AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 40

PILOT BRIEFING
YOU CAN FLY

|

Changing the world
Symposium highlights aviation's future
B Y D AV I D T U L I S

AOPA'S FIFTH High School
Aviation STEM Symposium was
held at the United Airlines Flight
Training Center in Denver in
November. The event included
a dozen breakout sessions;
addresses from leaders at United
Airlines, Uber Elevate, and the
U.S. Air Force; as well as opportunities for teachers to network
and share ideas.
"Young people can do anything they set out to do as long
as they have encouragement
and a good support team," said retired
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron commander Kevin Robbins
in a general session.
"Don't let other people discourage you
from achieving your dreams," he told more
than 350 science, technology, engineering,
and math (STEM) educators during the
gathering, which focused on leadership,
best learning practices, and hands-on projects designed to engage youth in aviation.
United Airlines Senior Vice President of
Flight Operations Bryan Quigley told educators that the aviation industry is striving

to catch up on hiring demands in the face
of impending pilot retirements, continued growth, and worldwide demand for
air travel. "The demand is intense for pilots
and I do believe there is a pilot shortage. We
need new blood and new talent," he said.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jacqueline Van
Ovost added that the future of flight is both
"in [the] air and in space-and in manned
and unmanned operations." She asked
educators to look for the "diamond in the
rough" students and to nurture them.
"We need you-we absolutely need you,"
echoed Susan White, the senior manager for

pilot recruiting at United
Airlines, during a discussion on career choices. "You
are making a difference in
the world of aviation."
T h e AO PA ST E M
conference for educators  began in 2015  with
aspirations to give high
school leaders an opportunity to network, hear from
fellow aviation professionals, and learn from each
other. AOPA has coached
hundreds of teachers and provided them
with classroom resources and hands-on
training that make learning fun and informative, while exposing students to aviation
careers that they may not have considered.
More than 5,000 ninth, tenth, and eleventh
graders at 161 schools in 34 states are utilizing the program.
"You are going to change the world,"
said AOPA President Mark Baker, who
thanked the teachers. "You are changing
young people's lives, I guarantee it."
EMAIL david.tulis@aopa.org

AOPA'S YOU CAN FLY INITIATIVE WINS NAA AWARD
The National Aeronautic Association recognized AOPA's You
Can Fly initiative with one of its highest honors, the Frank
G. Brewer Trophy, "for fostering an appreciation of general
aviation flying by working to make it more accessible and
affordable to all."
"It is truly an honor to accept the Brewer Trophy on behalf
of AOPA and the You Can Fly team," AOPA President Mark
Baker said. "I'm very proud of how far You Can Fly has come
in just a few short years-and we are just getting started.
Thank you for recognizing the hard work and effort You Can
Fly is putting into growing and protecting the general aviation pilot community."
You Can Fly reminds students, lapsed pilots, and everyone
in between that flying is within reach.
40 | AOPA PILOT January 2020

The multifaceted program is composed of four initiatives:
Flight Training, Flying Clubs, Rusty Pilots, and High Schools.
It has recognized hundreds of flight instructors and flight
schools for exceptional training experiences; started more
than 134 flying clubs; welcomed back some 7,600 rusty
pilots; and exposed more than 8,000 students to its high
school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
curriculum-with 5,000 students currently enrolled this
school year.
The You Can Fly program and the AOPA Air Safety
Institute are funded by charitable donations to the AOPA
Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization.
aopafoundation.org/donate
http://www.aopafoundation.org/donate
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - January 2020

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