Photo: MidAmerica Museum of Aviation and Transportation
(Sioux City, IA) -- An unusual summer camp is wrapping up in Sioux City. Staffers at the MidAmerica Museum of Aviation and Transportation were inspired to hold a camp for teens, after talking about the nation's pilot shortage. Camp director Katie Birch says out of those talks, came the Junior Pilot Summer camp. She says the two-day camp for middle school and high school students will show campers the airport thru the eyes of a pilot and an aircraft mechanic. The camp also features a short flight.
She says campers will learn about the runway lights and clearance issues, as well as career opportunities in aviation. She says they had about 15-campers for this first year and are already planning on doing it again next summer.
The nation's airlines have been struggling since before the pandemic with staffing issues. Airlines say the pandemic has exacerbated the staffing shortages, leading to flight delays and cancellations.