HH
A student pilot in training is on the plane as it lands during the ACE Academy
in Winston-Salem on July 3.
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Teens began last week
with a flight simulator and
ended it in a cockpit, flying
over the Smith Reynolds
Airport, as part of the final
day of the Jim Shaw
Aviation Career Education
(ACE) Academy on
Friday, July 3.
The teens flew around
the airport and landed in
single-engine planes with
the help of certified flight
instructors from Piedmont
Flight Training.
It was the culmination
of ACE Academy, which
introduced high school stu
dents last week, and mid
dle school students the
week before, to the inner
workings of aviation. This
is the fifth year for the
local ACE Academy, one
of several aviation summer
camps held around the
state, sponsored by the
NorthCarolina Department
of Transportation Division
of Aviation. Airport
Commissioner Jim Shaw,
But beyond pilots, the
camp also introduced the
youth to others who help
make flying possible,
including mechanics, air
port management and a
former flight attendant.
They got insight into avia
tion design as they built
their own model airplanes
and rockets. Friday, .
when they weren't taking
to the air, they even got t
get a look inside the air
port's control tower to see
how it operates.
But the highlight on the
last day was definitely the
flying.
"It's a very cool expe
rience; you feel almost
weightless," said DJ
Musser, 14. "You're just up
there, and everything you
see from here that looks
big, looks so small and it's
just an awesome feeling."
This is the second year
DJ, along with his brother
Wade, 12, have taken the
camp. The brothers said
they were drawn to ACE
Academy by their interest
in aviation and came back
Jim Shaw, left, takes a moment to celebrate with his
dedicated staff members, ACE Assistant Director
Stephanie Allen, middle, and ACE Director Tony
Coiburn as the last camper takes flight at the 2015
Jim Shaw Aviation Career Education Academy on
Friday, July 3, at Smith Reynolds Airport. .
who began the local pro
gram, said the camp shows
young people the multitude
of possibilities in aviation.
"If these kids can get
some experience and edu
cation in aviation, they can
become directors of air
ports, assistant directors of
airports, they can become
anything they want to in
aviation."
The local camp costs
less than $100 for the .
week, while other ACE
Academies can run from
$150 to $350. There are
also scholarships available
for those who can't pay.
Shaw said this is thanks to
corporate donations and
said he wanted to give
every family the opportu
nity to experience the
camp regardless of
income.
Tony Colburn, director
of the local ACE
Academy, is an old hand at
teaching aviation to youth,
since he teaches the sub
ject at Ibraham
Elementary School. He
said the demand for pilots
is greater than it's ever
been. In recent years, the
aviation industry, includ
ing cargo and passenger air
service, has voiced grow
ing concerns if there are
enough qualified pilots for
the amount of flights.
"It's a growing, grow
ing industry," he said.
Everyone is saying we're
not going to have enough
pilots."
to learn even more while
figuring what careers they
want to pursue in the field.
They both said they'd be
back next year.
For Mariana and Grant
McCone, both 14, it was
their first time in the camp.
Their mom, Elaine
McCone, learned about the
camp through an interview
Shaw did on a local news
cast. She said she called
the camp's number before
the segment was over to
sign her children up. Grant
is interested in aviation and
interested in flying jets in
the military. He said he
was glad to have his first
experience inside a cock
pit.
"It makes me feel con
fident about flying by
myself," he said.
Mariana is an aspiring
surgeon but participated
with her brother to try
something new. She said
she learned a great deal.
"I recommend it if you
don't even want to be in
the aviation careers, you
should just do it any way,"
she said. "It's a lot fun."
Elaine McCone said it
was well worth waking up
early every morning and
driving from her home in
Greensboro.
"it was a wonderful
experience, and I'm so
glad they wanted to do it,"
she said. "And they've
enjoyed it every single
day."
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