Flying Club to Donate $500 to School Group

A Van Nuys-based flying club is donating $500 to Monroe High School’s Aviation Academy.

The Airventurers of Southern California will present school representatives with the check at a meeting May 15, said Marvin Blum, the group’s membership chairman.

Airventurers also has agreed to take some students up in private planes.

The money will be used to purchase five flight simulator computer software programs. In the program, students will use a joystick to manipulate the simulated plane and the keyboard to input flight commands.

“We think it’s important to encourage young people who are interested in aviation,” Blum said.

Educators at the North Hills high school say there are many students interested in aviation on campus.

According to Principal Joan Elam, Monroe offers three aviation programs, which range from flight training to training for other airport occupations such as baggage handlers and ticket clerks.

In the airport occupations program, students are trained and then go to Los Angeles International Airport to work a four-week stint. Often, this program leads to jobs for the students once they graduate from high school, Elam said.

“We have a wonderful opportunity to get young people involved in aviation,” Elam said. “This money will really help us achieve that.”

The Airventurers have made contributions to encourage aviation careers in the past. Last year the group gave a $500 scholarship to a student working toward an airframe and power plant mechanic’s certification, Blum said.

For more information on the nonprofit group, call Blum at (818) 789-6189.