Flying a plane before driving a car: EPHS students build career skills in aeronautics classes

“Can you make it do a barrel roll?” a voice called out from the upper level of the EPHS South Commons. The question was just loud enough to be heard over the whirring buzz of two small drones, which several students on the first floor were flying through the open space.

“Not with this model,” one of the students chuckled in response.

It was a snowy Friday afternoon, and Eagles in the Aeronautics: Unmanned (Drones) class were practicing their flying skills. A few students in the group — and even more in the nearby Aeronautics Lab — had just passed the Part 107 exam, the test for remote pilots to fly under the FAA’s Small UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Rule. That meant these students now had a lifetime certification to fly non-recreational unmanned drones under 55 pounds, the first Eagles in EPHS history to earn that certification in the class, offered in EPHS’s aeronautics program in the Engineering, Technology & Manufacturing Pathway,

“This is giving me a good picture of what my future is going to look like,” said 12th grader Brynja Potter, one of the seven students who have so far passed, or are scheduled to take, the Part 107 exam. Earning her remote pilot certificate meant Brynja didn’t have to take a written final, so she was hard at work on a final project promoting the EPHS Aerospace Club. She leaned over to look at her classmate’s laptop to see how their drone footage of a rocket launch turned out. Nidhi Mahankali gave a little frown. The 11th grader wasn’t sure if she, Brynja and the rest of their team had captured everything they wanted to for a solid promotional video for the club. They started discussing the weather over the next few days. Would it be too cold for another launch?

Other students around the room were also collaborating with their teams to deliver drone-filmed video projects that fulfilled the need of a real-world client. 12th graders Adam Aanderud and Tobin Day — who had also just passed their Part 107 tests — were working with Associate Principal Mariah Pringnitz to create an informational parking video for the high school. “She’s really excited about it and willing to work with us,” Adam said. Working with an actual client was offering students the opportunity to practice collaboration and communication. Teacher Andy Bailey, who leads the aeronautics program, was amazed by “just how much of young professionals these students have become by being given the opportunity.” Hands-on learning was important, he explained, because even given everything the students had learned for the Part 107 test “without an experience like this, the knowledge doesn’t necessarily mean anything.”

This resonated strongly with 12th graders Calvin Kearney and George Junttila, who were filming a new introductory video for the Eagle News Network (ENN), which included drone footage of EPHS and surrounding areas. They liked how the class had a built-in career focus. Instead of simply filling a notebook with lecture notes and closing it at the end of the term, they explained, students were applying their knowledge to something real, and getting a chance to see what a career in that field could look like. “I think it’s something that will stick with us for a long time,” Calvin said.

For a number of students in the class, aeronautics was the planned focus after graduation. Brynja had already committed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and 11th grader Nitesh Amin also wanted to fly. “I would prefer to become an actual airline pilot,” he said, “but this [unmanned drone work] would be a cool opportunity.” Class visits from professionals in the field, hands-on project work, and the chance to take the Part 107 test made drone work a very real career option for many students in the class.

As Bailey continues to build the EPHS aeronautics program, he wants to extend the program’s authentic learning experiences, from studying for industry certifications to diving into airplane mechanics and, of course, flying. This year, Bailey introduced “Discovery Flights” for students in the introductory aeronautics course, meaning students no longer had to wait until the Capstone class to try flying a plane for the first time. “Now I have ninth graders flying a plane before they can legally drive a car,” Bailey said proudly. But what he experienced after the flights, after seeing students work with clients in his unmanned drone class, was what impressed him most: Students were more confident, more professional and more excited about the work they were doing. There were “visible shifts” he explained, “when I gave them the chance to try something authentic.”