Taiwanese entrepreneur and pilot Hong Yu is bringing back a summer camp that offers flight training in gliders to Chinese students aged 15 to 18 and prepares them for a college education in the United States. Aviation Camp Enterprises, based near New Hampshire’s Nashua Airport, will offer two two-week sessions: July 6 through July 20 and July 20 through Aug. 3.
A major change for 2014 is moving the camp from three weeks to two weeks, and allowing parents to come with their children on college visits, said Yu. “Our English lessons will also be aviation centric,” he said.
Yu said his ideal camp student is any youth between the age of 15 and 18 years old who has ever dared to dream about learning to fly, who is also interested in aviation and science, and plans to come to the United States for a college education. “This program provides them with an in-depth connection to the U.S. culture and [gives] them a head start,” he said. “The Chinese national students will probably benefit the most as they will learn useful English first hand,” he said. The program can accommodate 15 students per session, he added.
In addition to receiving glider training, students can experience a powered flight at the end of the program, said Yu. “Glider training may be the closest these youth can be trained in aviation, since we anticipate most of [them] will be of Chinese nationality and may not speak English fluently,” he said.
The students will have the opportunity to visit Penn State University, with an introduction to its aviation program, said Yu. “They will also visit a regional FAA facility, AOPA’s headquarters and be signed up for an AV8RS membership,” he said. “We will also provide each student with one hour of hands-on experience on either a high or low wing powered aircraft.”
Yu said he was fortunate to have a strong passion for aviation and the opportunity to achieve my dreams. “Now that I’m semi-retired, I thought to pass along to youths who may be dreaming flying someday,” he said.
Benét J. Wilson
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