2026 SOAR Into STEM Spring Session 1: Principles of Flight

By Carmelo Turdo

High school students from the St. Louis area and neighboring counties participated in the first of four spring sessions of the Wings of Hope SOAR Into STEM Program on Saturday. SOAR Into STEM provides opportunities to apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills in the context of the Wings of Hope humanitarian aviation mission. Topics covered include Airplane Basics, Mechanics, Engineering, Navigation and Communications, a Career Fair and Flight Opportunities.

The students gathered in the Wings of Hope hangar to begin the introductory session covering the basics of airplane flight. The session was led by Lee Ann Nolte, Education Programs Manager for Wings of Hope, supported by a host of volunteer mentors. The Aero Experience begins our coverage of this session with the hangar safety briefing and the student/mentor introduction game using the "flying microphone cube." 

SOAR Into STEM supports the Wings of Hope mission of "Changing and Saving Lives Through the Power of Aviation" by introducing the students to the humanitarian aviation programs now in place in the U.S. and around the world. Here we include a briefing on the Medical Relief and Air Transport Program and some views of the hangar tour provided by the volunteer mentors.

The guest speaker for this session was Ben Miller, a St. Louis-based charter jet pilot. He gave the students an overview of his flying experience along with an introduction to the principles of flight, aircraft flight controls. and propulsion systems. 

Two new activities were introduced this session: Wing Rib Build and P-51 Mustang foam glider flights. Students used a wing rib jig to construct a wood wing rib reminiscent of the Piper Cub currently in the Wings of Hope hangar. This exercise provided a practical application of the aerodynamic theory discussed earlier in the day. The students also assembled a foam glider resembling the legendary WWII Mustang fighter. They labeled the flight control surfaces and competed for longest flight bragging rights.

SOAR Into STEM Spring Session 1 also included small group discussions with the volunteer mentors. Each mentor has experience in the aviation field, and their advice and counsel are invaluable to those students interested in pursuing aviation and aerospace careers. Mentor small group discussions are a feature of each SOAR Into STEM session.