Curious about aviation but don’t know where to start? Then Aeronautical Explorations is for you! 

Aeronautical Explorations (AE) is a three-week summer program for Washington State rising 9th–12th graders who are, or might be, interested in a future in the aviation industry but may not know exactly the pathway they wish to pursue. This program will expose you to many different careers in the aviation industry including, air traffic control, airline dispatch, professional pilot, airport management, unmanned aerial systems and more. All at no cost!

This highly engaging course provides opportunities to learn from and interact with exciting guest speakers from the aerospace industry and includes access to The Museum of Flight’s state-of-the-art simulator lab in the Aviation Learning Center.

Hands-on projects include researching and presenting on a major airline, learning to fly drones and the basics of designing an airport. All taught by aviation industry professionals and educators!

Aeronautical Explorations will help you build a foundation in aviation that will help you excel regardless of the career pathway you choose to pursue.


Note: Because this is a public school class, we are only able to serve residents of Washington State.

Program Information:

Dates: June 27 to July 17, 2024 (no class on July 4)
Time: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM; Monday-Friday
Location: The Museum of Flight and Raisbeck Aviation High School (adjacent to the Museum)
Age: Rising 9th-12th grade students (must be a resident of Washington State)

Note: Participants must provide their own transportation to and from The Museum of Flight.

Program Fee: No Cost
Credits: Participants will receive .5 high school CTE credits through the Puget Sound Skills Center (To qualify, participants cannot miss more than two days of class.)


Why Should You Apply?

  • You'll have the opportunity to earn high school credit
  • You will build your resume to stand out to college admissions representatives, future employers and in scholarship applications
  • You'll develop a network of aerospace professionals who will help you get to where you want to go
  • You'll receive help to prepare for the FAA Commercial Drone Part 107 Exam, if that is your goal
  • You'll receive an at no cost Connections membership for unlimited admission to the Museum (until age 19)
  • You'll become eligible to apply for Museum of Flight scholarships
  • You'll be instructed by not your “ordinary” teachers but aviation professionals who understand what careers in aerospace can do for your future

NOTE: Aeronautical Explorations is not a summer camp. 

AE is a formal credit-bearing high school summer school course run through the Puget Sound Skills Center. This means participation in this program is placed on your transcript and will reflect your overall GPA. The program includes graded tests, quizzes, and projects and is equivalent to a semester-long course. Students must attend class daily for the entire day, but you are able to miss up to two days before receiving a non-passing grade. If you know that you will not be able to attend the course in its entirety, you should evaluate if you want to participate in the program to ensure it won’t show up as a non-passing grade on your transcript.

How to Apply:

Application now open for summer 2024! Please click the link below to fill out and submit your application. A staff member will follow-up with further instructions once your application is received.

Apply for Aeronautical Explorations


Questions? Please email GroundSchool@museumofflight.org.