By Jay Carpenter
Texas Aviation Association
On Friday, December 8, 2006, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Aviation Division Flight Services, located at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, hosted an Aviation Career Day for local high school juniors and seniors. The project was the brainchild of J.F. Joseph. Joseph, a retired Marine Colonel and former pilot for US Airways, became Director of Flight Services on August 21, 2006.
Joseph saw a need as an opportunity for TxDOT Aviation Division to become proactive in furthering the aviation education needs of Texas youth. “I started thinking about how many parents in Texas were sending their kids out-of-state to places like Embry Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Florida to get a good education in aviation,” he said. “I know that we can do better than that. We have the assets here, so let’s start promoting this thing,” Joseph continued. He started making calls and found out that there are about a dozen undergraduate aviation-oriented programs taught in Texas. “With our new Aviation Career Day, we can begin to promote the idea that there are schools right here in Texas where you can get a background in aviation education,” said Joseph.
Joseph submitted the idea of an Aviation Career Day to his boss, Dave Fulton. The idea was met with approval and the date was set. Texas Education Commissioner, Dr. Shirley Neeley, was apprised of the program and the format, and she enthusiastically endorsed it. The event started at 9 a.m. and ended at 3:00 p.m. The weather was cool and brisk, but the kids and displays were hosted inside a heated hangar.
The following colleges and universities that offer aviation related classes and degrees were represented:
• Texas State Technical College
• Hallmark Institute
• Texas Southern University
• Le Tourneou University
• Palo Alto College
• San Jacinto College/Delta
• Tarleton State University
• Westwood College of Aviation
• Central Texas College
Recruiting councilors and advisors from these learning institutions briefed the students on their programs in Aviation Technology, Aviation Administration and Flight Technology. They distributed literature, displayed aircraft, and even provided a flight simulator for the young students to practice flight maneuvers and approaches.
Some highlights on institutions of learning:
Texas Southern University is one of a few institutions of higher education approved by and in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FM) to prepare the technically trained people needed for aviation careers, according to Professor Charles Glass. “Through the Airway Science Program at Texas Southern University, students may prepare for diverse career fields as aviation flight operations, computer science and aviation management,” says Professor Glass.
LeTourneau University is one of the top private Christion universities in the United States. Located in Longview, Texas, the school enrolls more than 1,300 undergraduates from all 50 states and 25 nations. LeTourneau offers more than 60-degree programs with flagship programs in Aeronautical Science, Engineering and Teacher Education.
Tarleton State University-Central Texas (TSU-CT) offers the only public assisted four-year aviation program in Texas and is centrally located in Killeen, Texas. Tarleton Central Texas’ Bachelor of Science in Aviation degree provides students a well-rounded curriculum with strong conceptual foundations in aviation science and management.
In addition, PlaneSmart Aviation LLC, a company which offers a professionally managed aircraft ownership program, presented a new, state-of-the-art Cirrus SR22 aircraft for static display. Jeff Cullen, president of PlaneSmart, was available to demonstrate the new state of-the-art avionics of this aircraft.
FAA employees attended the event with interactive air traffic control simulators and literature for students wanting a career in Air Traffic Control. In addition, the Texas Department of Public Safety had a helicopter on display. The big hit of the day was when U.S. Marines brought in a KC-130 “Hercules” transport aircraft. This huge four engine plane can haul heavy military equipment and relief supplies to the most remote areas of the world.
“This is awesome,” exclaimed one of the students. “I got to view the Hercules and then flew on the simulator. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a pilot. Now, I know that this is what I want to do for a career!”
This reaction was common among the many students attending Aviation Career Day. As Joseph recalled, “When I was a kid, a mechanic once asked me to switch on a magneto inside an old airplane. I was so excited to get the opportunity to touch an airplane that I pushed my friends aside and ran to the cockpit. I’ve been hooked ever since.” He continued, “It is this same kind of ‘hands on’ experience that will affect young adults to select aviation as a career. The more I can get people to attend and wrap their arms around this program the more the next generation of aviation enthusiasts will benefit.”
Jay noted that there are probably a lot of kids that are may be having difficulty focusing on one thing or another. He said, “We may be able to provide that one spark, that one light, for that one kid to change their life. And it doesn’t cost a penny. We have an obligation to the next generation; and we have the facilities to help them to find a possible opportunity in aviation. There is no reason why parents that are not necessarily rich can’t get their children out to touch an aircraft and say, ‘You know what? … I’d like to do this.”‘
If the enthusiasm of the kids is any indication, this TxDOT Aviation Career Day is here to stay.
