Wright State to be host facility for Air Camp this summer

Air Camp students getting hands-on in the cockpit.

Middle school students from across the U.S. will experience the thrill of flight this summer at Air Camp in Dayton, Ohio. Since Air Camp’s inception in 2010, students have been introduced to the wonders of flight and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) of aviation and aeronautics. For many students, the highlight of the week is flight training and piloting a plane. Students and parents alike describe Air Camp as “awesome.”

Air Camp introduces students to aviation through non-stop activities at the exceptional aviation resources in the region. Wright State University will serve as the host facility for housing and meeting space, while students work with faculty from Wright State, the University of Dayton and Sinclair Community College. Students will explore behind the scenes at the Air Force Research Laboratory, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Dayton History, and the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. While at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, students will climb into the flight deck of the giant C-17 and then get a bird’s-eye view from the air traffic control tower.

The week-long air camp exposes students to aerospace resources all over the Miami Valley.

Throughout the week, students engage in hands-on learning and STEM-related experiments, guided by award-winning high school teachers, including 3-D visualization exercises, piloting micro-UAVs, and wind tunnel testing of airplane wing design. Students receive an introduction to flight training at Sinclair Community College, pilot a plane at the Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport, and experience the full range of aviation operations.

For the first time, students will have the opportunity to visit the control tower and flight operations of the Dayton International Airport during two of the sessions.

“Air Camp promises to inspire our youth with the amazing possibilities of flight,” says Terrence Slaybaugh, director of aviation for the City of Dayton. “As the birthplace of aviation and an aerospace hub, Dayton is an ideal location, and Dayton International Airport is thrilled to play a role in the Air Camp experience.”

Air Camp students will work with faculty from Wright State University, the University of Dayton and Sinclair Community College.

The 2013 summer sessions are planned for June 16-21, July 7-12 and July 21-26. Up to 40 students will be chosen for each session by a competitive application process. Applications are being accepted online at www.AirCampUSA.com from students entering the seventh through ninth grades in fall 2013. A teacher recommendation is required. Tuition is $995, with a limited number of need-based scholarships available.

As a not-for-profit entity, Air Camp is made possible by donations, sponsorships, scholarships, and in-kind support from individuals, foundations, businesses, colleges and universities, government agencies, and individuals. Donations may be made online at www.AirCampUSA.com.

Hosted in the Dayton, Ohio region—the birthplace of aviation—Air Camp is a one-week adventure in the wonders of flight and the science, technology, engineering, and math of aviation and aeronautics, designed to inspire middle school students to “soar into the future.” For further information, visit www.AirCampUSA.com or find us on Facebook.