Illinois Educators Meet at St. Louis Downtown Airport to Explore Aviation STEM Opportunities

By Carmelo Turdo

Illinois educators attended Aviation Day Thursday at the Parks College Center for Aviation Science, St. Louis Downtown Airport. The event was coordinated by Dr. Kelly Remijan, Professional Development and Curriculum Specialist with the Belleville Office of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), to acquaint local educators with aviation education resources. The day began with welcoming remarks from IMSA and airport leaders, followed by an "Aviation Integration" presentation outlining specific applications of mathematics concepts to aviation topics. Following the presentation, the educators visited the displays in and around the Parks College hangar and took local flights courtesy of Ideal Aviation. 

The Aero Experience coverage begins with a look at the displays representing local aviation organizations, including the Greater St. Louis 99s, Southwestern Illinois College, AeroCareers, St. Louis Hugh J. White Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen and the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation (GYAF). 

AeroCareers brought their Lindbergh exhibit. It includes a full-scale reproduction of the Spirit of St. Louis cockpit originally constructed at Parks College for the Missouri Historical Society. The other item in the exhibit is the Lancair Columbia, named The New Spirit of St. Louis, used by Charles Lindbergh's grandson, Erik, to duplicate the solo transatlantic flight in 2002 but in half the time. The Columbia aircraft was recently acquired by AeroCareers from the St. Louis Science Center, and with the assistance of Big River Aviation, the Columbia will be returned to active flight status and flown to aviation outreach events around the Midwest. 

Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, the host of the event, provided a Diamond DA20 training aircraft from their fleet. This model is flown by students in the Aeronautics Degree Program along with Piper Archer and twin-engine Piper Seminole. Parks College continues a proud tradition as the first federally certified school of aviation since its founding in 1927. Currently, flight operations remain at St. Louis Downtown Airport and academic classes are held on the St. Louis University campus.

Also outside of the hangar was the fully restored F-4 Phantom jet cockpit mobile exhibit provided by the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation based at Creve Coeur Airport. The Foundation seeks to inspire youth interest in aviation through the fighter cockpit experience, virtual reality flight simulation lab and participation in STEM programs. The Foundation also works with local EAA Chapters to facilitate Young Eagle Flights.

Survival Flight provided a MedEvac helicopter for display outside of the hangar. The crew visited with the educators and introduced them to medical aviation services. Survival Flight flies patients to emergency medical facilities from their bases in the Midwest and South using Bell Long Ranger helicopters and PC-12 aircraft.

St. Louis Downtown Airport staff also visited with the educators. Included here is Airport Director Sandra Shore, Assistant Airport Director Colin Rolerkite and Firefighter Terry Bowman. Firefighter Bowman is regularly featured in our coverage of airport events, and we always enjoy his tour of the Panther fire apparatus. 

The educators were given flights around the St. Louis area in general aviation aircraft provided by Ideal Aviation. Five flights were launched for the 30-minute flights in Ideal's late model Cessna 172 and Piper Archer training aircraft. For most it was their first flight in a small aircraft, and the response afterward was very positive even if there was some nervousness at first!

The Aero Experience thanks Dr. Kelly Remijan, the IMSA, St. Louis Downtown Airport, Parks College and all who participated in the event. We will continue to feature these organizations in our regular Midwest Aviation story rotation.