HOUGHTON, Mich. (WZMQ) – High schoolers are getting some learning opportunities off the ground with the Michigan Tech University’s Aviation and Aerospace summer program. This program is taught by the Civil Air Patrol pilots and educates students from all over the world on everything from the engine, flight controls, and regulations of flying, all at a high school level. “What we do is in our class we’re using a Microsoft flight simulator program,” commented Mission Pilot and Instructor Kevin Cadeau.
The flight simulator can show the student around 24,000 simulated airports that they can fly to, flying what’s called a Cessna 172 aircraft. “That’s a real common aircraft used in general aviation and when we train them, we’re using computer screens that will show the instrument panel,” continued Cadeau.
Some students have family members that have even flown, like student Emmitt Brown-Richardson, whose grandfather was in the air force. He commented that he takes after his grandfather in having an interest in aviation and has always wanted to see the horizon thousands of feet off the ground. “So far we’ve learned mostly taking off, which is pretty easy…flying, banking at certain angles, using the instruments to figure out where we are,” commented Richardson.
Along with the airspeed indicator and altitude measurements, the students are mostly learning the old-school way. “You have the yoke here which you can turn with and climb and decent when you pull back you do a climb when you pull back you decent, We were training them how to fly using visual cues like in the old days,” continued Cadeau.
“I’m really looking forward to just feeling the freedom of flying,” continued Richardson.
Every Yooper knows that the weather can ruin a good day’s plans, and that was true for the young pilots, as foggy conditions kept them grounded Thursday evening. “Today the ceilings are low so according to the visual flight rules that we have, at this point right now we can’t fly,” continued Cadeau.
While professional pilots may have to fly in similar weather conditions, unfortunately, these beginners will have to wait for sunnier days to get off the ground.
The pilot instructors hope to fly Friday will have better weather and are hopeful to take off the runway.
