Classes at 5000 Feet

Grant Rhue,
Junior, Aviation

Athens, OH 20 April 2013 – As I look back on this semester’s courses, one course stands out because of its challenging and interesting content. That course is Commercial Aviation (AVN 4200). It is a commercial flight training course that provides an introduction to complex aircraft and flying
for hire.

Completing this course feels like another milestone in moving toward my career in flying. In the OU commercial training fleet, we use the Piper PA-28 Arrow—200 horsepower engines and retractable landing gear. It flies about 40 miles per hour faster than the smaller Piper Warrior and has new systems to learn.

It was strange to take your hands away from the controls and let the plane fly itself. Unlike the earlier flight courses, there were more opportunities for practicing maneuvers. Some of the maneuvers included chandelles (180 degree turn with a climb) and lazy 8’s (speed and altitude change throughout flying in a figure eight pattern), and these are more demanding in terms of skill and focus. These maneuvers help a pilot to develop a feel for the varying forces on the plane during the different patterns and demonstrate the aircraft’s performance.

I did only one cross country flight this semester and that was from Athens to Huntington’s Tri-State Airport. It was a clear and sunny day with excellent visibility, and you could literally see for miles. The rolling hills and the rural landscape made for a scenic ride, although flying the faster aircraft made it seem like a shorter flight than usual. Overall, this was a good semester, and as I reflect on it, I am surprised at how much I learned.

Planning for My Last Year

Kelly McCoy,
Senior, Aviation

Athens, OH 15 April 2013 – It’s almost May, and that means one thing: graduation! As a senior I have watched as my friends fuss over getting resumes in order, finding a job, and moving their things out. However, I have none of these worries; after much deliberation, I decided to stay a fifth year.

I was skeptical at first, thinking that I needed to stay on track and graduate in four years, but there were so many reasons to stay! The biggest factors in my decision were my desire to complete 2 minors–Spanish and Meteorology–along with taking advantage of work opportunities that the Aviation program offers.

I minored in Spanish because I like the language and the culture, and it gives me another career option should I ever not be able to fly. A minor in Meteorology is very helpful when paired with my flight training; as pilots we are constantly affected by the weather and always need to know current conditions and be able to analyze data to predict future conditions.

I also plan on flight instructing for the university next year. As a Certified Flight Instructor I will be giving students the necessary training they need to get their Private Pilot Certificate and Commercial License. While instructing, I plan on applying for the position as co-pilot of OU’s King Air 350. This plane is used by Ohio University’s Air Transportation Service and provides transportation for employees.

And I am also excited to continue as an Engineering Ambassador for another year!

Aviation Fraternity Alpha Eta Rho

Grant Rhue,
Junior, Aviation

Athens, OH 24 February 2013 – For the three years I have been in the Department of Aviation here at Ohio University undergoing flight training, I have been an active member of the fraternity, Alpha Eta Rho. The Omicron Upsilon chapter or “hangar” of the international flight oriented fraternity has been a major part of my college career varying from helping me study for check rides and certifications for flying to networking with other flight schools and industry professionals throughout the country. We have toured various aviation facilities including United Airline’s Washington’s Dulles flight operations to the freight operations of Air Net in Columbus, learning more and more into what each pilot job requires and what it takes to keep such large operations moving day to day.

Last year, our chapter participated in the first ever national conference hosted by the Omicron Sigma Upsilon Chapter of Ohio State University in Dublin, Ohio. All of our members
participated in breakout sessions varying from different subjects of fundraising to alumni connections. My breakout group worked on the national bylaws of the fraternity, which were run
by the president of the Fraternity, Capt. Robert H. Clement who had flown with Tom Cruise in the F-14 Tomcat for the shooting of the movie, Top Gun.

We are preparing to go to Kalamazoo, Michigan this April to attend the second annual Alpha Eta Rho National Conference, hosted by the Theta Chapter of Western Michigan University. We will be participating again with the other hangars from all across the country in the breakout sessions again and will be taking part in the Student Leaders in Aviation Conference, or SLACON.

Judging the Future City Competition

Kelly McCoy,
Senior, Aviation

Athens, OH 24 January 2013 – Last weekend, the Engineering Ambassadors had a great opportunity to inspire younger students to be more involved in engineering and technology. On the morning of January 19, three of us traveled to Columbus to judge the Future City Competition. This competition is a national learning experience for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students where they work in teams with a mentor to deign futuristic models of large cities. 18 schools participated this year. Students incorporate current and future technologies and must include a variety of engineering ideas and disciplines, and must explain how their city will sustain itself. They use Sim City 4 Deluxe to make an interactive city, write a solution to an engineering problem, build a scale model of a section of their city using recycled materials, and show their work to a panel of judges with a short presentation.

As a judge, I got to see several presentations throughout the morning, and I was impressed with the thought and effort that some groups put into their projects. There were many models that incorporated a working electrical component, and the requirement of at least one moving part per model was fulfilled in very creative ways. Groups used materials such as cardboard, lightbulbs, bottles and lids, silverware, and various other common trash items to build their models.

This year the big engineering problem to solve dealt with water runoff in large developed cities. Groups used porous asphalt, rooftop gardens, and strategic reservoirs, among other things, to help solve the problem. Their models were judged not only for overall neatness and creativity, but for specific awards such as Most Innovative Design of Infrastructure Systems, or Best Communications Systems. The winner of this Regional competition would be sent to US Space Camp in Alabama and get the chance to compete in the National Competition in February.

These middle-schoolers definitely impressed us with their ingenuity and creativity, and it was fun to see their different interpretations of the future and their solutions to modern problems.

The Power of Networking

Grant Rhue,
Junior, Aviation

Athens, OH 16 January 2013 – Over the break, I explored several internships available within the airline industry. I updated my resume so that it was as complete as possible for submission to the airlines. Through networking with a friend and his dad, I made contact with an Ohio University Alumni, who works for Trans State Airlines. Trans State is a regional carrier operating Embraer regional jets for United Express and US Airways Express.

I sent them my resume and within a few days, I received a phone call from the Director of Flight Training and Safety, who turned out to be one of the founding members of our Alpha Eta Rho flight fraternity chapter at OU. We had a good conversation about the possibility of an internship in St. Louis, and he said that I would hear from them. A few days after New Year’s, I received an internship offer from Trans State in St. Louis for the coming summer. I am really excited about this opportunity to gain industry experience and improve my knowledge and understanding of the regional airline industry.

Membership in Alpha Eta Rho has other benefits beyond networking. Last fall, we took a trip to Hopkins Airport in Cleveland to tour United Airlines facilities there. The picture shows me in the cockpit of a Boeing 737-800 on the tour.

I would urge every student in the Russ College to network as much as possible. OU alumni, faculty, friends, parents, and professionals visiting OU are often willing to guide you and offer internships or job positions. It is important to get involved and be active in student organizations and to give back to the Athens community in various ways. You never know when something will work to help you get an internship or job, and it is great to become involved in a life of helping others.