Operation Aviation Foundation (OAF) held an aviation camp for children ages 12-16 from July 12-14 at the Walker County Airport-Bevill Field in Jasper with 27 youth participating.
The camp is the state’s only Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) co-sponsored camp.
OAF is dedicated to introducing underrepresented individuals and underserved communities to aviation careers and aims to provide pathways to airlines and other aviation careers. The foundation hopes to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals.
“We had the most incredible week at our inaugural ACE Camp,” said Jessica Sanders Walker, vice president of Sanders Aviation and Sanders Flight Training Center in Jasper and founder of OAF. “Our campers learned so much about the many facets of aviation and truly became young aviators.”
All 27 campers received a Discovery Flight in Sanders Aviation’s airplanes and a simulator experience.
“We could not have had a better group of campers and volunteers,” Walker said.
Joey Sanders of Sanders Aviation and Sanders Flight Training Center allowed the group to take over his operation for an entire week. Walker said countless hours from Sanders’ staff and instructors did not go unnoticed. The University of Alabama UA Division of Community Affairs also partnered with the camp through its STEM program.
Walker thanked all the volunteers, board members and donors, saying “without them, this camp would not be possible. They came from far and wide.”
Volunteers included Rochelle Tisdale, Brittney Reeves, Stanley Cheng, Jorge Barnard, Shannon Young, William Young, Dave Yenior, Samy Rae Brain, Kirk Guy, Joleen Lowton, Laci Guy, Jasmine Harvey, Mason Jackson, Tess Walker and William Walker
Board of Directors for OAF are Anthony Tisdale, Anne Barnard, Dr. Kathleen Cramer, Joette Kelley Brown and Walker.
Speakers for the camp included:
Tim Crumbley – NASA
Justine Molina – Northrop Grumman
Kathy Byars – NASA
Ana Benet – Stratolaunch
Sean Myers – FAA, Birmingham Air Traffic Control
Jose Gonzalez – FAA (Retired), San Juan Center
Jasmine Harvey – Sanders Aviation, CFI
Samy Rae Brain – Sanders Aviation, CFI
Pamela Beckham – FAA, AVSED STEM ASO
Captain Jorge Barnard – FedEx
Captain Anne Barnard – FedEx
Major William Walker – F-15 Fighter Pilot
Austin Stringer – Sanders Aviation, A&P
Courtney Tomberlin – Garver Engineering
Lt. Dave Yenior – USNA
Lt. Commander Grant Jarvis – USNA, FAA DPE
Major Anthony Tisdale – F-15 and A-10 Fighter Pilot
Major Stanley Cheng – F-15 Fighter Pilot
Captain William Young – Maint. Cmdr BHM ANG
Jeff Powell – Director Tuscaloosa National Airport
Ben Reep – Combat Cobra Pilot, 500 Missions
JP Dice – Chief Meteorologist, Pilot
Walker said food for the camp was sponsored by Southeast Hospice, Honda of Jasper, The University of Alabama and William and Shannon Young.
Photos by Jessica Sanders Walker, Jasmine Harvey and Samy Rae Brain.
