2026 SOAR Into STEM Spring Session 4: Aircraft Mechanics

By Carmelo Turdo

High school students from the St. Louis area and neighboring counties participated in the fourth 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 and Engineering, Navigation and Communication and Drone/Flight Opportunities.

In Session 4, led by Wings of Hope Education Programs Manager Lee Ann Nolte and a team of volunteer mentors, the students were given a systematic introduction to aircraft maintenance through direct interaction with airframe and powerplant technicians in the Wings of Hope hangar full of aircraft. To start things off, the students were given time to review the aircraft maintenance section of the SOAR Into STEM Book of Knowledge before giving a short presentation on the material and taking questions from volunteer mentors. 

 

The students were introduced to aircraft mechanics by guest speaker Amanda Hill, an A&P/IA in high demand for her specialty in avionics installation and repair. She outlined her path through initial education and training and described some of her more interesting jobs as an independent A&P/IA contractor over the last fifteen years. As in previous years, she also led the aircraft inspection portion of the hands-on activities later in the session.

  

The students received experience performing essential tasks of aircraft maintenance by participating in a round robin series of activities, including installing and removing Cleco fasteners, adjusting control cable tension, gapping and testing spark plugs, applying safety wire and inspecting aircraft for defects and corrosion. A new activity was added this year - assembly of a cell phone base made from sheet metal plates riveted together. Here we show a sample of each activity as the groups rotated through the stations.

The student teams also participated in an engineering project - design and build a working catapult for competition at the end of the session. Awards were given for the winning teams!

SOAR Into STEM will continue on May 2 with Discovery Flight/Career Fair Day. The Aero Experience thanks Wings of Hope and everyone who contributed to another great SOAR Into STEM session.