As the warm weather finally is here you can now enjoy the nice hot summer days and of course nature. You also begin to see colorful flowers and a lot of birds chirping and flying along. Have you ever stopped to wonder what it would be like to be a bird? Okay, maybe we cannot be birds, but flying an airplane is the closest thing to being up in the sky alongside of them. Now flying an airplane may sound tricky, but with the aviation course being offered at Lakeland College you will get the full experience and training you need. The course will be a six-week course taught by Steve Vaught, meeting Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The class is scheduled to start on June 13, 2016 and ending July 22, 2016. The class will not meet July 4, 2016 in observance of the Fourth of July. According to the Lakeland College course information sheet provided by K-12 Relations Manager Jason Duff stated that the course “introduces students to the study of aviation. It utilizes an industry-standard ground school curriculum that will prepare students to take the FAA private pilot written exam. Students will learn the basics of flight (aerodynamics, etc.), flight systems, FAA regulations, and the air traffic control system. Students should expect a high-workload course”. When asked what was his favorite part about teaching aviation to others Vaught responded, “someone once said ‘Aviation is not dangerous, but, like the sea, it is extremely unforgiving of error.’ The thing I like best about teaching aviation is helping students develop their own abilities as safe, capable, proficient aviators”. With every class, the teacher must plan accordingly to help their students succeed, but there may also be obstacles. The course being offered usually takes an entire semester to cover all necessary content, so shortening it to a six week course presents its obstacles. In regards to this issue, Vaught stated, “The largest obstacle to this class being the accelerated format. The students have to work a lot harder to absorb all the material, which means that I need to be very careful to present it as effectively as possible”. This course will provide a great opportunity to those students who are truly interested. Vaught said, “If a student is genuinely interested in aviation or is considering pursuing the goal of becoming a professional pilot, this is a great way to get started. The course is intensive and challenging, but someone who is truly interested in becoming a pilot will have no trouble”. If you have ever been on a plane you are happy that your pilot has gotten you to your destination safely. Next time you set foot on a plane why not have it be you who’s in charge. Summer is a time to try new things so why not give the Lakeland College aviation course a try! For more information about the course or how to sign up please contact Jason Duff K-12 Relation Manager at (920)565-1021 ext. 2118 or at [email protected]