Build A Plane Aircraft Sponsored by Jeppesen CEO Provides Additional Program Opportunities for Youth
High school aviation enthusiasts get hands-on experience building a functioning aircraft in just two weeks
EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisc. | 29 Jul 2013 | By Jeppesen
Through sponsorship by Jeppesen CEO Mark Van Tine, an additional team of high school aviation enthusiasts had the opportunity this summer to participate in the national Build A Plane program to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. In addition to sponsoring the aircraft, Van Tine also worked side-by-side over a two-week timeframe with the selected students and Jeppesen volunteers to assemble the aircraft, which will be used by Van Tine in Jeppesen’s community outreach programs.
On display at the 2013 EAA AirVenture fly-in and air show in Oshkosh, Wisc., the four-seat aircraft was flown to the show by Van Tine to highlight the Build A Plane program. Build A Plane is a non-profit organization backed by the FAA and additionally sponsored by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and kit plane manufacturer Glasair Aviation, which hosted the student build process at their aircraft assembly facility near Seattle, Wash.
“Build A Plane gives students who are interested in STEM career fields a chance to apply their knowledge from the classroom to assemble an aircraft from the ground up,” said Katrina Bradshaw, executive director of Build A Plane. “With multiple student teams able to participate in the program this summer through additional sponsorship, we were able to expand this unique learning experience and further encourage exploration of aviation fundamentals.”
The Build A Plane team followed the Glasair Aviation “Two Weeks to Taxi” program that allows kit aircraft builders to use Glasair factory facilities and assemble a ready-to-taxi aircraft in two weeks. As part of the competitive selection process to participate in the Build A Plane program, students used flight simulation software to design and fly their own virtual airplane, prior to assembling the actual aircraft.
“Build A Plane embraces science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and takes it from the classroom to a real world, hands-on experience. That’s exactly what happened at Glasair during the BAP two weeks to taxi program. These kids didn’t just hand us tools, they did the work. They drilled, riveted, fabricated and assembled two airplanes. They did it as one team, side-by-side, with the great folks from Glasair, GAMA, BAP, chaperones and others from the aviation industry. This was an incredible experience for all of us,” said Mark Van Tine, Jeppesen CEO and vice president, Boeing Digital Aviation. “Jeppesen is very proud to bring the kids and chaperones from both high schools to AirVenture to reinforce their BAP experience and give them a broader perspective of our great aviation community.”
For more information on the educational aircraft building experience provided by Build A Plane, please see www.buildaplane.org. For more detail on the community outreach programs and activities supported by Jeppesen, please visit www.blogs.jeppesen.com/community.
About Build A Plane
Build A Plane is an IRS-approved 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization working in formal partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration and many other organizations to promote aviation and aerospace education. The organization solicits aircraft donations then regifts those aircraft to schools. Aircraft donors are given tax receipts for their charitable contribution of aircraft and Build A Plane gives these aircraft to schools at no charge. Donated aircraft range from the simplest kit aircraft to larger, multi-engine certified planes.
About Jeppesen
For more than 75 years Jeppesen has made it possible for pilots and their passengers to safely and efficiently reach their destinations. Today, this pioneering spirit continues as Jeppesen delivers transformative information and optimization solutions to improve the efficiency of air and sea operations around the globe. Jeppesen is a Boeing subsidiary and part of the Digital Aviation business unit within Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. Boeing offers the industry’s largest portfolio of services, support and solutions, collectively known as the Boeing Edge, providing customers a competitive advantage by solving real operational problems, enabling better decisions, maximizing efficiency and improving environmental performance – intelligent information solutions across the entire aviation ecosystem.
Media Contact:
Brian Rantala
+1-303-328-4370
brian.rantala@jeppesen.com
High school aviation enthusiasts get hands-on experience building a functioning aircraft in just two weeks
EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisc. | 29 Jul 2013 | By Jeppesen
Through sponsorship by Jeppesen CEO Mark Van Tine, an additional team of high school aviation enthusiasts had the opportunity this summer to participate in the national Build A Plane program to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. In addition to sponsoring the aircraft, Van Tine also worked side-by-side over a two-week timeframe with the selected students and Jeppesen volunteers to assemble the aircraft, which will be used by Van Tine in Jeppesen’s community outreach programs.
On display at the 2013 EAA AirVenture fly-in and air show in Oshkosh, Wisc., the four-seat aircraft was flown to the show by Van Tine to highlight the Build A Plane program. Build A Plane is a non-profit organization backed by the FAA and additionally sponsored by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and kit plane manufacturer Glasair Aviation, which hosted the student build process at their aircraft assembly facility near Seattle, Wash.
“Build A Plane gives students who are interested in STEM career fields a chance to apply their knowledge from the classroom to assemble an aircraft from the ground up,” said Katrina Bradshaw, executive director of Build A Plane. “With multiple student teams able to participate in the program this summer through additional sponsorship, we were able to expand this unique learning experience and further encourage exploration of aviation fundamentals.”
The Build A Plane team followed the Glasair Aviation “Two Weeks to Taxi” program that allows kit aircraft builders to use Glasair factory facilities and assemble a ready-to-taxi aircraft in two weeks. As part of the competitive selection process to participate in the Build A Plane program, students used flight simulation software to design and fly their own virtual airplane, prior to assembling the actual aircraft.
“Build A Plane embraces science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and takes it from the classroom to a real world, hands-on experience. That’s exactly what happened at Glasair during the BAP two weeks to taxi program. These kids didn’t just hand us tools, they did the work. They drilled, riveted, fabricated and assembled two airplanes. They did it as one team, side-by-side, with the great folks from Glasair, GAMA, BAP, chaperones and others from the aviation industry. This was an incredible experience for all of us,” said Mark Van Tine, Jeppesen CEO and vice president, Boeing Digital Aviation. “Jeppesen is very proud to bring the kids and chaperones from both high schools to AirVenture to reinforce their BAP experience and give them a broader perspective of our great aviation community.”
For more information on the educational aircraft building experience provided by Build A Plane, please see www.buildaplane.org. For more detail on the community outreach programs and activities supported by Jeppesen, please visit www.blogs.jeppesen.com/community.
About Build A Plane
Build A Plane is an IRS-approved 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization working in formal partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration and many other organizations to promote aviation and aerospace education. The organization solicits aircraft donations then regifts those aircraft to schools. Aircraft donors are given tax receipts for their charitable contribution of aircraft and Build A Plane gives these aircraft to schools at no charge. Donated aircraft range from the simplest kit aircraft to larger, multi-engine certified planes.
About Jeppesen
For more than 75 years Jeppesen has made it possible for pilots and their passengers to safely and efficiently reach their destinations. Today, this pioneering spirit continues as Jeppesen delivers transformative information and optimization solutions to improve the efficiency of air and sea operations around the globe. Jeppesen is a Boeing subsidiary and part of the Digital Aviation business unit within Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. Boeing offers the industry’s largest portfolio of services, support and solutions, collectively known as the Boeing Edge, providing customers a competitive advantage by solving real operational problems, enabling better decisions, maximizing efficiency and improving environmental performance – intelligent information solutions across the entire aviation ecosystem.
Media Contact:
Brian Rantala
+1-303-328-4370
brian.rantala@jeppesen.com