These are my AFJROTC students (my Science of Flight class) being trained by the President of the Gilbert Quiet Flyers, AMA #4750, Rick Huerta. This was their first “hands on” flying with our trainer (and Captain Huerta’s: SWA Captain) after hours in the classroom with lectures, assembly, and then “simulator” work.
And the plane survived! And the kids had a blast such that we’re going to try to get the school to let us go again next Thursday!!
–Stephen Wood, Senior Aerospace Science Instructor
Great work! For a long time I’ve felt if a teacher can harness a students enthusiasm, that student can then accomplish much. Werner von Braun hated math as a child, but was fascinated with rockets after reading a fictional book about traveling to Mars. The first rocket design book he bought was filled with math, and he decided to work through it and learn the math so he could follow his passion. He became one of the most brilliant engineers and arguably the most influential rocket designer of the 20th century.
Just curious, is Stephen Wood any relation to the aeronautical engineer of the same name who designed the Sky Pup ultralight aircraft?
Hi!
Not that I know of. My family has, traditionally, been involved in medicine and for the last two generations, aerospace medicine (US Army and US Air Force) and cardiology. I broke the chain and fulfilled my childhood dream and became an AF pilot.