Where can you go to inspire your kids to reach for a fantastic career, talk to a NOAA Hurricane Hunters pilot, tour an airplane repair facility on wheels, and eat free hot dogs? At the 4th Annual Aviation Career Day on Saturday, March 7, you’ll be able to do all these things in one place—the St. Simons Island Airport—from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm. The popular, free career expo and aircraft display has outdone itself this year with a dynamic slate of new exhibits, airplanes, and industry professionals accessible to middle and high school students and their parents. And as if that wasn’t enough, the Experimental Aircraft Association will be holding its famed Young Eagles Rally at the same time. Young Eagles flies kids ages 8-17 over the Golden Isles, rivers,and beaches as part of its career education mission.
Aviation Career Day was started when local pilots were challenged by former Glynn County Airport Commissioner David English, a retired Air Force officer and seasoned industry pilot, to “do more than just talk” about two looming problems: the upcoming shortage of pilots and aviation technicians, and the need for more well-paid future careers for young people in the community. He rightly felt that the two matters could cancel each other out. And as it happened, quite a few people agreed with him, as the number of participants, guests and supporters grew over the years.
Airborne Law Enforcement
A visit with Cpl. Jerry Pimentel and a tour of the Georgia State Patrol helicopter gave Glynn Academy Marine Junior ROTC students insight about aviation’s role in law enforcement.
This year, Golden Isles Aviation, SouthEastern Air Services, Inc., the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 905 (EAA), Civil Air Patrol Brunswick Squadron 072, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Glynn County Schools, and the Glynn County Airport Commission put in months of preplanning for the event. The news is full of reasons why their timing is impeccable.
The deficit of pilots and aviation technicians has created a perfect storm in the industry. As the current pilot talent pool reaches mandatory retirement age, the global growth of aviation service has steadily expanded. The rise of low and ultra-low-cost airlines, along with the introduction of fuel-efficient regional aircraft has made it feasible to offer air service to more cities. The Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook, published in 2019, indicated that over 800,000 new civilian aviation pilots and 769,000 new maintenance technicians will be needed by 2038. Today’s sixth graders will be 49 years old, and the graduating class of 2020 will be 56 by that time. They could already have three decades of a successful career in aviation behind them by then.
Initially, the day was intended mainly for ROTC students, and those who took advanced STEM based classes at local high schools. The original committee invited other groups, including the Civil Air Patrol and the EAA, to participate and bring airplanes to the St. Simons Island Airport for students to see. The inaugural year revealed the need to expand the program. “We noticed that whole families were attending with their high school students,” EAA President Jerry Latvalasaid. “And we were getting as much interest from middle schoolers as we had from the older kids. It’s a prime age to introduce new ideas.”
The event took off, and it’s now attracting attention from other communities. Terra Winslett, Airport Property and Marketing Manager for the Airport Commission, has been approached for advice and best practices for hosting similar events from other airports across the country. When Glynn County Schools offered her the honor of serving as Principal for the Day at Glynn Academy, she took the opportunity to make sure that students knew about Aviation Career Day. That success encouraged her and other event organizers to visit local middle schools to invite those students to come.
It worked. Last year, hundreds of young people and their families came to the island airport to take a close look at a variety of aircraft, from firefighting planes to a vintage DC-3, and to talk to industry experts about what their future might hold. This year, the list of exhibitors has taken a leap forward. It includes a huge C-130 Hercules airplane to be flown in by the 165 Airlift Wing of the Air National Guard, firefighting aircraft from the Georgia Forestry Commission, several different types of helicopters, and a host of privately-owned planes. Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation’s FAST truck, a state-of-the-art mobile aircraft service unit, will also be available for tours.
Nuts and Bolts
Navy Junior ROTC students from Brunswick High visit with aircraft builder Mike Whitehead.
Over the years, organizers recognized that offering students and parents the chance to speak one-on-one with aviation professionals became increasingly important. This year, Commander Nate Kahn, pilot with the renowned Hurricane Hunters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will join other experts who will share their background and experience. Representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) and the Delta Air Lines Propel Pilot Career Path Program will be ready to provide information about career options. Families can discuss degree programs and technical training certification with officials from Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University, and Middle Georgia State University’s (MGA) aviation program.
Access to education is an issue for today’s high school students. Since a number of well-known aviation schools are experiencing record enrollment requests, aspiring pilots and technicians can find themselves in the anxiety-producing position of being “wait listed.” Embry-Riddle’s highly selective program now accepts only 59% of its applicants, compared to 80% only five years ago. Georgia’s students have an advantage in considering MGA, where the respected new aviation curriculum is growing quickly. Not only can in-state students get a top-quality education, but they can access the HOPE program of grants and scholarships to defray the cost of reaching their aviation career goals. Currently, MGA is able to accept all qualified applicants, according to Cheryl Carty, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management.
An introduction to the wide range of future opportunities has always been the primary goal for Aviation Career Day, noted Deputy Commander Bill Cozine of the Civil Air Patrol’s Brunswick Squadron 072. “Aviation offers the chance to serve the nation in the military, but there are ways to serve your hometown as well,” he pointed out. “The Civil Air Patrol performs a daily Sundown Patrol here locally to search for any emergency that can be seen from the air. We’ve found distressed boaters, lost hikers and accident locations in remote areas. Medical flights such as air ambulance operations will continue to need skilled pilots and crews. For pilots who can volunteer their time and use of their planes, organizations like Angel Flight provide a very valuable service for patients who can’t fly with commercial air carriers for medical reasons. We’ve even had local pilots volunteer to fly injured wildlife to specialized treatment centers.”
One of the most popular activities at Aviation Career Day is an opportunity to operate a flight simulator, with instruction from experts with the Civil Air Patrol. Far from a video game, the simulators deliver an authentic flight experience that requires concentration and dexterity.
Students who are mechanically gifted and have technology interests would do well to consider aviation maintenance careers as well. Middle and high schoolers have the advantage of being native technology users, so the trend toward innovative training methods like augmented reality and digital troubleshooting are familiar educational platforms. Some jobs require a two-year training program, followed by a certification that can open doors to excellent starting salaries, and opportunities to work all over the world.
Young Eagles Rallies Encourage Flight
EAA Pilot Walter Carter and his happy passengers, the Murray family, at a Young Eagles Rally.
The eagerly anticipated Young Eagles Rally will run concurrently with Aviation Career Day. The wealth of experience represented by EAA pilots is impressive. Pilot members of the local chapter, who volunteer their time and the use of their own personal aircraft, average 45 years in the cockpit and 12,000 hours of flight time. Every flight is prefaced by a quick orientation to the airplane and some information about careers in the field.
Although many Young Eagles sign up weeks in advance, young people who want to fly should still register and be put on a wait list if the flight roster is full when they go online. Should an opening occur before the event day, the next person in line will be notified. Anyone who remains on the wait list this time will be automatically transferred to the top of the order for the next rally, scheduled for the fall of this year.
Aviation Career Day will be held in the Museum Hangar at 1759 Demere Road at the St. Simons Island Airport. A free hot dog lunch will be served to all guests. Pre-registration is requested. Forms are available online, and can be accessed via a link located in the Events section on the bottom of the Glynn County Airport Commission’s home page at flygcairports.com. Attendance and parking are free. It’s a great opportunity to inspire students in our community to reach for the sky and its wide-open possibilities.
By Leslie Faulkenberry
