Flight program lifts up students' skills

During a recent spring break week, a group of 65 high school students trekked to Florida.

But this was not a typical spring break. Instead of beaches and sunscreen, these students filled their time with flight simulators and radar stations, thanks to the National Flight Academy (NFA) in Pensacola.

“We want to educate people on the importance of our history and how it will affect us in the future,” said Legionnaire Michele Sweigart, executive director for development at the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, which oversees the National Flight Academy. “The American Legion, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion take a lot of time and effort to mentoring children and educating them on the importance of government and military, leadership teamwork, and that is exactly what we do here.”

Students – called Ambition Experimental Pilots (AXPs) – are fully immersed in the six-day program at Pensacola Naval Air Station. AXPs are grouped into squadrons where they learn critical thinking skills and teamwork while experiencing adrenaline-filled missions. They use advanced flight simulators and virtual reality technology that stimulates thinking and learning.

For six days, the participants live “on ship” – a multi-story, 102,000-square-foot facility – eating in a mess hall, sleeping in staterooms, and experiencing the constant rumble of the ship’s engine’s and aircraft taking off. The experience teaches the students science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills, and how are they used in realistic scenarios by pilots, co-pilots and air traffic controllers.

Since the flight academy program began in 2012, it has hosted thousands of students from 44 states and several foreign countries.

Sweigart belongs to American Legion Post 340 in Pensacola, which sponsored five scholarships the first year. “The kids came back and were so impressed that the next year, in 2013, we sponsored another five. The impact that it had on those children was so incredible,” she said.

Sterling Moore, a Junior Air Force ROTC member from Biloxi, Miss., recently attended his second session at NFA.

“I feel that is it helping build on top of my knowledge that I have already acquired from knowing aviation and navigation,” Moore said. “The communications have been an eye-opener. That’s the first time I ever did something like that. If I wasn’t turning 18 in May of this year, I would love to come back every week. It’s an enjoyable experience. Anybody who wants to be a pilot, or a navigator, or air traffic controller, military or civilian, this is the place to be.”

During the 2014 Fall Meetings, the National Executive Committee approved a resolution endorsing the flight academy. Now, organizers are promoting the program to American Legion posts throughout Florida and beyond.

Pensacola Post 240 recently donated a $2,500 check that will fund scholarships for two students to attend an upcoming program at NFA.

“This program gets the veterans into what we all used to do whether it’s on the ship, or flying,” Post 240 Commander John Edens said. “It’s great to get the children involved in what they used to do. I was extremely impressed the first time I visited the academy. It’s five times more extensive than what I thought it was.”

“This whole experience is excellent,” said Moore, who credited NFA for helping him develop communication and leadership skills. “This program opens your eyes to three career fields that you could possibly look into: pilots, co-pilots and air traffic controllers.”

While he can’t participate as an AXP again, Moore would like to return as one of the instructors. “I plan on coming back here to volunteer to be a chief," he said. "That’s my goal. I would strongly encourage anybody who is strong in math or physics who doesn’t know what they want to do, to come here.”

Registration is now open for spring and summer sessions at the National Flight Academy. Cost for one six-day session is $1,250. Click here to register.