Space Coast summer camp students take to the skies above Brevard to learn the 'thrill' of aviation
MERRIT ISLAND — It was a sense of control that Sophia Sutton won’t soon forget.
There in the azure skies over Merritt Island, the Melbourne 15-year-old not only took her first flight, but grappled the yoke for five minutes as the high-winged Cessna 172 lilted gently over the houses and waterways below on a short path to Melbourne and back.
“It was honestly amazing … when I took control, it just made my heart go fast. It was just breathtaking,” the Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy student said of the 30-minute journey Sunday.
“I saw the ocean … It made me think about how the world is really a small place. After we landed, I really wanted to just go back.”
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It was all part of the Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles Chapter 724’s closing program at Merritt Island Airport. Participating were 15 students ages 13 to 17 from across Brevard as well as Vero Beach.
The teens all received a certificate of completion from the program after two sessions — 40 hours total — in which they received hands-on experience with understanding flight mechanics, electrical wiring, and the aerodynamics of wing design, coordinators said.
“We’re trying to share the spirit of aviation. This is to help them become more familiar with aircraft. This is also something that can help with a career,” said Dwayne Waters, the president of the chapter and a former aircraft mechanic who worked with the space shuttle program.
Brevard County remains an industry leader in space flight and aviation with several major companies and thousands of employees. There are several aviation programs that aim to teach young students air flight and the basics of avionics.
“This is the second year we’ve done this program,” Waters said, adding that he has been flying for 47 years and EAA Chapter 724 member for two decades.
Sunday, the students gathered at a nearby hangar and after the morning rains passed, climbed aboard for their short trips in the airspace above Melbourne and back. The students also sat in the camp’s bungalow to study and put together electrical components.
“It’s been fantastic,” said Tom Consbruck, treasurer for the chapter. The love of air flight, he said, is something that must be passed on to the next generation.
Caleb Waters, Dwayne's son and one of the instructors for the program, said that the students seemed very engaged. Instructors guided them through the checklist to ensure the aircraft was in proper condition and functionally ready to fly.
“Flying and handling an aircraft is like controlled adrenaline,” Caleb Waters said. “It’s just a thrill to be up in the sky.”
J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Summer camp ends with air-flight over Brevard for aviation students
