Group Level AE Activities

[davidsinn]

My group commander has asked me to come up with four group level AE activities next year; one per quarter. I'm going to do a rocketry school but need to wait until warm weather so figure second or third there. I've also concocted a pretty cool idea but I'm not staking anything on that going ahead for logistical[military security;D] reasons so I need to come up with three others. I was thinking of a sixish hour AE clinic with cadet officers tutoring enlisted on the modules.


What are some other suggestions?


BTW self funded or free would be ideal as I have a budget with 6 zeros. And nothing else

[Duke Dillio]

How about visiting a local aviation museum?  I don't know what you have up there or what is within range.  I know that at my encampment back in the 90's, the AF flew us from Andrews AFB to Wright Patterson AFB to go check out the museum.  In Oregon, they have the Evergreen Aviation Museum which holds the Spruce Goose in it.  That museum is about 10 miles from where my parents live.

Some other ideas:  go find a local ANG unit and see if you can tour their facilities or their flightline, if they have one.  Go find an Army Reserve or National Guard unit with helicopters and ask for the same.  You could also host a class or something of that nature in which you get the officers in the group to get their Yeager if they don't already have it.  You could look for guest speakers such as former astronauts, former USAF pilots, etc to come and speak to your group.  Model building, besides rockets, is usually fairly popular (you could even make it a competition if that so suited you.)  You could try to set up a tour of the local air traffic control center (little bit of a hassle because of the homeland security people, but it can be done.)  Just a few ideas off the top of my head.

[NC Hokie]

In addition to the military you might try medical, fire, or law-enforcement aviation.  As for tours, consider any aviation-related industries that may be nearby.  It wouldn't be sexy but there's more to AE than flying...somebody has to design, build, and fix things.

You might also consider doing two rocket activities; the first one would cover the first two stages and the second (after a suitable amount of time) would add the third stage for those who have already completed the first two.