ELLINGTON FIELD, Texas – Texas Wing, Civil Air Patrol
aircrews ran a Fly-A-Teacher mission on Feb. 4-6 2010 for
the approximately two hundred teachers who had come from
across the country to the Space Exploration Educator
Conference at Space Center Houston. The flights were
conducted from Ellington Field's Air National Guard Center.
Texas Wing Director of Space Education Maj. Bjorn Sundet,
Ellington Composite Squadron Commander Capt. Stuart Hagedorn,
and Texas Wing Group II Deputy Commander Capt. Steve Hudson
– the latter acting as Air Operations Branch Director – and
their pilots kept up to five CAP Cessna 172s aloft. Their
mission was to fly these teachers, who are enrolled in the
CAP Aerospace Education Member (AEM) program, letting them
experience what it feels and sounds like to ride in a small
airplane.
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[1] Friday's CAP fleet on the tarmac, early in the
morning. [2] Air National Guard Lt. Col. Terry
Winkler and CAP Capt. Stephen Hudson. [3] A simple
rocket gets assembled by student teachers. [4] Marcie
Raol, traveling teacher from Fairmont, W.V. [5]
Aretha White, Capt. Stuart Hagedorn, and Maureen Adams.
Their reaction was uniformly enthusiastic. Asked what they
thought of their ride, their most frequent answer was,
“Wow!”
Rebecca Dorris, from Hot Springs, Arkansas, exclaimed,
“Awesome!” Maureen Adams, from Killeen, Texas, declared, “I
want to go again, please...”
Similar comments were heard all afternoon, as the excited
riders voiced their appreciation for their CAP flights.
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[6] The shuttle landing simulator was a big hit.
[7] Air Force Master Sgt. John "Spike" Garcia, the
"Predator Boss." [8] CAP National Headquarters' Susan
Mallett gives a lecture on the Civil Air Patrol. [9]
Teachers-turned-students at ground school prior to taking
their flight.
In the meantime, instructors from CAP National Headquarters,
led by one-time teacher Susan Mallett, gave these AEMs
hands-on demonstrations related to the technology and
principles of flight. In addition, Air National Guard Senior
Master Sgt. John Garcia shuttled groups over to his hangar,
where they could inspect the two Predator unmanned air
systems in his care.
Texas Wing and CAP National Headquarters hope these visitors
will return home with happy memories of their adventure, as
well as new ways to generate enthusiasm among their
students, most of whom are eager to learn about flying and
aerospace. And, of course, many of their students will opt
for joining the Civil Air Patrol
Maj. Robert Brecount, CAP, Texas Wing PAO
