LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WDRB) — Students at Academy @ Shawnee will soon be flying over Louisville on the school’s new plane.
On Wednesday morning, a dozen students were busy dismantling a Cessna plane at Bowman Field. They said that with a little effort and mechanical know-how, there are limits.
The school’s principal, Kim Rice, watched.
“They are learning to fly,” she said. “Plus, they’re learning how to use those skills in the simulator so they can one day become pilots.”
The same students worked to dismantle an $80,000 aircraft and left shortly before it took off.
“I learned that it’s a dirty job,” said Academy@Shawnee student Anthony Lee. “Mostly it’s just octopus and a lot of effort.”
Junior Ved Rekkara said it was a preparation for the future in the aviation industry.
“It’s great to have a plane in the school garage and walk to it,” he says. “I want to be an aerospace engineer and also a pilot, so I have a stable future.”
Since the beginning of the school year, students have used simulators in their aviation programs.
“Shawnee gives us a lot of opportunities,” said student Matthew Vanator. “We learn how to control, how to bank, degrees, how to head. We learn everything about airplanes.”
The school’s new plane is expected to improve students’ knowledge in the classroom. Leaders said the planes would be dismantled and taken to Shawnee Sigh School where they would be reassembled.
“We want to make sure we have something that will appeal to them,” Rice said. “Using your hands—doing things in the real world—helps create a connection with learning.”
The plane is scheduled to arrive at school on Thursday.
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