Aviation Learning Center
Where STEM education takes flight
Students are introduced to the energy and excitement of flight through an immersive beginner-style pilot training program to experience aeronautical science, piloting protocols, and the thrill of flight. Grade-appropriate content is presented through proprietary computer programs, innovative hands-on devices, a real aircraft, and flight simulators.
Here’s what’s in store:
- Engaging hands-on lessons connecting classroom content in science, math, and technical reading to real world applications.
- Aviation scenarios to built problem solving skills, teamwork, and critical thinking.
- Curiosity sparked about the endless career paths in aviation in the fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
- Teamwork as students work together to achieve a common goal.
THREE ACTIVITY CENTERS
THE LEARNING LAB
- Students learn the fundamental science of flight as they are guided by computer software and work with a partner through hands-on experiments demonstrating the scientific concepts of navigation, wind tunnel experiments, weather patterns, flight dynamics, and weight and balance distribution.
- At the conclusion of the experiments, students share their new expert knowledge with the rest of the group as they explain what they learned.
THE MOONEY HANGAR
- The Mooney Hangar is a small-scale general aviation hangar complete with a real Mooney Ovation aircraft.
- Students work together to check the safety of the aircraft by completing a pre-flight inspection, manipulate the flight controls, and familiarize themselves with the components of an aircraft.
- An instructor guides students through their flight path and how to properly steer and control the aircraft.
THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR BAY
- Following their pilot instructions, students pilot a flight simulator.
- Each simulator is equipped with a state-of-the-art display of a real-time, real-space virtual world of the Houston-Galveston area, operational rudder pedals, control yokes, and other flight controls.
- Pilot and Co-Pilot must work as a team to stay on course and safely reach their destination.
Field Trip Options
Flight Training:
Youth are introduced to the fundamentals and science of flight, conduct a pre-flight safety inspection, and pilot a flight simulator. Included is a guided tour through two aircraft hangars to connect aviation innovations to the real-life flight experience.
Minimum 10 students / Maximum 60 students per two and a half hour program.
$10 per student for Title I schools, $12 per student for non-Title I schools
Recommended for: 7th – 12th grades
Length of Time: 2.5 hours
Available: Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Why This Choice: Most complete program combining pilot skills and science.
PILOT EXPERIENCE:
This experience is a snapshot of life as a pilot exploring the Flight Academy for Ground School STEM lessons and our two hangars showcasing innovations in aircraft since the Dawn of Flight. In the Aviation Learning Center, conduct a pre-flight safety inspection of a real airplane and pilot a flight simulator.
Minimum 10 students / Maximum 60 students per two and a half hour program.
$10 per student for Title I schools, $12 per student for non-Title I schools
Recommended for: 4th – 9th grades
Length of Time: 2.5 hours
Available: Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Why This Choice: A fun way to target the skills of being a pilot with time in the Flight Academy for hands-on learning.
LEARNING LAB:
Add the Learning Lab to the Aviation Exploration field trip as your chosen classroom experience after your guided tour through our two aircraft hangars and the Flight Academy hands-on STEM exhibit.
Minimum 10 students / Maximum 60 students per two and a half hour program.
$10 per student for Title I schools, $12 per student for non-Title I schools
Recommended for: 4th – 12th grades
Length of Time: 1 hour program.
Available: Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Why This Choice: An introduction to fundamentals of aviation through hands-on STEM experiments.