Retired Air Force Pilot Mark Hyatt took up a ìbonus careerî by founding Falcon Aerolab, a STEM (science, technology, education and math) and aerospace-based enrichment program, to equip Colorado students with the education, experience and connections needed to have successful careers in the industry.††ìColorado is the No. 1 state per capita for aerospace jobs, but we import most of our labor from California, New York, India, Massachusetts and Michigan,î Hyatt said.The program started in the 2017 fall semester with just 14 students at the Legacy Campus on Highway 24 and Woodmen Road. It has since grown to between 600 to 700 students for this upcoming fall semester. The students will be spread throughout various campuses across the state of Colorado in towns such as CaÒon City, Woodland Park, Las Animas, Salida, Monument, Castle Rock, Milliken and Grand Junction, Hyatt said.In the Falcon area specifically, Falcon Aerolab offers a variety of programs at the Legacy Campus and/or Meadow Lake Airport, such as A1 Introduction to Aerospace Studies, Aeronautic Studies, Introductory Flight Training Gliders, Introductory Flight Training Powered, Advanced Drones, Cyber, Introduction to Aviation Mechanics and more.†Students can expect an in-depth, hands-on learning experience throughout each program.†For example, during the 1A Intro to Aerospace Studies, the kids get to fly in an airplane, glider, helicopter and vertical wind tunnel; learn STEM lessons; build radio control airplanes and drones from scratch, fly them, crash them and repair them; go on field trips to the Air Force Academy, Space Foundation, WWII Museum, Challenger Learning Center and more; participate in mars missions and other missions; and listen to guest speakers like astronauts, engineers, aircraft mechanics, meteorologists, retired generals and more, Hyatt said.He said 95% of the students that participate in Falcon Aerolab are homeschool students. Funded primarily by El Paso County Colorado School District 49, the program is free for homeschoolers and select private school and hybrid online students, aside from a $350 lab fee per semester. A small percentage of students (2-3%) who participate in Falcon Aerolab do pay tuition (because they are not home-schooled). According to the Falcon Aerolab website, all types of students are welcome to enroll, and scholarships through organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Women in Aviation and more are available.††ìI see this program only growing,î Hyatt said. †This fall, Falcon Aerolab will be expanding its programs to additional locations across Colorado such as Parker, Littleton and Centennial. Even further, they will be serving out-of-state students in Utah beginning in September, and possibly in Arizona sometime down the road.†This growth has also taken shape in the addition of new classes. ìWe had so many little brothers and sisters that wanted to do it, too, so just last year we started Young Falcons for 9, 10, and 11-year-olds,î Hyatt said. ìWhen we started, we immediately got 50 kids enrolled for Young Falcons, and now we’ll likely be at around 130 kids for next semester,î Hyatt said. †Diversity has also been a big growing point. Hyatt said only about 15% of participation was female during the first year, and now that percentage has increased to about 32 to 33% this semester.†††This burgeoning program means more options for local children. ìIt adds some very valuable menu items to an already robust offering that D 49 provides,î Hyatt said. ìOur main goal is to prepare Falcon students for Colorado jobs ó specifically aerospace, aviation and mechanics jobs, all really well-paying jobs. Weíre here for all Falcon kids, to help them join the workforce at the right level for them. I want Falcon kids to have lots of options.î†
