Greensboro students get hands-on look at aviation careers

Middle and high school students will have the opportunity to learn more about aviation and related job opportunities at two Aviation Career Education Academies being held in Greensboro.

Up to 30 rising seventh through ninth graders can attend the middle school ACE Academy at Guilford Technical Community College at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro on June 14-18.

Thirty rising high school students in grades 10-12 can enroll in the high school ACE Academy at GTCC at PTI on June 21-25. Both camps are sponsored by the N.C. Department of Transportation, North Carolina Airports Association, Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University and Guilford Technical Community College.

"I’ve always felt that those of us who are passionate have an obligation to seed another generation of aviation enthusiasts," said NCDOT Division of Aviation Director Richard Walls. "ACE camps provide an opportunity to expose our youth to aviation careers while highlighting our state’s expanding aerospace industry."

Both academies are $125 and run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. There are still openings available in both camps and the application deadline is May 20. For more information and applications, go to www.ncaviationeducation.aero.

Students will learn about the theory of flight, aviation’s history, aircraft maintenance and new technologies. Attendees will study real world aviation applications, thrust and vectoring (which can make a jet turn faster and more tightly), aircraft construction, as well as have the opportunity to fly radio-controlled aircraft and work on aircraft model design projects.

They will take field trips to aviation industry businesses and have the opportunity to fly in an airplane.

For more information about the NCDOT Division of Aviation, go to www.ncdot.gov/aviation.

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