This unique program is held by EAA 690, a chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association located at Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Topics include Aircraft Construction Methods, Principles of Aeronautics, R/C Modeling, Helicopter Flight, Ground and Flight Instruction and possible visits to select facilities located at Briscoe Field.
The EAA Summer Camps were initiated in 2012 by Dr. Debi Huffman, an instructor at Fernbank Science Center and member of EAA Chapter 690. That first year was for ages 12 and 13, who would come to be known as Alpha Group. The second year the Chapter added Bravo Group for ages 14 and 15. The third year the Chapter added Charlie Group for ages 16 to 18. In the initial year of Charlie, there were only three campers — all girls. They were quickly dubbed “Charlie’s Angels.”
In all groups, the camp emphasizes STEM, aviation-oriented, hands-on activities. Activities planned for the Alpha Group are model aviation, building a sheet metal toolbox, introducing composite construction for aviation, using drones and an opportunity to fly a small drone through a competition course, and introducing electronics.
Activities planned for the Bravo Group are advanced model aviation, introduction to airfoils and a chance to try their own design in a wind tunnel, use a simulator to fly a flight plan, build a sheet metal aileron section, use of drones and the opportunity to fly a small drone through a competition course, and introduction to welding.
The Charlie Group will be immersed in ground school education and flight training (three to four hours, depending on weather). On Friday afternoon, all groups will participate in a NASA/Mars activity by building a “Mars robot rover” and then “exploring Mars” terrain.