Expands Education Programs To Get Young People Flying
EAA signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday with the
National Flight Academy of Pensacola, FL, establishing a
relationship to support aviation education programs that engage and
motivate young people. The agreement will allow EAA and the
National Flight Academy to explore all opportunities to integrate
and jointly promote their programs that bring the world of flight
to a new generation.
"EAA's youth aviation education programs, led by the 1.5 million
young people flown in the Young Eagles programs since 1992, are
unmatched in their outreach," said Tom Poberezny, EAA's
chairman/president. "As we develop the next steps to build
aviation participation within a new generation, opportunities such
as those found at the Naval Flight Academy will be essential toward
inspiring and engaging those with an interest in flight."
Along with Young Eagles and the newly expanded offerings for
those participants, EAA has established programs such as the annual
EAA Air Academy residence camps in Oshkosh, and a variety of
education programs based through the organization's local chapters
and through the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh.
As part of the agreement, EAA will support the National Flight
Academy's efforts to establish a leading aviation learning
experience based in Pensacola that uses flight to increase interest
in science, technology, engineering and math.
The National Flight Academy, which will open in early 2012, will
be located adjacent to the National Naval Aviation Museum on Naval
Air Station Pensacola in Florida. The Academy, however, is
not owned, operated or funded by the U.S. Navy or Department of
Defense. The goal is to create 5½-day residence
programs for seventh- through 12th-grade students each year, plus
shorter weekend sessions, which emphasize sciences, problem-solving
and team-building in a way that inspires learning and discovery
through flight.
"Our mission is to inspire and ignite a passion for science,
technology, engineering and math through aviation and, in
particular, using naval aviation as a motivating force," said
retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Gerald Hoewing, president of the
National Flight Academy. "EAA's outreach to both the aviation
community and to young people through Young Eagles and other
programs makes it a partner that can help us raise interest in
aviation as well as discovery of the sciences and engineering."