Sept. 16, 2016
Aviation is being brought to life for nearly 5,000 students at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, NV, as they enjoyed the bustling 2-acre Aviation Learning Center, hosted by Pathways to Aviation and supported by the Nevada Business Aviation Association (NVBAA).
Elementary, middle and high school students participated in hands-on educational opportunities, including flying simulators, watching 3-D printers at work and flying small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Peter Korns, NBAA’s manager of operations, was on-site to speak to students about business aviation’s integration of UAS, and encourage them to explore the industry as a career path.
“Students love this type of hands-on learning,” said Korns. “These students are incredibly gifted, and without an opportunity like the Drone Zone and Education Tent, many would never have a chance to fly a drone or see a 3-D printer at work. Experiencing aviation up close is what inspires these future leaders and allows them to connect their skills and interest to real-world applications.”
NVBAA has a long-standing relationship with Sunrise Mountain High School, where the association hosts an after-school aviation club. Students in that program were on hand to show others how to use the simulators and fly the drones.
NBAA’s participation and sponsorship of the 2016 Reno Air Races is part of its ongoing effort to encourage STEM education and introduce young people to careers in business aviation.
“We hope to change the narrative around aviation careers,” said Korns. “It’s not just about flying airplanes. Our global industry needs mechanics, engineers, technicians, designers, analysts and managers. Events like these allow us to start that discussion with these talented young men and women, and hopefully we help spark and nurture an interest in the aviation field.”
“It is great to see the growth of interest in the STEM education programs that we started several years ago at NVBAA,” said NVBAA President Reza Karamooz. “Our after-school aviation, robotics and math clubs have now achieved local, regional and national championships. Working closely with Pathways to Aviation, we expanded our footprint at the 2016 Reno Air Races, where our students gave flight lessons on five flight simulator stations, provided drone pilot training lessons and operated 3-D printers.
“We continue to develop industry-leading programs to promote aviation and all the new technologies related to the professional applications of UAS, and we appreciate NBAA’s support of our team,” Karamooz added.
NBAA continues its efforts to introduce high school and college students to business aviation with its Careers in Business Aviation Day program on Nov. 3 at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE). The event features speakers discussing the variety of careers offered in the industry, as well as the opportunity to meet professionals and get first-hand career advice. Learn more about NBAA-BACE.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.