5/12/2016
ACE Academy offers teenagers chance to learn about careers in aviation
BOISE -- Navigating small
airplanes, controlling air traffic and exploring Blackhawk helicopters are all
part of the Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) Academy, June 13-15, hosted by the
Idaho Transportation Department’s Division of Aeronautics in Boise.
This year, the ACE Academy will
celebrate its 25th anniversary. Thirty teenagers will have the opportunity to
participate in the academy, which is open to high school students ages 14-18. The
deadline for submission of applications has been extended to May 20.
Teenagers participating in the
academy will experience a variety of activities that provide social experiences
and learning opportunities. During the three-day academy, students will hear
from experts in various aviation-related fields, as well as representatives of
regional and national aeronautical schools. Tours of the Boise Airport, local
aviation businesses and flight operations, and the Idaho Army and Air National
Guard are also scheduled.
“Every student comes in wanting to
be a pilot,” said Tammy Schoen, with ITD’s Division of Aeronautics. “Once they
participate in the experiences we offer, they begin to look beyond the ordinary
and many leave excited about other aviation-related careers they might pursue.”
The academy is capped off with
flights to nearby airports, such as Idaho City or Garden Valley. Each student
has the opportunity to experience a flight under the guidance of a veteran
pilot who has donated time and an airplane to make this possible for ACE
participants. Upon return to the Treasure Valley, students will tour the
Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa.
A $60 registration fee is due upon
a student's acceptance to the academy. Scholarship assistance is available. A
limited number of host families also are available for students attending from
outside the Treasure Valley.
The event is sponsored by the Division of Aeronautics, Idaho Ninety-Nines, Warhawk Air Museum, Idaho Business Aviation Association, Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame and Idaho Aviation Association.
For more information, call the Division of Aeronautics at (208) 334-8775, or visit www.itd.idaho.gov then click on Aeronautics, Safety and Education, and ACE Academy for more information and the application.