Aug. 11, 2015
NBAA recently co-sponsored the Connecticut Aviation Career Education (ACE) Summer Academy as part of the Association’s efforts to promote education in aviation and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.
During the week-long camp, which was held in late July, students from area middle and high schools visited a Bombardier aircraft service center at Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks, toured the air traffic control tower at the Groton-New London Airport (GON) and watched pilots undergo underwater survival training at Survival Systems USA in Groton.
The students also flew on a Piper airplane, courtesy of Action Airlines of Groton, tried out flight simulators, operated model aircraft, got a close-up view of a turboprop, toured a vintage airplane museum, and met aviation personnel ranging from airport managers to customer service and sales professionals and Civil Air Patrol representatives.
The camp, which was designed based on FAA guidelines, is geared toward youth in grades six to nine and has attracted 30 participants over the past three summers. It is organized by retired school teacher Stuart Sharack, with the help of Alex Rode, a teacher and former Navy pilot. Sharack also runs an after-school aerospace club for students in grades four to six.
With projected future shortages of pilots and aviation maintenance technicians, Sharack said he hopes the camp encourages students to consider aviation careers. The camp gives participants “a variety of different experiences that they would not normally have [in school],” Sharack said. And they learn that “they don’t all have to be pilots” to be involved with aviation.
Dean Saucier, NBAA’s Northeast regional representative, praised Sharack for his work with the camp, and said, “It’s gratifying to see how much difference one person can make in the lives of students.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.