SFTE Holds STEM Event at EAA AirVenture 2026

SFTE members gathered at EAA AirVenture, the world’s largest aviation event, in July 2026 to run one of the activities composing the AviationTech event. AviationTech is a hands-on STEM immersion activity open to high school students.

Under the leadership of Rachel McFalls-Brown, SFTE provided the opportunity for students to conduct a realistic hands-on flight test activity. Teams of students, one acting as the flight test engineer and the other as the pilot, used laptop computers equipped with X-Plane software and control sticks to fly timed climbs at various outside air temperatures. The results for all the test points were then plotted on a whiteboard, which enabled the students to draw data-based conclusions. The SFTE members supporting the event gave training and advice to the student flight test teams. A total of 105 students participated in the AviationTech event.

According to McFalls-Brown: “Although each session was only 30 minutes long, students got to experience the entire flight test process, from pre-mission briefing of the flight card to data analysis.” By all accounts, the  event was a great success and SFTE looks forward to repeating it at EAA AirVenture 2027. EAA AirVenture is next scheduled for July 26-August 1, 2027. Anybody involved in aviation should want to attend this incredible celebration of flight, and SFTE will again solicit volunteers for 2027.