesn’t remember wanting to fly early in life.

“When I was in high school, I went to space camp, and that kind of pushed me toward it,” Hoffman said. “I remember being scared of flying but now that I’m flying with students, it doesn’t bother me, even when some of my students do weird things.”

Hoffman decided in high school at Linn to pursue a degree as an aerospace engineer at the University of Missouri Science & Technology but after a semester and a half, he decided he’d rather fly planes than design them.

He moved to the University of Central Missouri’s School of Aviation, where he earned certificates in the instruction of private, instrument, and commercial flight in May of 2018.

“It was the right choice,” said Hoffman.

He began working with students in September that year with the Jefferson City Flying Service, which operates at the Jefferson City Airport.

Debbie Backes admitted she was terrified when Jordan told her he wanted to train for a pilot’s license. “I don’t mind flying but the small plane bothered me,” she said. “Zeb being his instructor didn’t make it easier. I was like his second mom but I supported them. I’m glad he did it and that Zeb was the one who helped him.”

Typically, a student will fly two or three times a week for six to eight months to obtain 40-60 flight hours before a check-ride. There’s also plenty of reading material to absorb, better known as ground school.

Hoffman said the average is 60 flight hours for most students who prepare to take the final test, and Backes had around 70.

Between weather difficulties and a four-month delay due to COVID, Backes spent almost two years flying once a week to get his minimum hours in the cockpit.

Like most students, Backes needed a few flights before he became somewhat comfortable in the seat. “I became less rigid the more I flew,” he said. “During ground school, you learn the physics and aerodynamics of flight and how it all works. When you’re flying, after a while it becomes second nature. You understand what your instruments are saying.”

There were times when he was rattled, particularly with high winds, but Backes said landing never scared him. “It was more involved,” he said. “It had the potential to be overwhelming because there was more to manage.”

Landing at night required him to use lights and instruments as there were no visible landmarks beyond the runway but Backes handled it just fine at Kansas City International Airport.

Sitting in the co-pilot’s seat, Hoffman said he was not really “more nervous” as an instructor, but it was more challenging to teach and correct his best friend.

To help his friend get over some of the nerves, Hoffman intentionally stalled the aircraft.

“You don’t know how far you can go until you’re pushed,” said Backes.

Hoffman said his tactics as an instructor help him evaluate students but because the yokes are tied together, he can resume flight control at any time, should the need arise.

Over the course of his instruction, Jordan asked his mom to fly several times, which she agreed to do.

“We had six takeoffs and landings,” Debbie said. “Zeb wanted him to stall but I didn’t want that.”

Once, they flew over the Backes house in Linn and saw Jerry Backes, smiling from below.

Jerry had been very interested in flying, as an Air Force ROTC cadet at the University of Missouri with an interest in becoming a pilot in the USAF. However, his eyes failed him and that ended his ambitions.

Yet Jerry has always loved to fly, and on quite a few occasions has gone up with his son.

Jordan Backes passed the written test in February of this year and his oral test and practical (check-ride flight) test was conducted in April.

Backes, now armed with a license, plans to continue flying as weather permits while working to expand his permits to fly a bigger variety of planes.

“I just like to travel,” he said.

Hoffman currently has 10 students and Jefferson City Flying Service typically has anywhere from 40-50 students at any time taking lessons. He is one of five main instructors and works on a part-time basis.

He also flies pipeline patrol in Ottawa, Kan., noting anything that needs attention and reporting it to the company. There’s a chance he could eventually be based closer to home.

Backes and Hoffman also enjoy giving back to their community and helping the next generation of aviators get their start. Both took Aviation Merit Badge at State Technical College while they were Scouts, and Zeb has taught the course one year, and gave airplane rides to scouts another year.

Jordan has taught Programming and Robotics merit badges.