This article is from page 36 of the 2009-08-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
MORE than 100 youngsters have spent a portion of their school holi- days doing sums and learning sci- ence – and there hasn’t been one murmur of complaint.
In fact it’s just the opposite for the kids who have been attending cours- es at the Atlantic Airventure Avia- tion Education centre in Shannon.
Mesmerising maths and painful physics become transformed when youngsters strap themselves in to the cockpit of a Boeing 747 and have to calculate speed and fuel consump- tion before taking off or landing.
“This flight simulator is a great op- portunity because it’s the only one in Ireland which allows access outside pilot training. The only other way for them to experience being a pilot is to go to England, where flight simula- tions cost hundreds of pounds,” said Jane McGill, one of the people be- hind the aviation education facility.
The courses cater for young flying fans in two categories, ages eight to 12, and 12 to teenagers.
As well as learning some basics about how airplanes actually get up and stay there; they get instruction in flying from commercial and private pilots; get to talk to airline crew and air traffic control officers; as well as a stint in the simulator.
‘Foremost, it’s great fun but it’s also a way to introduce them to science. When they start planning a flight, and you have to have so much fuel and learn about how to take the weather into consideration, then things like maths and science begin to slot into place and the kids think ‘Hey there
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1s areason for this stuff’.
Air Atlanta take a keen interest in the courses. “They are very good to us – all the airlines are. The air- lines, which have apprenticeships, can often spot potential among the older students. They’re here because they’re interested in aviation in the first place and the talent out there, particularly among the girls, is phe- nomenal,’ said Jane.
The aviation facility grew out of a project known as The Young Ea-
gles, where youngsters are taken for a flight in a light aircraft.
“They really love it. I was involved at the time it started up in Clare and saw this, but they had nowhere to go after that flight. So we did a lot of research, saw there was a need and set up Airventure.”
As well as running courses for chil- dren, the centre facilitates trainee pi- lots, air crews going for interviews and even has a ‘fear of flying’ course.
‘When people understand a bit more about what goes on they get much better about flying,’ said Jane.
The final summer courses are now being enrolled, the next one starting on Monday next at a cost of €80 for the week. Airventure can be reached at 061 363687.