(Photo: submitted)
Eleven students from J.M.A. Armstrong High School spent the day at the Moncton Flight College.
They received a tour of the facilities last week, spent time in the flight simulators, and received an overview of Careers in Flight from a Moncton Flight College Instructor.
Students also had the choice of flying over Hillsborough/Hopewell Rocks, or Salisbury in plane.
“My neighbour is a pilot and told me about a similar program in Woodstock, NB,” said Teacher Jill Tippett. “I thought this was a unique opportunity to engage out students in the community of Salisbury. So I partnered with The Moncton Flight College and Education Minister Dominic Cardy in an effort to get this program off the ground at our school.”
Grade 10 student Kyle Cook says it was also a great experience flying in a Cessna 172, “”So, initially we went to the Moncton Flight College, with the intention of basically getting a tour and getting a flight. We were actually in the first group, so we got to go flying first, which was excellent. We went over the Petitcodiac River and then we came back to the airport. After that, they showed us around maintenance and then we got more of a tour around the college and then we did the flight simulator. My second favourite was probably the mechanics. I actually really liked that and I thought it was very interesting.”
(photo:submitted)
Grade 11 student Carson Bertrand says his favourite part was the flying, “I’m pretty accustomed to airplanes. And when I got to sit in the front seat, I got to put all my flight simulator at home training into the real world and I kind of knew what I was doing. Mechanics was also really interesting. We got to go really early in the morning so it was nice and cold, and I could see a lot of stuff.”
Cook aspires to be a Cargo Pilot someday, “Fly around the world delivering cargo and I wouldn’t have to worry about passengers. I think it would be a nice relaxing job. It pays very well.”
Bertrand also has a big interest in an aviation career, “Ever since I was around nine or ten years old, my parents took me for a trip down South and my favourite part of the trip was the airplane. Ever since then, it’s just what I have been focused on.
Teacher Jill Tippett says, “My goal is to offer it again next year(at the school) if the funding is there and to reach out to other high schools and expand it to others in the District. We are the only high school in Anglophone East right now to offer this course.”
(Photo: submitted)
(Photo: submitted)
