The Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, in conjunction with the Aviation Museum of Kentucky in Lexington, is hosting its annual Summer Aviation Camp July 8-11.
Although this year’s camp is already full, aspiring students can be asked to be put on a waiting list for next year.
Two camps, named after title sponsors, will be offered, with the Jim and Jan Bohannon Aviation Summer Camp for ages 10-17 on July 8-9, and the Bob and Cara Pitchford Aviation Summer Camp for ages 10-adult on July 10-11.
“The camp is a great opportunity for our community,” said BGWC Regional Airport Manager Susan Harmon, “It’s for adults who have always wanted a chance to fly or for children who want to explore aviation as a hobby or career.”
Harmon said the camp has not always been offered to adults.
“It used to be for kids only,” she said. “It’s only been in the last three or four years that adults have been allowed to sign up.”
Because the second camp is open to all ages, Harmon said it gives adults the opportunity to experience it with their kids or grandkids or by themselves.
“It’s a great way for families to experience the camp together,” she said.
Each camp will have three instructors and one camp director from the Aviation Museum of Kentucky and is divided into three groups: aeronautics, flight simulation and navigation.
Students in the camps will take part in learning aircraft instruments, engine and aircraft design, flight planning, use of aeronautical maps for navigation, NASA space, aviation careers, practicing takeoffs and landings with a flight simulator and assisting in flying a real airplane with an FAA certified flight instructor from Flywell Aviation, which is based at the BGWC Regional Airport and owned by Justin and Maggie Tidwell.
The airport has been hosting the camp since 2005 and this year, Harmon said they are adding a new activity – a field trip on the second day of each camp to Aviation Heritage Park and Museum.
“We are full every year,” Harmon said, “One year, we had three camps and had no trouble filling it up.”
Registration for next year’s camp will begin in March on the airport’s website.