Well frankly, between work and raising a family, the then 49 year old David Shapiro found himself in this position. Always enticed by the concept of flight, he never quite attained the resources necessary to take an active interest in his dream. But by his 50th birthday, David re-prioritized. 

 

Now that his children were older, David decided that it was time to realize the passion for flight he had subdued all his life. He immediately began lessons at the local airport and was hooked. Completely immersing himself in the process of becoming a pilot, David studied for countless hours just to make sure he scored well above average. He became more than just a pilot-in- training as he questioned local pilots about the material he was studying for a more thorough understanding. In the meantime, David and the airplane became inseparable. 

 

After attaining his pilot’s license, taking day trips from the San Fernando Valley to the Palm Springs desert became somewhat of a therapeutic activity for David. Getting lost in the sky he fell in love with the feeling of the desert's air traffic controllers always ranting about “its year round VFR weather conditions and seemingly unlimited amount of space.”

 

A few years and a lot of research, David was convinced that others like him, who only admired flight from far, could realize their dreams as well. His goal was to explain to students, future pilots, and other prospects that the days of rigorous training and expensive fees are no longer necessary to begin one’s path to pilot status and the freedom it provides. 

 

As a result, David and his wife Roz, decided to move to Palm Springs to begin the project that David calls his “2nd coming.” This project is none other than “Desert West Aviation.” Because of Palm Springs’ geographic location, a pilot has fast access to the many vacation spots in and around Southern California such as Lake Havasu, Laughlin, Big Bear, and Las Vegas to name a few. 

 

Ultimately, the creation of “Desert West Aviation” began simply as a way for those in the Palm Springs area to easily and inexpensively become a licensed pilot. But in the process, David realized that DWA serves as more than just a flight school with top notch aircrafts, flight instructors, and facilities. DWA offers its customers a refuge from a life of hefty expenses and personal responsibilities.