Building A Community Partnership Creating Options and Opportunities for our Youth
The Heartland Engineering and Aviation Technology Center
The Heartland Engineering and Aviation Technology Center is a facility at the Sebring Regional Airport designed to develop workplace readiness skills four our area youth.
It is a community partnership with the Sebring Airport Authority, School Board of Highlands county, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 1240; Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) High School Aviation “You Can Fly” Initiative; The Ray Foundation of Naples, Florida; Lockwood Aviation, South Florida State College, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and other community supporters.
This partnership has been recognized nationally as a “Best Practice” for other communities to follow in developing their own programs. Our program has been shared with other school districts and community programs with an outline of essential steps to build a community partnership.
We are ready to begin a new and even more exciting chapter of our community initiative . Please join us.
Engineering and Aviation Classes
Aviation and Aerospace Technologies
The purpose of this program is to provide students with a foundation of knowledge and technically oriented experiences in the study of Aerospace Technologies, its effect upon our lives, and the choosing of an occupation.
Applied Engineering Technology
The purpose of this program is to provide students with a foundation of knowledge and technically oriented experiences in the study of applied engineering and its effect upon our lives and the choosing of an occupation.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operations
The purpose of this program is to prepare students for employment and advanced educational training in the emerging aviation industry of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
Work-Based Experience
To provide Engineering and Technology Education students with the opportunity, as Student Learners, to gain real world practical, first-hand exposure in broad occupational or industry experience.
Building Workplace and Transferable Life Skills
This program will help our youth make informed decisions about what options and opportunities they may want to explore in the future.
- Students will build a full-size aircraft
- Students will participate in maintaining a current flight worthy certificated aircraft.
- Students will learn how to work with hand and power tools (Hard Skills).
- Students will learn how to work safely.
- Students will learn to read, understand and apply technical materials (manuals, directions).
Book an Exploratory Flight
A free first flight to start your aviation journey. Find out more or request a reservation today!
What is our purpose and what is involved?
Our program focuses on creating “Options and Opportunities” for our youth through direct hands on activities and studies involving Aviation and Aerospace. The program brings alive the concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through guided sequential lessons and activities.
Fusion 360 CAD platform!
The Aviation/Aerospace Engineering will be supported by four corporate sponsors.
Heartland Engineering and Aviation Technology Team
Michael Halpern
Lake Placid High School
Bill Pisarello
Community Volunteer
Charlie Dye
AOPA Instructor
Bob Ohlinger
Community Volunteer
David Probst
Retired US Air Force Master Mechanic
Jeremy Brod
Avon Park High School
Steve Picklesimer
Sebring High School
Dean Long
Community Volunteer
Our Partners
A strong and lasting partnership depends upon all involved having a common goal, investment in the success of the program, and a commitment to work together. We are fortunate to have those elements in our community partnership supporting Youth Aviation Education. The original core partners of the School Board of Highlands County, EAA Chapter 1240, The Sebring Regional Airport, and Career Source Heartland all had different individual agendas but had an overriding common goal.
