Ranken Technical College held the annual Aviation Technology Summer Adventure Academy last week at their St. Louis campus. Sixteen middle school-age students attended the daily sessions, which included a mix of classroom modules, guest speakers, outdoor activities and field trips to local aviation industry facilities. Parental support was key to the success of the Academy, ensuring that the students were available on time each day and released to attend off-campus activities. Local aviation organizations provided study materials and welcomed the students during their visits. All along the way, Ranken Technical College provided the resources needed to ensure that everyone had a fun and rewarding experience.
The students went on a field trip to Creve Coeur Airport on Friday. The day at the airport included a series of activities that brought theory to life. The students took Young Eagle Flights in general aviation aircraft courtesy of EAA Chapter 32, EAA Chapter 64 and AeroCareers. The Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation (GYAF) provided virtual reality flight simulators, along with an Elite RC-1 instrument training flight simulator staffed with an instructor from Gateway Flight Training, for the students to be "Top Gun" for a day. The GYAF also had their F-4 Phantom II jet fighter cockpit and the Dream Big Top Gun Maverick Super Hornet cockpit on display outside of their hangar.
