Reading, Writing, and Runways: When High School Revolves Around Aviation

Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 09:29 AM ET

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From left to right, Jason Poon (11), Lyra Young (12), Atticus Bhat and Garett Griner in a Carbon Cub FX3 installing headset hooks that Raisbeck students designed and 3D printed. Courtesy: Lyra Young

Key Takeaways:

Successfully offering aviation programs in high schools requires integrating aviation into the school's core culture, addressing challenges like finding dually-certified teachers, and maintaining relevance among other academic pursuits.
Raisbeck Aviation High School (RAHS) in Washington builds a STEM-focused, project-based learning environment with strong industry partnerships to prepare students for various aerospace careers, particularly engineering.
New York's Aviation Career and Technical Education High School provides intensive, hands-on technical training over a five-year program, leading to FAA Airframe & Powerplant certifications for direct entry into aviation maintenance careers.
Both successful models emphasize hands-on learning, specialized instruction from dual-certified teachers, and crucial collaboration with aerospace industry partners for real-world application and career pathways.

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There are some basic challenges when offering an aviation class to high school students, such as:

Private pilot ground school at a public high school;
Finding someone who is qualified to teach the class, because in addition to a state teaching certificate, the person needs FAA certification;
Keeping the class from getting lost amidst college-prep courses, music, sports, social studies, and more.

“The secret to keeping the aviation program alive is to build the high school culture around aviation,” said Reba Gilman, a 40-year educator and the driving force behind the creation of Raisbeck Aviation High School (RAHS) in Tukwila, Washington. The school was established in the early 2000s after Gilman noted the popularity of technical aviation courses at the Puget Sound Skills Center (PSSC).