“Think of a fifth-grader sitting in the cockpit of this jet, and through the radio system, listening to air traffic control information about the weather,” said Rigano, a former teacher. “Now she has to take that information and decide whether this plane takes off, learning about dew points and atmospheric pressure and temperature. What better way to learn than hands-on?”
Rigano has been consulting with FedEx and with Janese Thatcher, an educator who came up with the first plan to turn a plane into a classroom in Minnesota and is now working on a second plane via Kansas’ Mid-America Air Museum Foundation.
Thatcher, who is dean of career and technical education at Seward County Community College in Kansas, said renovating one of the 727 freighter planes, which have no seats, costs about $75,000. Her Kansas group allotted just over a year to remove the container tracks and side panels, put in a floor, a teacher’s podium and electrical systems, as well as a projector screen. She said the work could be done in less time, depending on the number of volunteers available.
Rigano confirmed for Beavercreek school board President Al Nels that Monday’s vote did not obligate any tax dollars toward the project. Rigano said now that FedEx has committed to providing the plane and the airport is willing to house it, she will begin working with partners at Wright State University and Clark State Community College to raise renovation funds via grants and donations.
Clark State President Jo Alice Blondin said her school will be a partner to the project by providing dual enrollment opportunities to students in aviation and aerospace instruction, whether students want only a certificate, or want to turn an associate degree at Clark State into a four-year or graduate program at Wright State.
“In addition, we have some related programs – manufacturing technology, aerospace welding, information technology – that all come to bear on aerospace and aviation,” Blondin said. “We’re helping drive an important sector of the Dayton economy.
Beavercreek school board member Mick Lundy said the jet classroom is another example of multi-agency collaboration that state officials have encouraged, like the Straight-A program that Beavercreek is already involved with.
“Any school that wants to use it, we want them to come in and do it,” Rigano said.
Several officials pointed to historical angles of the program. Beth Rush, aircraft acquisition and sales adviser for FedEx, said this specific plane is the last of more than 200 FedEx 727s to be retired, and FedEx is glad that it will be used to teach the next generation of aviation professionals.
Dayton Aviation Director Terry Slaybaugh said airport officials are excited that the last flight of any FedEx 727 will touch down in Dayton, the birthplace of aviation.
The airplane will have to be disassembled to some degree when it is ready to be moved to Calamityville, but when it is intact again, it will provide a new resource for local students. Rigano said she hopes to have a variety of lesson plans available on a web site so that a visiting teacher can find standards-aligned lessons appropriate to their grade level.
Thatcher said younger students could use math techniques to calculate how the center of gravity of the plane changes if cargo shifts. More advanced science students could review schematic drawings of the plane and calculate hydraulic equations on the force needed to raise the landing gear.
“That aircraft is just a bundle of math and science,” Thatcher said. “The project is about having the kids come to a unique learning environment to see real-world applications of the math and science they’re learning in the classroom.”
Beavercreek schools treasurer Penny Rucker said in case of any unexpected cancellation of the program, the district has confirmed that a local scrap metal dealer would deconstruct and remove the plane, eliminating any liability for the district.
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