The Aviation Club, started in 2024, is a part of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program that allows students to have the opportunity to learn about planes and how to fly them. This program offers an in-flight simulator that offers students a real-life experience.
“It is all about learning how to fly,” aviation club President and senior Matthew McCoy said. “To become a pilot, you kind of have to be a mechanic, a plane doctor and a lawyer. You have to know all the laws with flying, you have to know how the engine works and more.”
The aviation club offers students learning opportunities to fly and operate an aircraft.
“We go over all the components of planes, how it works, the study of it, mechanics, the physics of it and more,” member Noah Cypull said.
With the new addition of the in-flight simulator, it changes the trajectory of the club. students say it helps better understand everything and is an important part of the club.
“The flight simulator is a nice way for students to do many things such as; test protocols, the engine and stuff like that,” Cypull said.
The club offers times to practice for future careers before graduation.
“We have official meetings after school on Fridays, but if you have an off period and you are in the club, you can come by the flight simulator and get some hours logged,” McCoy said.
This program can give better chances of getting into a flight school in the future and give more experience for a future in aviation, says the club president.
“Logging a certain amount of hours can count as actual flight hours and it can help you get certain endorsements for flying and help you later in life,” McCoy said.
Getting experience from the club and the flight simulator can help better understand if this is something students actually want to pursue in the future.
“It provides one more thing for people to try and look forward to in their career path,” member Eli Adler said. “You can get scholarships for flight school through this club and it is just a great way to see if you really want to pursue this career.”
The students of the club stated that they would love for others to try out the club if aviation is something they want to pursue.
“[This club] has allowed many people to become pilots to fly their first solo flights,” McCoy said. “We would love for students to become a part of this through JROTC.”
