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Air Camp students visit Wright-Patt C-5 unit

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  More than 40 middle school students got the chance to learn about C-5 Galaxy aircraft and speak with reservists from the 89th Airlift Squadron and 445th Airlift Wing during a base tour July 20.

The students are from Air Camp, a locally sponsored, weeklong summer camp that offers instruction on aviation and the science, technology, engineering and mathematics of aeronautics.

"This is the first year for Air Camp, so we are just beginning our relationship with the base," said JoAnn Erno, Air Camp executive director. "For our students, many have never been on an Air Force base let alone inside an aircraft such as the C-5."

The program is the vision of Dayton-area leaders who want to help young people nationwide achieve their potential, develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, and pursue further education and future careers in aviation and aeronautics.

Executive committee members of the Air Camp have spent several years planning and raising funds from foundations and other donors to support the development of the camp.

Ms. Erno said the Air Camp organizers appreciate the support from the Air Force Reserve Command C-5 unit and other base organizations that participated in the camp. They hope to continue these efforts in the future.

She said the organization was particularly impressed with the C-5 tour.

"The support from the 445th Airlift Wing was instrumental in showing our students that aircraft design is optimized for the mission needs," Ms. Erno said. "(The students) were able to learn that with cargo aircraft those needs sometimes require a large and versatile aircraft capable of long hauls such as the C-5."

The one-week long pilot program ran July 18-23. The Air Camp staff plans to expand the schedule to hold more camps all summer long, beginning in 2011.