Clear blue skies greeted ten Woodland Hills students as they stepped onto the tarmac at Allegheny County Airport and saw the planes they'd soon be flying in for the first time.
The pair of two-passenger, single-engine planes sat side-by-side as the students took a few deep breaths and let out a few nervous laughs with the knowledge they would soon be airborne, circling Allegheny County in those same planes. For some, it'd be their first time in an aircraft of any kind.
The students are members of Dr. Jeffrey Vranka's Earth and Space Science classes, and their visit to the Allegheny County Airport on Monday, Oct. 21 is part of a new curriculum partnership with Hosanna House's Center of Aviation and Technology Training. Students have spent the past semester learning about various aspects of aviation. Through the lessons, they'll be able to move closer to taking the next step towards the certification needed to get a pilot's license and/or a license to fly drones.
Before they took flight, students revisited some of what they had learned during their classroom time, including the mechanics of the aircraft and how it moves through the air.
Two students joined a flight instructor in each aircraft. The instructor piloted the plane, though students in the co-pilot's seat were given opportunities to take control once the plane had leveled out. Nerves gave way to universal excitement after the planes touched back down, as each student exited the aircraft with a wide smile.
The students also visited the Stat MedEvac hanger, where technicians were working on a pair of medical helicopters, one of which landed at the airport just as the students arrived. The crew from Stat MedEvac explained the work they do to provide emergency medical transportation to hospitals, as well as the industry's need for pilots, mechanics, flight nurses, and emergency medical technicians.
A second ground of Woodland Hills students will visit the airport on Tuesday, Oct 22.