Aviation Education at its Best!

Mentors builds the students, students build the plane!
AviationNation is here! With seven year's aviation education experience behind us, we are making a difference in kids lives. While it is true we build airplanes, our primary goal is to build students. The airplane is a by-product. AviationNation is ideally suited for STEM focused education programs. See https://www.facebook.com/groups/Aviation.Nation.Projects/ for information on us!
We build the Van's RV-12 because it is the best 2-place kit plane for the job, and one of the most sought-after kit airplanes in the world. It is a very complete kit, has great instructions, good resale value, and it flies extremely well. See vansaircraft.com for details. Our first RV-12 was the first Experimental aircraft ever approved and insured for flight instruction, through solo.

Once the plane is completely assembled (in one or two years) we plan to keep the plane in the area, at a local airport, for flight instruction purposes, training only the builders. Second and subsequent planes can be sold, perpetuating the program.
Currently, we have projects under way in Michigan, and in Indiana. Projects will begin this fall in Texas, Nebraska, Oregon, and another in Indiana. We re growing! Interest in STEM education is at an all-time high, and there is a growing need for aviation professionals, both pilots and mechanics. About 25% of students in our past programs have gone into aviation careers. AviationNation can lead tor to career opportunities previously thought unattainable by many students. But it goes beyond careers. We teach and mentor character and PRIDE in these students. We define PRIDE as Personal Responsibility In Daily Effort. Everyone knows the kids learn how to form aluminum and squeeze rivets, but working along side their mentors, they learn teamwork, leadership, craftsmanship, and PRIDE. A student building a plane he will one day fly becomes very responsible!
A big part of our program is our annual “Family Reunion” at AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. There, students learn some of the history of aviation and experience the culture that is aviation. They get to share with their peers, meet heroes such as the Tuskegee Airmen, and to be inspired by one-on-one meetings with astronauts (Hoot Gibson even spoke at our first graduation.) We will be there for most of the last week of July, this year.
We will have students from at least four states. We provide camping and entrance fees, transportation, and most meals. The costs for students from one project in Indiana alone will be $3344! Money raised in excess of that amount will help offset costs for students from other programs, or go into our scholarship fund.
This will happen! We have taken students there for the past five years, under the umbrella of another organization. The planes are being built—this is not a speculative proposition. We need support because many of the students cannot afford these costs, and they deserve to go.
The cost of the airplane kit (nearly $70,000) comes from grants and corporate funding, but we believe individual support is important, also. All of our officers and mentors are volunteers. We hope you will help cover this educational expense. Also, you can follow the project from the start to finish and see how well your money is put to use!
A break down of costs: $27 buys one campsite for one day, $189 a site for the week ( we will rent five sites.) $779 will provide travel for two vehicles, $62 will provide a weekly pass for a student (our group will have ten,) and $100 will provide food for a student for the week. The other states will provide their own travel, food, and student passes. Those donating $500 or more may JOIN US at Oshkosh as our guests! Call for details.
If you have questions about our program, call me, Bob Kelly, Founder and President of AviationNation, Inc. Follow us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Aviation.Nation.Projects/
Bob Kelly (812) 701-5454
[email protected]