North Lake Times

As Lake County Schools moves in its second year of aviation instruction, Leesburg High will start dual-enrollment aviation classes in partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the fall, while East Ridge, South Lake and Eustis high schools are adding new courses to their existing aviation programs. 

Nearly 300 Lake students are expected to be enrolled in aviation and aerospace programs for 2022-23, with additional drones, simulators and related technology as part of their curriculum. 

That’s an increase from the nearly 200 students who enrolled last school year in courses devoted to various aspects of aviation and aerospace, including private pilot operations and drone missions. Students earned college credit, 42 industry certifications, and scholarships worth more than $200,000.  

Eustis High

Eustis High School began offering aviation classes in August 2021 in partnership with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The classes were designed to provide knowledge about aircraft, weather and navigation. Students participated in the Private Pilot Ground School, designed to prepare them for one of two exams needed to earn a private pilot certificate. The students achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the Federal Aviation Administration test. 

“This is my fifth year teaching this class in Central Florida high schools, and I’ve never had a 100 percent pass rate from any of my classes,” said flight instructor and teacher Dave Cohen. “The students did an amazing job.” 

Fabiola Gordo Acevedo, a Eustis High senior last year, was one of only 200 Air Force Junior ROTC cadets to earn a Flight Academy scholarship toward her private pilot certificate this summer. Attending Flight School at the University of West Florida for eight weeks, Fabiola put into practice the knowledge she learned in the Eustis-Embry-Riddle program and earned her FAA wings. Flying a Piper Warrior aircraft, Fabiola logged about 60 hours of flight time, including takeoffs, landings, stalls and cross-country navigation, passing her final check ride in late July. 

“The examiner said my last landings were super soft, so that is something I’m definitely going to be bragging about,” she said. 

East Ridge High

East Ridge High saw 23 students pass the Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Safety I certification. This achievement, through the Unmanned Safety Institute, confirms students’ knowledge of the science of aerodynamics, the capability of unmanned aircraft, and the rules and procedures by which these aircraft operate.  Teacher Mark Day lauded the use of Zephyr drone simulators for helping to develop the students’ skills.  “The simulators were a big win,” he said. “I was able to create practice sessions, routes and courses, and simulate emergencies before the students flew the actual vehicles.”

One of Mr. Day’s student, Moriah Langford, a senior, has gone above and beyond and was the recipient of Pilot Pen’s 2022 Science FriXion STEM Student Grant.  The award, which also provides funding to East Ridge, is presented to students who are helping to make a difference for others with their STEM initiatives. In Moriah’s case, that includes leading a team for the Real World Design Challenge, a worldwide competition where students used engineering and software skills to design small unmanned aircraft to help with package delivery by drones, and the integration of those drones into the National Airspace System.  Moriah is also pursuing her Private Pilot Certificate at Umatilla Airport, where she has already flown solo, and is preparing for her cross-country flight training.

South Lake High

At South Lake High School, 21 U.S. Navy JROTC cadets enrolled in “Introduction to Aerospace” and “Unmanned Drone Operations” courses last year under the leadership of Lt. Col. John Pylant in association with Embry-Riddle. “We want our cadets to be immersed in aviation,” Pylant said. “Even our simulator room is designed around the model of navy and Marine Corps operations rooms, right down to the red lights.” 

By year’s end, and after 180 hours of flight simulator time across 360 missions, and nearly 130 hours of drone flight time, 12 cadets had earned their Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Safety I certificates. Motivated by their school-year success, cadets met with Pylant for nearly 30 hours over the summer to increase their knowledge of unmanned aircraft. Subsequently, three cadets – Jonah Smith, Nicholas Bass, and Trenton Martin – passed the FAA Commercial Drone Pilot certification exam. The South Lake cadets are now authorized to fly drones for compensation, a lucrative career now and after they graduate high school.  

Original source can be found here.