Sallisaw High School recipient of Oklahoma Aeronautics grant

The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission AERO Education Program recently awarded over $500,000 to Aircraft Owner and Pilot Association (AOPA) schools, of which Sallisaw High School is a recipient, receiving $6,000 for its “You Can Fly” Program. Grants are awarded to schools that conduct targeted-learning programs with a direct application to aerospace and aviation for primary through postsecondary education.

While programs under the Aerospace Education Program vary, they all follow curriculum prescribed by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission and the AOPA Foundation. Programs include a four-year high school curriculum such as the “You Can Fly” program, drone application programs, aircraft mechanics and tours at various airports. These programs will reach nearly 50,000 students across the state.

Sallisaw High School’s Drone Application program is open to all students, Principal Russell Tillery said. “We do not restrict our program courses to specific students. We encourage all students to consider exploring these classes.” Drones will have applications in industries beyond aviation, serving in military, construction, agriculture and meteorology.

For students, the benefit of attending the program goes beyond hobby aviation and drone experience. Tillery said the Sallisaw program was started to “provide an opportunity for students to get exposure to one of the fastest growing industries in the state. We want our students to have the chance to explore the field of aviation to determine if they may be interested in pursuing a career in this rapidly growing field.”

Aerospace and defense are the state’s fastest growing industries, and will continue to need a capable workforce in order to staff new jobs. State Director of Aeronautics, Grayson Ardies, said the 80-plus AOPA schools in the state has given Oklahoma the nation’s No. 1 ranking, and that their programs are “helping to vector these young minds towards an aerospace career.” Ardies went on to say that “Oklahoma has never been better positioned to turn today’s students into tomorrow’s aerospace workforce.”

Owing to Oklahoma’s central geographic location, the state has become a hub for aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul. Some 1,100 companies, including American Airlines and Boeing, employ more than 120,000 employees across the state, and with rapid growth, the industry continues to need more employees. Oklahoma’s Tinker Air Force Base, home of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, is considered a crucial hub for FAA and USDOT training, logistics and research.

Currently, there are 50,000 students in Oklahoma AOPA programs, and 500,000 nationwide, meaning that 10% of all of the nation’s students within this program are in Oklahoma. Amongst the other 71 Oklahoma schools to receive a grant include Tahlequah, Ada and McAlester.