It may be summertime, but school is in session at the Houston Airport System (HAS). Both George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby airports hosted several groups of students eager to learn about the aviation industry this summer. The Organization of Black Airline Pilots and the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees spearheaded separate camps – over the last few months – that provided aviation education to a total of nearly 100 students across the nation. Bush and Hobby airports were the backdrop for these educational experiences. “It’s important to teach students about the entire aviation system because it’s so dynamic and so large and there’s more to it than just airlines,” says Tiffany Smith, operations coordinator for Hobby Airport. “The aviation industry encompasses everything from accountants to lawyers, operators, managers to pilots; it’s huge. It’s an opportunity for students to tie their interests to aviation.” Watching the day-in-day-out operation of an airport certainly entices the curious nature of young minds, affirms Smith. More so when you are talking about airports that together served more than 52 million passengers in 2007. HAS is the fourth-largest airport system in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world. George Bush Intercontinental is the largest of the airport system’s three airports, with five active runways, both domestic and international flights and service to over 115 destinations within the United States and nearly 70 international ones. Hobby Airport is the oldest commercial airport in the city – 81 years old – and handles domestic flights exclusively. The four runway airport is also one of the few commercial airports in the nation that allows student pilots to train on its active runways. Taking advantage of that opportunity, the Delta Airlines “Dream Flight” was made possible with the help of several organizations like HAS, the Organization of Black Airline Pilots, Continental Airlines, Southwest Airlines and the City of Atlanta’s Department of Aviation. As part of this unique program 70 students traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to Houston to learn more about the history and future of the aerospace industry at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

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The Houston Airport System welcomed these students at William P. Hobby Airport, and assisted program organizers with coordination efforts – all free of charge. Southwest Airlines sponsored the group’s gate access at Hobby’s Central Concourse.

“The whole Organization of Black Airline Pilots is not just about being a black pilot,” says Continental Airlines Captain Ray-Sean Silvera. “It’s about getting young people involved in aviation - all colors, all cultures. Get them stimulated enough in aviation where they might choose aviation as a career and if they don’t, it’ll stimulate their math and science background.”

The Organization of Black Airline Pilots’ Aviation Career Education camp, also known as Delta “Dream Flight,” is one of many that have provided more than 2,400 students across the nation with comprehensive training in various aviation disciplines.

“I would definitely recommend this program to other students,” says 17 year old Nikita Murphy. “Even if you’re not interested and you don’t know what you want to do, they help you. It’s all about career advancement. They show you all different aspects of aviation.”

Many aviation experts, such as licensed pilots and flight attendants for the various air service providers in Houston, volunteered their time and efforts to make the experience all the more special for the students.

“I think the biggest thing I’d like kids to walk away with is the fact that they can do just as much, if not more than their predecessors have done,” says Angela Beaton, Delta Airlines flight attendant and “Dream Flight” camp volunteer. “I hope more kids become aware of the program, because this is a great experience.

The Houston chapter of the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees took local students from ages 11 to 17 on a tour of both IAH and Hobby to show them what types of aviation careers the City of Houston, which owns and operates the city’s three main airports, has to offer. The tour gave students access to some of the airport functionality that most passengers never get a chance to see, such as the aircraft fire fighting rescue stations, the airports’ communications centers, the Houston Police Department helicopter station and much more.

Hobby Airport supervisor for airport operations, Andre Garner was once a “Dream Flight” participant himself as a young man. He wanted to give back to the organization for helping him find his path in the aviation industry by volunteering his time as a tour coordinator.

“It’s important to introduce aviation to students at a young age, because it gives them the opportunity to see a job match they may have an interest in further down the road,” says Garner. “It gives them something to shoot for.”

For students not involved in aviation related groups, but who are still interested in the field of aviation the Houston Airport System offers limited airport tour opportunities. Generally, tours are available to both adults and children (7 years and older and who are at least in the third grade) and they require several weeks of advance notice.

For more information about airport tour opportunities Click Here.

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