2026 SOAR Into STEM Fall Session 4: Aircraft Mechanics

By Carmelo Turdo

High school students from the St. Louis area and neighboring counties participated in the fourth of four Fall 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. 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 guest speaker for Session 4 was David Harrington, an A&P technician and local pilot with EAA Chapter 1675. His presentation included an overview of aircraft systems and maintenance procedures common to most general aviation aircraft. He also addressed recognition of human factors and ways to prevent maintenance errors through checklists, workspace organization and teamwork. 

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 recently added - 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.

Student teams also participated in an engineering project - design and build a working catapult to employ in a shooting distance competition at the end of the session. Awards were given to the winning teams!

SOAR Into STEM will continue on November 14 with Discovery Flight/Career Fair Day. The Aero Experience thanks Wings of Hope and everyone who contributed to another great SOAR Into STEM Session.

2026 SOAR Into STEM Fall Session 3: Aeronautical Engineering and Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles

By Carmelo Turdo

High school students from the St. Louis area and neighboring counties participated in the third of four Fall 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 3, led by Wings of Hope Education Programs Manager Lee Ann Nolte and a team of volunteer mentors, the students were introduced to a systematic approach to aircraft design through a series of activities. Among the mentor corps are current and retired engineers from the Boeing Company who guided the students through their build projects.

The session's guest speaker was Juan Cajigas, MQ-25 Chief Engineer at the Boeing Company in St. Louis. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and has risen through the engineering and management ranks at Boeing over the last twelve years. His experience in propulsion technology and uncrewed aerial systems has led him to his current position in the MQ-25 program.

Along with an introduction to the technical design and project management aspects of developing the Navy's new uncrewed, autonomous aircraft, Juan Cajigas also emphasized the importance of having a positive attitude and work/life balance in an otherwise stress-filled career path. This process includes taking on challenges and professional advancement opportunities while also maintaining healthy relationships and personal satisfaction with daily life. The message is summed up in these remaining slides.

One student activity illustrating the aeronautical engineering topic was the installation of an electrical system on a foam aircraft cutout. One objective was to mount a circuit to the aircraft so that two electric motors would run their propellers powered by a battery pack with a switch. Another objective was to add a circuit running navigation lights on the wingtips and tail controlled by a second switch off the same battery pack. Half of the students worked on this project before switching places to the Drone station.

Another group of students built and operated Pitsco Drone Infinity Kit quadcopters. This project reinforced the structure and systems approaches to aeronautical engineering, emphasizing the use of lightweight materials, symmetry and propulsion in a successful uncrewed aircraft vehicle design. The students honed their skills by flying their drones through hoops while avoiding collisions (most of the time).