Criteria for the Spirit of Flight Award

• Awarded annually to an organization that has made a substantial contribution to aviation in Illinois.
  
  
• The organization's activities must be Illinois based and continuous over a long period of time.
  
  
• The organization's member activities must be above and beyond that of normal paid employment and exhibit a high degree of excellence in their accomplishment.

Signifigance of Spirit of Flight Award

Election to the Illinois Aviation Hall Of Fame is the highest honor that can be attained by people whose principal aviation activity and Experience is Illinois based. It is awarded to people of good character for their excellence over a period of time. All of those selected have participated in community service, which reflects the character that earns IAHF honors.

This Years Winner:

SPIRIT OF FLIGHT AWARD KISHWAUKEE EDUCATION CONSORTIUM (KEC)
On May 1, 2003 a vision of an Aviation program was conceived. A program that would enable students from five high schools in the DeKalb and the Sycamore area to experience the world of aviation. Students could explore career opportunities in aviation and prepare for a pilot certificate using elements of Mathematics, Science and English. Additionally, they will apply critical thinking through problem identification, situation evaluation and action assessment. A portable classroom at the DeKalb Airport has been established. A completed Cherokee simulator with full vision approved by the FAA for logging 2.5 hours toward the private certificate and 10 hours toward instrument certification and approved for an instrument biennial.

A second Cessna simulator is in operation and third simulator from Frasca was donated. A fourth simulator is now also in use. Textbooks and resource material have been donated and the library is still growing. Of the17 students enrolled in the first class ten are now pilots and each student received 90 hours of lecture and 35 hours of simulator time. Several students are taking flying lessons at local airports and three graduating seniors have enrolled in aviation colleges; Embry Riddle, Southern Illinois University and the newly created Associates program at Kishwaukee College.

One student is now in the Air force. Three students hold instrument and commercial ratings and one student flies for a business that takes aerial photographs. 30 students have enrolled in the program for this school year. A second instructor has been added. They attend flight school on their own time on Thursday nights and Saturdays to earn not only high school credit but 4 hours of college credit as well. Within the last two months KEC has acquired a full motion Saberliner simulator from Lewis University and a Piper Colt aircraft.

Phase 2 has begun:
1. Continue to promote aviation in their local schools.
2. Allow local pilots to use their simulators.
3. Develop a grade school and middle school aviation program.
4. Travel to community airports, air shows and state wide functions displaying the value of Career & Technical Education and the Kishwaukee Education Consortium.
5. Support the development of the Associate degree program in aviation at Kishwaukee College.
6. Continue to build lasting relationships within their community, seeking advise and financial support We believe this is an outstanding program for young people to become aviators. It has brought many students into aviation that had never even thought about it, before being approached by Mr. Bruce Griffin and the Kishwaukee Education Consortium.

Tom Cleveland Airport Manager

DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport

Bruce Griffin KEC WBL/ Curriculum Consultant