The South Dakota State University aviation program teamed up with the U.S. Air Force this summer to host two, three-week introductory flight programs for high school and college students from across the United States.
SDSU certified flight instructor Andrew Wilwerding ’22 and Aim High Flight Academy student Joshua Bryant get ready for a flight in one of SDSU’s Cessna 172 Skyhawks.
The first session of the Aim High Flight Academy in Brookings was held June 11-29, and the second session ran from July 9-27. Thirty-four students from across the United States participated.
Students spent their time both on campus and at the Brookings Regional Airport, where they used flight simulators and climbed into the cockpits and up in the air in SDSU’s Cessna 172 Skyhawks.
The academy aimed to inform, influence and inspire the next generation of aviators and leaders. It was funded by the Air Force, with no cost to students, and planned and carried out by SDSU.
None of the students had previous flight experience before coming to Brookings, but all had shown an interest in aviation, either in becoming a pilot or joining the Air Force, said Jared Weber, assistant manager of the SDSU aviation program. After 15 flight hours, five simulator hours and 25 hours of ground training, some students who showed enough progress throughout the academy were able to take solo flights at the end of the three weeks.
Not only is the academy a good recruiting tool for the Air Force, it’s also a way for SDSU to showcase its aviation program and keep its certified flight instructors busy in the summer months, said Devin Bastemeyer, director of aviation operations for SDSU. Between the two sessions, the students flew 505 flight hours.
Academy students could even get their foot in the door on potential career paths. Those 15 flight hours give students a higher score on their application to become a pilot in the Air Force, should they choose that route.
”I just think it’s a great chance for these kids to see what opportunities there are at a college that offers this type of program and talk to all the people in the military about the opportunities there, too,” Bastemeyer added.
The academy paired students and United States Air Force Academy and Air Force ROTC cadets with current Air Force members who provided mentorship about various aviation professions and career fields. The students also received instruction and mentorship from SDSU aviation staff and certified flight instructors.
This summer is the first time SDSU has hosted the Aim High Flight Academy. A year of planning was involved to create timelines, schedules, curriculum, handbooks and more. More than 30 SDSU employees helped with the program.
