Show Students Student's Heads In Clouds By Eric Bresee Sports Editor Co-Editor A common sight at Salt Lake Community Colleges College's International Airport Center is students looking towards the sky They are not doing this to ignore you They are forecasting forecasting forecasting fore fore- casting the flying conditions During the year two-year flight technology technology technology tech tech- Associate degree program student pilots take the aviation specific specific specific meteorology course This course is designed to teach the students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents how to predict weather conditions conditions conditions condi condi- and hazards This skill becomes useful when deciding wether to fly on a particular day The class is only taught two quarters a year spring and fall when weather conditions are unpredictable said Nolan Clifford flight technology instructor and in Utah its it's especially especially especially espe espe- interesting because of the lake effect as well as the mountain mountainair air current During the first three weeks of the class Clifford guides the students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents through different methods of researching weather conditions He asks questions about high pressure jet streams and other meteorology topics I teach them how to interpret Th Thy y Est I x i w. w ff jj Photo courtesy of Public Information Desk Flight Instructor Nolan Clifford the sky how to read the clouds as if they were sign posts said Clifford who developed the course students students students stu dents need to be able to make sound judgements about the weather conditions conditions conditions con con- for flight planning The next three weeks are geared towards topics relating specifically to aviation The final weeks in the course have students studying flight haz haz- ards The students final test lets let's them predict their own flight plans based on research and interpreting weather conditions Throughout the quarter students use various meteorology resources These include weather maps media sources weather channels a Federal Aviation Administration- Administration sponsored DUAT weather system and the computer-based computer Weather Services International program which gives current and four-day four forecast international weather Continued on Page 3 Aviation Continued from Page 2 which gives current and four- four day forecast international weather conditions By the end of this c course urse students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents will be able to look at all the resources available to them and interpret what it means said Clifford Then they will be able to predict their own flight planning in real time Students are encouraged to enroll in this course after they have taken some of the core class such as private pilot ground school solo flight and human factors and safety safe safe- ty ty- Clifford anticipates a great demand for pilots in the next decade as the US U.S. military extends pilots ts years of service That will leave the already short-handed short commercial airlines looking for more pilots Most of 50 students in inthe inthe inthe the program will need additional flight experience as business and freight company pilots or flight instructor before flying for a commercial commercial commercial com com- mercial airline However Clifford believes they will have a solid background in their hours of flying time required for graduation The flight technology program offers theory and on hands-on classes simultaneously Students enrolled in the program learn about aerodynamics aerodynamics aerodynamics safety instruments mountain mountain mountain moun moun- tain flying a and nd legal aspects of the industry Through a partnership with Great Western Aviation students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents get the practical experience they need For more information on this course and others in the flight technology program call Nolan Clifford or Larry Hemingway at |