Beyond the Flight Plan
Growing up, Cobi Pimental had planned to pursue a career in the medical field, like his three sisters, aunt and uncle had.
Then one day he flew a plane. And everything changed.
From then on, Cobi knew he wanted to fly. That was it – he had no other plan in mind. This led him from his home in Hawaii to the University of North Dakota’s Commercial Aviation program.
Cobi knew he wanted to fly. This led him from his home in Hawaii to the University of North Dakota’s Commercial Aviation program.
Initially, he planned to focus solely on his degree and joining a commercial airline. His plan was simple: Take the classes. Get the degree. Leave. But just as his original plan had changed, so, too, did this one when Cobi learned of the UND Flying Team.
“The biggest influence on my career here at UND was the Flying Team,” Cobi said. “It took a lot of time; I put a lot of effort into that.”
On the Flying Team, he focused on Aircraft Recognition, a visual skill that involves learning the external appearance of aircraft.
“Having that background knowledge of all these aircraft really helped me connect with the older pilots because a lot of aviation students know aircraft, but not as in-depth as I feel like I would. I'll understand them.”
While a student, Cobi became an Unmanned Aircrat Systems instructor.
Getting involved helped Cobi make connections at UND.
Cobi also became an Unmanned Aircraft Systems instructor, teaching the flight portion of the course. “I eventually want to work as a flight instructor for airplanes. So, it’s cool being able to teach what I know, and [the students] get that peer knowledge if they want to be flight instructors as well.”
Using various models of drones owned by the University, he gives students an understanding of how they operate for commercial applications and how to fly the drones properly. “For me, it’s awesome because, in education, you learn so much by teaching.”
He even assists a professor in 3D drone printing for an aviation class, allowing him to push the boundaries of traditional aviation education.
Cobi further diversified his journey with an Atmospheric Sciences minor and an internship with UND Weather Update, where he forecasted the weather and participated in the show itself. “It’s super fun. I love it,” Cobi said. “I get a little bit of media production and forecasting experience at the same time.”
Also working for the Office of University Admissions – conducting campus tours, greeting visitors and handling other tasks – Cobi gained a deeper understanding of what UND has to offer students.
“I look at all those majors we have and there are things I’ve never heard of,” he said. “It’s crazy to think about all these different majors we have.”
Get involved. That’s how you make your friends. That’s how you find your groups. That’s how you make your connections at UND.
Cobi credits his Admissions job with giving him the opportunity to meet not only prospective students but also professors from other departments. “It’s cool to listen to a range of people. We have people fresh out of high school and guiding them through the process of it all,” he said. “And sometimes I’ll meet and just talk with professors and it’s like ‘Oh, that sounds like a really cool field.’”
Despite these deviations from his original plan, Cobi expresses only gratitude toward the UND professors who encouraged him to explore opportunities beyond the classroom and discover his true passions. “It expanded my knowledge, expanded my experience, and overall helped me to discover what I really enjoy. I’ve learned how to open up and be more of a person who likes change” he said.
Cobi’s advice to students is simple: “Get involved. That’s how you make your friends. That’s how you find your groups. That’s how you make your connections at UND.”