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 Member Profile
Markie Ell is your average high school sophomore. She’s busy between sports – soccer and golf – and homework.
But this 15-year-old from Bismarck, N.D. has a new passion, thanks to a basic aviation class at Century High School and she is now planning to get her private pilot’s certificate. In fact, she’s already signed up to take Aviation 2 next year where she will help build a plane.
Markie credits her teacher, Mike McHugh, with helping her catch the aviation bug. "He taught me a lot of important stuff about flying," she said. "I learned a lot through him and he’s made it very interesting."
The class covers the basics of aviation and discusses aviation-related careers. Students also get to fly simulators and take two flights with an instructor. While her second flight won’t occur until later this spring, Markie said the airplane rides are the best part of the class.
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NASA rocketry challenge: Students build, fly rockets with onboard payloads
 There’s nothing like dreaming high, reaching for the stars... even blasting off. More than 50 student teams, from middle school through college, will do just that as they take part in NASA’s 2012-13 rocketry challenge.
The challenge has the teams, which represent schools in 26 states around the country, designing and building a large, high-powered rocket, complete with a working science or engineering payload and capable of flying to the target altitude of 1 mile. NASA created the challenge to encourage students to pursue careers in STEM, or science, technology, engineering or mathematics, fields.
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Artists use discarded military planes as canvas
 Forget about staring at a blank canvas. More than 30 artists had something much bigger andmuch more imposing to stareat – discarded military aircraft left to die and rust in the desert of Arizona’s "bone yards."
Contemporary artists used World War II aircraft as their canvas in "The Bone Yard Project: Return Trip," which was displayed at the Pima Air & Space Museum in 2012. But the project goes back to 2010 when first conceived by Eric Firestone and organized by curator Carlo McCormick. "The Bone Yard Project: Nose Job," featuring nose cone art, made its debut in 2011.
In a video on the Bone Yard Projects website, McCormick said he was intrigued by the idea of taking random elements, rescued from the scrap heap, and having artists use them as very large canvases. .
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R U a Writer?
As an AOPA AV8R, we know you’re passionate about aviation. But are you also an enthusiastic writer? Volunteer as a guest contributor to the AOPA AV8RS e-newsletter. Let us know you’re interested by sending a writing sample to av8rs@aopa.org and place "Writer - Attn: Lauren" in the headline. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
421 Aviation Way • Frederick, MD 21701-4708 • (800) 872-2672 • www.aopa.org
Questions? Comments? Send them to AV8RS@aopa.org.
Contributing Writer: Barbara A. Schmitz |
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As a boy, Sean D. Tucker dreamed of being Superman and flying through the sky. But since he had no super powers, he did the next best thing. 
Major/national airline pilot
Ever since Logan Gray can remember, he’s watched airplanes fly over his home. And for just as long, he’s wanted to pilot one of those planes. 