Ready for takeoff: Kansas State Polytechnic hosts flight academy for high school students

SALINA — Kansas State Polytechnic is hosting Fly K-State Academy — a three-day piloting program, July 22-25, for high school students entering their freshman through senior year who dream about a future in aviation.

In this immersive experience, students will work with the Kansas State Polytechnic Flight Team to complete four missions and earn 3 1/2 hours of flight time while staying overnight on campus and participating in group activities and outings around the city.

Fly K-State Academy will educate aspiring pilots on the industry standards required for completing a flight by grouping the training into four different missions. In the first mission, students will participate in pre-flight inspection, airplane takeoff and landing, and traffic patterns; mission two will practice flight maneuvers; the third mission will focus on instrument flight using simulators; and after competing in an E6B challenge, the final mission will culminate in a cross-country flight to Wichita, followed by a celebration lunch at the famed Stearman Field restaurant.

Academy students will stay in campus residence halls during the sessions and will eat in the school cafeteria for an authentic look at college life. They will participate in various activities both in the campus Student Life Center and offsite around Salina. On the final day of the program, parents and guests are invited to a graduation ceremony honoring the students' accomplishments.

The cost of Fly K-State Academy is $1,200, which includes instruction, meals, snacks, lodging, transportation, a logbook, an E6B computer, plotter, Wichita sectional chart, evening activities and a university polo. Students also will accumulate 3 1/2 hours of flight time and 1 hour of simulator time.

Registration details and the program schedule can be found atpolytechnic.k-state.edu/outreach/youth/summer/flyacademy.html or by contacting Kris Grinter at 785-826-2676 or kgrinter@k-state.edu.