We’ve already discussed some free ways students can develop and hone their interests in aviation in another post, but we wanted to spend a little more time on how parents, educators, and communities can partner with their local airport to further inspire and enable the next generation of aviators.
Introduce Them to a World of Possibilities
Your local airport is a great resource in connecting with industry professionals for school career days – or you may opt to host an entire aviation career day event altogether! Career days can feature hands-on activities, panel discussions, and exhibits that showcase a wide range of roles, including pilots, air traffic controllers, aviation mechanics, engineers, and airport operations staff. Schools and community groups can collaborate with airport officials to schedule guided tours of airport facilities, allowing students to see behind-the-scenes operations such as refueling and security procedures or aircraft maintenance.
To maximize impact, invite industry professionals from airlines, aerospace companies, and military aviation to share their journeys and answer questions. Highlighting diverse career paths ensures that students see the many opportunities available to them, regardless of their background or skillset.
Combine Interests & Disciplines
This point is closely related to the above, but interacting with your local airport will expose you to numerous “bridges” to other disciplines. Have a student who is interested in the healthcare industry? See if your airport can help facilitate a discussion with a flight paramedic with a based or nearby Medevac group. Have a Future Farmers of America (FFA) group at your school? Your local airport may have contacts for pilots and drone operators who utilize their skills to promote a stronger and sustainable agricultural industry. There are even special groups within the equine industry to help meet transport needs for the horse-racing industry here in Kentucky!
It all goes to show that there are few parts of everyday life that are not directly impacted by the world of aviation. Even if your child or student does not have an expressed interest in the industry, connecting with your local airport has the potential to expand minds and broaden horizons.
Build a Bridge from Education to Employment
Local airports can partner with school districts to develop educational programs that align with aviation career pathways. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts that frequent your local airport are often great candidates to lead an aviation-related STEM program or can at least help current educators facilitate free aviation courses offered by groups like AOPA.
This core knowledge is valuable to the developing aviation industry workforce, regardless of whether they end up at the cockpit or drafting table. Technical schools and community colleges can also serve as valuable partners, offering dual-credit programs and certificate pathways in areas like aircraft maintenance or drone operations. Whatever opportunities are presented, partnerships like this can help build a pipeline of talent for that aviation workforce of the future.
Make Dreams a Reality withHands-On Experiences
You may be surprised at how many pilots at your local airport have built their own airplane from scratch, and there may even be groups that are already or at least willing to build a kit-plane together. Van’s Aircraft’s RV-12 is a popular kit plan, with the company offering a 10% credit after completion towards the purchase of another kit. Many groups go on to sell or auction completed builds, with proceeds typically large enough to purchase a new kit in addition to funding flight training for select students.
While the cost of a kit may be initially prohibitive, you can also work with your local airport to schedule specialized aviation camps, drone piloting workshops, and other hands-on experiences. Creating a coalition with schools, non-profits, and community organizations, aviation can quickly become a networking tool while providing a unique learning experience for students of all ages.
Entertain & Inspire
Annual aviation day events and air shows are a great attraction for any community, both in terms of tourism and in promoting aviation. Not only will attendees be entertained by daring aerobatics and static aircraft displays, but you can maximize the impact of such events by inviting representatives from various parts of the aviation industry to share more about their field and career pathways. You won’t find a more engaging and captivating environment.
Need some help in connecting with your local airport, creating a beneficial partnership for local students, or want to add additional elements to your upcoming event? Contact us today and learn how DreamFlight Charities can help support your community in creating sustainable aviation education programs or in providing additional resources to ignite a passion for flight.