A mountain airport built on community

When Nebil Almakdeshi stepped into the role of president of the Auburn Aviation Association, he didn't see it as a chance to promote himself; he saw it as an opportunity to highlight one of Northern California's most welcoming general aviation communities.

Founded in the mid-1980s by a small group of pilots who wanted to support Auburn Municipal Airport, the AAA has grown into a hub for mentorship, scholarships, and pilot development. Today, the association helps administer roughly $170,000 in scholarships each year through its own programs and partnerships with aviation organizations. Those scholarships help aspiring pilots begin flight training or continue advancing through certificates and ratings. But when Almakdeshi talks about the association, he always brings the focus back to the people—the mentors he believes form the heart of the community. "The best thing about being the president, the spotlight is not on me," Almakdeshi said. "I can take that spotlight and say, hey, just look at this person, what they're doing."

He points to people such as retired United Airlines captain Ted Styles, who helps students understand how professional pilots think about procedures and decision making. Carol Zerbe, a designated pilot examiner who previously flew bush operations in Alaska, shares insights from years of backcountry flying and mountain operations. Aviation educator Juan Brown, airport manager Ty Richardson, scholarship director Don Wolf, and instructors like Don Bradly each play a role in sustaining a vast network held together by a powerful support system—one entirely driven by volunteers dedicated to helping the next generation of aviators.

For Almakdeshi, that environment becomes even more important when considering the cost of training. For many students, the financial barrier can be overwhelming. Scholarships help, but they don't solve everything. What Auburn offers, he says, is something equally valuable: direct access to people who've already navigated the path into aviation. "How are we helping that cost of aviation to get people in? With the knowledge on the ground of the community that we have, the people that have done it before. You're going to learn a lot. Not only from your school, but from the senior mentors and the mentors around you."

That culture of shared learning extends beyond formal instruction. Pilots gather at meetings, safety events, or informal hangar conversations to talk through real-world flying situations. Questions about pattern entries, weather decisions, instrument procedures, or mountain flying frequently turn into spontaneous lessons. Over time, those conversations become part of the training process.

While Auburn's aviation culture has grown largely through word of mouth, Almakdeshi now hopes to expand its reach through new partnerships and targeted outreach. A key focus is connecting AAA with organizations that work to broaden participation in aviation. Among those groups is the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, which operates an Aerospace Career Education (ACE) Academy across the United States to introduce young Black students to aviation careers. He also aims to strengthen ties with other groups such as the Latino Professionals in Aerospace and Women in Aviation International. Partnering with these groups, which already have strong national networks, can help create more direct connections between aspiring aviators and experienced professionals.

AAA continues to host events that bring the community together and create opportunities for learning. Monthly membership meetings frequently include guest speakers across the aviation world. Even as these initiatives expand, the airport's—and AAA's—true strength remains the people who show up and invest in the community. "It doesn't matter where you train. There are no gates to keep you out," Almakdeshi emphasized. "You can still come to Auburn and be part of what's happening."

That spirit manifests in the way pilots support one another—not just in their own progress, but in the success of others. It's exactly what Almakdeshi hopes to amplify as president: recognizing the people and the community who make the airport and the association what they are. "There are incredible people here doing amazing things," he said. "All I want to do is highlight them."