Cadets attending Wheels Up! summer camps at Rocketeer Academy will get early flight experiences with a suite of eight cockpit simulators recently acquired by the New Mexico Museum of Space History.
“This is an exciting expansion of our educational programs as we start to add aviation to our museum’s mission,” said museum Executive Director Chris Orwoll. “The simulators became available from Aces Alley in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, this spring and we were able to act quickly and buy the full setup. These are high-fidelity simulators with top-of-the-line controls. Infrared sensors on the pilot headsets are tracked so the view on wide-screen video displays changes as you turn your head.
“Campers will be able to fly aircraft ranging from World War II fighters to the F-16 Fighting Falcons now at Holloman Air Force Base. They can fly alone, or engage in four-on-four dogfights.”
The simulators are set up at the Museum Support Center, 1402 Eddy Drive, on the other side of the railroad tracks behind the Alameda Park Zoo. Wheels Up! Summer camps will be held there.
In addition, cadets will use wind tunnels to fly a radio-control airplane and test wing sections, learn basic navigation, and be challenged to plot and fly a three-leg course. Cadets also will build and launch model rockets. For more information about Rocketeer Academy’s Summer Camp Program, visit the museum website and click on the Education tab at the top of the page.
Wheels Up! will be held June 11-15 for cadets entering grades 7 and above (Apollo level) and July 16-20 for grades 4-6 (Gemini level). A more basic aviation camp will be held for grades K-1 (Comet) and 2-3 (Mercury) the same weeks at the New Horizons Dome Theater.
“Next up, we plan a range of activities to offer the simulation facility to schools, corporate groups, or just any group that would like to rent it throughout the year. This will be a fun addition to what’s available to the local community,” Orwoll said.
The New Mexico Museum of Space History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a division of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or toll free 1-877-333-6589 or visit the website at www.nmspacemuseum.org. Like us at:www.facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/