McAlester aeronautics program continues soaring

Sep. 15—Max Gayton said a new program at McAlester High School is going to help him reach his career goal.

The MHS senior said he wants to become an airplane technician, so he enrolled in the district's aviation program and is part of the new course teaching students how to build and fly an airplane.

"It's really cool and I like the class," Gayton said. "I want to become an airplane technician and this is a way to start learning the things I need to know while I'm in high school.

Blake Wilt, another MHS senior, said he signed up for the class because he enjoys working on cars and is considering becoming a mechanic.

But he said the program introduced him to more potential career paths.

"I enjoy working in mechanics and this is a great way to give me more options," he said.

MHS started offering aviation in 2018, added aeronautics I in fall 2019 through a partnership with the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, and added aeronautics II in fall 2020.

STEM teacher Amy Shaw said students learn terminology and pieces for planes and unmanned aircraft through the first two aeronautics courses. She said the courses also introduce student to possible career paths in the growing aeronautics industry.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the 2020 medium pay for airline and commercial pilots was $130,440 annually — and predicts 11-percent employment growth in the field from 2020-2030.

Boeing's latest Pilot and Technician Outlook predicts 612,000 new pilots and 626,000 new maintenance technicians over the next 20 years.

Shaw said the program aims to give students options for after graduation.

"I want to give them as many viable options as possible," Shaw said.

The program expanded to offer four flight simulators and 10 drones to the more than 80 enrolled students.

MPS received a grant toward drones and drone cages, which are 12x12 cages to keep allow students to maneuver drones in a safe space.

Shaw teaches three levels of aeronautics, with students learning various aspects of flight leading up to the capstone course where they build and fly an airplane.

MPS partnered last spring with Tango Flight, Inc. to become just one of three programs across the state to offer a program teaching students how to build and fly an airplane.

Tango Flight, Inc., which started in 2016, is an educational nonprofit that aims to inspire the next generation of engineers, pilots, aviation mechanics and technicians.

The organization's curriculum offers hands-on training and students can apply classroom knowledge to building an FAA certified airplane.

Tango Flight's curriculum pairs aviation and avionics to teach the fundamentals and mechanics of aircraft and avionics equipment.

The nonprofit partnered with Wichita State University and the Airbus Foundation to create the curriculum focused on mechanical, electrical and engineering foundation.

Chase Tindle, the McAlester Regional Airport manager, started last year as an adjunct instructor at the district in a partnership between the school and the city. Some students last year received scholarships to undergo flight training at the airport — and this year, the curriculum focuses on learning how to build an airplane.

"We do a lot of classroom work on different parts of the airplane, different structures, history of aircraft," Tindle said. "We also get into some aviation math and aviation physics principles.

"But the exciting part of the class is actually building an airplane," Tindle said.

Students are learning to build an RV-12iS — a two-seat all-metal side-by-side plane with a span of 26'9" and length of 19'11".

All students will be able to work on the plane and take a flight upon passing inspection and the project will take about two years to complete.

Tindle said the program offers students the opportunity to learn from and connect with mentors.

"We're really excited and I think it's a great program," Tindle said.

McAlester was already one of five Oklahoma schools participating in the "You Can Fly" four-year curriculum AOPA developed.

Oklahoma is ranked third for implementing AOPA curriculum with more than 30 schools participating after several years of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission advocating for it.

McAlester is also among five schools named "Aviation High Schools of Excellence" after the commission was awarded a Federal Aviation Administration Workforce Development Grant in late 2021.

Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com