A group of kids in the TeenFlight program work on building a Van’s Aircraft RV-12. Credit: Meg Godlewski
Key Takeaways:
TeenFlight is a Seattle-area program enabling high school students to build Van's Aircraft RV-12s, typically contributing around 200 hours of build time annually.
The program teaches practical vocational skills such as metal fabrication, electronics, and avionics, fostering teamwork and accountability while preparing students for careers in aviation and aerospace.
Students are selected through an interview process emphasizing commitment, and completed aircraft are sold to fund future projects, supplemented by sponsorships from major companies like Alaska Airlines, Boeing, and Microsoft.
It’s a rainy October evening at Pierce County-Thun Field (KPLU), a non-towered airport located approximately 40 miles south of Seattle. About an hour before sunset, a group of teens show up at Hangar Number 6 and immediately get to work.
These kids are part of TeenFlight and they’re building a Van’s Aircraft RV-12.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
