Name: Intro to Aviation Course
Brand: AV-STEM
SKU: 891-891
Price: 365 USD
Availability: InStock

Question 1

What is the benefit of having my student take the Intro to Aviation course?

Accepted Answer

It is our goal to excite students about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and, in so doing, to introduce them to the wide world of aviation. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have gained a foundational understanding of all the aspects of flight presented in the modules. The student will also gain a broad knowledge of multiple aviation career pathways.

Question 2

I can't find the recommended joystick. What do I do?

Accepted Answer

We understand that there is an issue with finding the recommended joystick, so we reached out to the program's publisher. He confirmed that while the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro is no longer being manufactured, he has found that it is still available through several channels, including Amazon (though the price is higher than it once was) and eBay, where it is often available for a lower cost. That said,  any joystick with a "twist function" will work with the program . 
The publisher noted, "We recommended the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro because it was the cheapest and best on the market in our opinion. There are currently issues with availability, but students continue to find them." Knowing the essential  "twist function" requirement  should be very helpful in your search for a suitable alternative.

Question 3

Is there a course syllabus for Intro to Aviation?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can download it  here .

Question 4

What's included with the Intro to Aviation course?

Accepted Answer

This is a one-year subscription to an online course.  Provided supplies include: flight simulator software aviation plotter E6B flight computer (similar to a slide rule for flight calculations) aviation charts competition kit plane digital download X-Plane 11 flight simulator for Alaska

Question 5

What else will I need for Intro to Aviation?

Accepted Answer

The course itself is online, so the only requirements are really a browser and access to the internet. You'll need a relatively new computer--within 3 years old--to run the flight simulation software. (See specs above in the Details section.) You'll also need an inexpensive joystick. We recommend the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro, but any joystick with a "twist function" will work.

Question 6

Will I be sent X-Plane 10 simulator or X-Plane 11?

Accepted Answer

It is X-Plane 11.

Question 7

What are the system requirements for the flight simulator software?

Accepted Answer

System Requirements: 
The course itself is online, so the only requirements are really a browser and access to the internet. One of the components, however, is the X-Plane 11 Flight Simulator. That is a program that you download for use in the course, and it does have system requirements. X-Plane 11 Simulator System Requirements: 
Given X-Plane's incredible capabilities and accuracy, it is not possible to run a current release of X‑Plane on an exceptionally old computer. A good rule of thumb is that any machine built in the last 18 to 24 months will probably be able to run the simulator acceptably. Computers up to about 36 months old may be fine if they were top-of-the-line machines when manufactured. Even if they weren't, X‑Plane may still be able to run, albeit with its rendering options turned down.

X-Plane 11 requires a computer with   at least   the following specifications: CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 CPU with 2 or more cores, or AMD equivalent. (Dual-core CPUs slower than 3 GHz should  try the demo  before purchasing.) Memory: 8 GB RAM Video Card: a DirectX 11-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel with at least 1 GB VRAM If your system is borderline, we encourage you to  try the demo  first. The full version of the simulator will perform exactly the same as the demo—neither better nor worse.
 
 However, for the best experience, we recommend the following: CPU: Intel Core i5 6600K at 3.5 ghz or faster Memory: 16-24 GB RAM or more Video Card: a DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel with at least 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better or similar from AMD) 
 Supported Video Cards: 
 NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce 600 or newer AMD: AMD HD7000 with GCN core or newer Intel: HD4000 or newer Supported Operating Systems: 
 OS X: OS X 10.11 or newer (e.g. El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina) Windows: Windows 8 or 10, 64-bit Linux: Varies While X-Plane 11 will run on Linux, we don’t provide support for specific distributions; if you want to run on Linux, you will need to try X-Plane on your distribution to see if it is compatible. With that in mind, we have developers using Ubuntu 14.04 and 16.04 LTS successfully. For Linux, we require the proprietary driver from AMD or NVIDIA to run X-Plane. You may be able to get X-Plane to run on the Mesa/Gallium driver with an Intel GPU, but this is unsupported. We absolutely do not support the fully open source drivers for AMD and NVIDIA. To find your computer's CPU speed and amount of RAM, Mac users can simply open the Apple Menu and click "About This Mac."

For Windows 8, 10, and Windows 64-bit users, you can open the Start menu and type System to search for the Control Panel's System item. Opening this will display the processor, its speed, and the amount of RAM installed. Note:  X‑Plane 11 does not support PowerPC-based Macs, or versions of OS X prior to 10.11

Question 8

What do the ten modules in Intro to Aviation cover?

Accepted Answer

1. Aviation History 2. Aerodynamics 3. Intro to Flight Simulator 4. Airplane Instruments 5. Aviation Charts 6. Navigation 7. Flight Calculations 8. Weather 9. Weight and Balance 10. Predicting Airplane Performance For more details download the  course syllabus .

Question 9

"Would Intro to Aviation Course be too advanced for a 10 year old? He has taken a couple of aviation courses on the Outschool platform and is wanting more."

Accepted Answer

From the publisher: "The math is at a 7th-grade level, and there is a lot of math in the course."

Question 10

How to Use

Accepted Answer

How to Use Introduction to Aviation with Av-STEM

Begin by setting up the online course and flight simulator. A joystick with a twist function is required for the simulator activities and allows your student to participate fully in the hands-on flight training components of the course.
  Plan on spending 2–3 days per week working through the material. The course includes approximately 87 days of instruction and 110–120 hours of coursework, making it suitable for ¾ of a high school credit.
  Work through the modules in order. Students will build a foundation in aviation history, aerodynamics, navigation, weather, aircraft systems, flight planning, and aviation safety before applying those concepts in simulator activities.
  Encourage your student to take advantage of the flight simulator exercises. These activities reinforce key concepts and provide practical experience applying what he has learned in a realistic aviation environment.
  Don't skip the career interviews. Nearly 30 aviation professionals share insights into their careers, helping students explore opportunities in fields such as piloting, maintenance, engineering, air traffic control, and aviation management.
  Allow time for review and discussion. Many students find that aviation naturally connects concepts from physics, mathematics, technology, geography, and weather, making it an excellent opportunity to see STEM principles at work in a real-world setting.

By the end of the course, your student will have gained a broad understanding of aviation along with practical experience using many of the tools, concepts, and decision-making skills that pilots and aviation professionals use every day.

Intro to Aviation Course

Overview