Aviation Camp takes flight at KPPO

La Porte Municipal Airport (KPPO) in Indiana recently wrapped up its 11th annual Aviation Camp.

According to airport officials, 60 students entering grades 6-12 spent the week of June 10-14, 2024, at the airport immersed in aviation.

Students received flights from local pilots and flight schools, learned basic principles of flying, spent time on the airport’s FAA-certified flight simulator, and more, airport officials said.

Flights were provided by local pilots Neil Straub, Bruce Allen, and Dave Gallion, as well as flight schools Flight Saga, Eagle Aviation, and Wings Aviation.

Former F-15 and FedEx pilot Bruce Allen taught the students about weather, as well as flight physiology. Students learned how physically demanding high-G flight can really be as they watched a film of Allen in the centrifuge from his days in the military.

Veregy spent three days at the airport teaching students about solar energy and runway markings while guiding a hands-on project to re-build the airport’s Fourth of July parade float with mock runways, working runway lights, and obstruction light.

One day of aviation camp is always spent off-site for STEM and career field trips.

The middle school students went to the La Porte County Public Library’s Exchange building, which houses 3-D printers, lathes, CNC mills, laser cutters, sewing machines, embroidery machines, leather working tools, and more, all free to use for the local community.

Students experimented with straw rockets, created a mock airport to practice communication, and flew drones to perform mock search and rescue, according to airport officials.

High school students loaded onto a coach bus and drove down to Purdue for the day, where they learned about supersonic and hypersonic speeds, then saw the school’s wind tunnels up close in the Aerospace lab.

Students then broke into groups and toured the Aviation Tech facilities and airport where they saw the jets that Purdue students learn maintenance on, flight simulators, and maintenance shop full of jet engines ranging from 737 to 787, and even a Concorde.

Students finished up the week learning about Air Traffic Controllers. South Bend International Airport sent over five ATC employees to cover both ATC operations and Tech Ops.

For more information: LaPorteAirport.com