Connect with us

The Sentinel

Aviation Club Takes Flight

Features

Aviation Club Takes Flight

Shaun Andrews focused intently on his quadcopter as he guided it through a series of hoops lit up with strands of colorful lights. The quadcopter, also known as a drone or UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), came to rest at its destination on the other side of the hoops and observers applauded the miniature journey.

The demonstration took place at the Kootenai Technical Education Campus on March 1 in hopes to raise awareness for the new Aviation Club which operates as part of the NIC aviation program. The club also works as a subsidiary to the Coeur d’ Alene Airport Association.

“I want to spread the joy of aviation and get as many people interested as possible,” said Andrews, 23, computer science major and president of the new Aviation Club. “Many people don’t even know we have a [local] airport.”

The aviation club is not just for NIC students, however. In fact, it isn’t even restricted to those with any aviation experience. The only prerequisite for this club is to be an aviation enthusiast.

One of the club’s board of directors, Murdo Cameron, a retired Delta Airline captain and vice president of the Coeur d’ Alene Airport Association, said the club is open to anyone, any age in the Northwest.

Part of the club’s mission statement is to “promote fellowship among pilots and aviation enthusiasts.” And Cameron said he believes this club is a good way to do just that. They had 16 new members sign up at their last demonstration, and several more added after this one.

“We’re trying to get young people into the aviation industry,” said Darrell Kisler, the club’s flight instructor. “We want to get them interested in something with endless possibilities.”

Kisler has both a private and a commercial pilot’s license on top of being an instructor, and has had 7,500 hours of flight time.

“I never get tired of it,” Kisler said of aviation. “It gives a new perspective of where we live.”

The club will be featuring a quadcopter obstacle course/race on March 26. The location is to be announced.

For more information, contact Shaun Andrews, club president at (760) 382-0269 or email ShaunAndrewsMail@aim.com

IMG_3795editIMG_3788edit IMG_3794 IMG_3793

Hey! I'm Michelle, the Managing Editor for NIC's Sentinel. I love to read mysteries, write, ride horses (only the sane ones), and dance ballet. I was born in Music City, USA and have lived all across the U.S. Now I'm here, writing for the Sentinel. It's pretty cool, you should check it out!

More in Features

To Top