Events/News
The Flight Path Pilot Training Rebate could help you along the way to becoming a private pilot. Ground School is the first step and when completed, the new student pilot takes the Private Pilot Written Exam. Flight Path can offer suggestions for ground school training, such as Sporty’s excellent on-line course. There are also many study guides and on-line exam preparation programs. Apply for a Flight Path Training REBATE! Maybe you will be one of the recipients!
Jean Flower talks about her Celebration of Flight mural
Jean has been a friend to Flight Path for a long time. Before retiring she was a flight dispatcher at the Dayton, Ohio airport. Jean is a pilot with over 500 hours of flight time. She is also an accomplished aviation artist, doing commissioned portraits of aircraft and other paintings. In 1996 she painted this large mural titled “Celebration of Flight” for the Kalamazoo Air Museum. Her husband Wesley built the framework “as sturdy as an airplane wing”. During building renovations at the museum, the mural went into storage. It was kept there until 2017 when Jean met the Flight Path group. She arranged for the mural to be donated to Flight Path where it could be displayed at the Park Township Airport. After the airport closed, the mural was moved to the West Michigan Regional Airport where it is proudly displayed in the Tulip City Air Repair hangar. The mural depicts over two dozen memorable people and events throughout the history of aviation. When Flight Night attendees tour the hangars, they will see the mural and realize many of the Flight Night aviation “quiz” answers are on the mural! Thank you Jean for allowing Flight Path to show off your beautiful Celebration of Flight! CLICK ON THE VIDEO LINK BELOW TO HEAR JEAN TALKING ABOUT THE MURAL.
CLICK HERE TO SEE A SHORT VIDEO – JEAN TALKS ABOUT HER MURAL
Visit Flight Path at the Wings of Mercy Care Affaire Aug 17
Bring EVERYONE you know that loves AVIATION, RUNNING, CLASSIC CARS, PANCAKES and MORE
to the West Michigan Regional Airport in Holland on Saturday August 17.
Flight Path will have flight simulators available for visitors to try their luck at flying! We hope to see you there SATURDAY!
Don’t miss the 2024 Tulip Time Fly-In at the WM Regional Airport
Join us on May 4, 2024 for the Tulip Time Fly-In at the West Michigan Regional Airport. Pancakes and Planes, what could be better! Listen to airplane noise all morning and get syrup on your fingers at the pancake breakfast. Flight Path will have simulators flying so stop by and see us at the big silver and red hangar. Hope to see you there!
Flight Path goes to GVSU Science Olympiad
The Flight Path team took two flight simulators to GVSU on Saturday March 23 to the 40th annual Science Olympiad. While some students competed in the various events, others came by the Flight Path booth and tried their luck flying Cessna 172 airplanes. Perhaps becoming a pilot could be a good career path? If you are a middle or high school student in the Grand Rapids-Holland area, check out our Flight Night program! Click on the FLIGHT NIGHT tab above to learn more about the program at the West Michigan Regional Airport in Holland.
Flight Path supports Wings of Mercy Care Affair
The Flight Path team is proud to support the 2023 Care Affair at the West Michigan Regional Airport in the Fogg hangar. The event is sponsored by Wings of Mercy and featured a fund raising pancake breakfast and 5K runway run. The event fittingly coincided with the celebration of National Aviation Day. The weather was fantastic and many pilots flew in for pancakes and sausage, while mingling with local visitors and runners. EAA Young Eagles pilots were also on hand to give airplane rides to many eager potential pilots. Flight Path opened its facility in the Fogg hangar and was able to get many young people flying on the flight simulators used for our FLIGHT NIGHT program. If you missed this event, register your middle or high school student for a FLIGHT NIGHT. Check out the program details on the FLIGHT NIGHT page.
CLICK HERE for a link to Zara and Mack Rutherford talking about their solo flights around the world.
Airline Pilot Career Guide
Are you thinking about being a pilot for an Airline? There are hundreds of openings for pilots right now. There will be even more in the future. If you would like to know more about how to become an Airline Pilot. Check out this handy guide outlining current training programs and opportunities. CLICK HERE FOR THE GUIDE.
Scouts Earn Aviation Merit Badge
Eleven Scouts from Troop 33 from Hamilton came to a special FLIGHT NIGHT to earn their Aviation Merit Badge. The Scouts attended presentations on the history of aviation, the aerodynamics of airplane flight, and how to fly an airplane. Another requirement of the badge is navigating a trip from one airport to another. The Scouts planed a trip from Grand Haven to Muskegon with a heavy crosswind. Their objective was to determine the proper heading while accounting for the wind. After using a Flight Computer (actually a non-electronic slide rule device) to determine their course and timing, the Scouts flew the course on the RedBird and X-Plane flight simulators. All Scouts succeeded in arriving at the Muskegon airport without being blown off course! After more flying on the simulators, Scouts toured the airport hangars and sat in the cockpits of the flight school Cessna airplanes. Finally at the end of the session, each Scout had constructed an “airplane” from styrafoam plates and a contest was held to see which plane could fly the furthest. Congratulations to the Scouts of Troop 33 for earning their Aviation Merit Badge at FLIGHT NIGHT.
SCOUTING THE SKIES OVER CAMP GERBER
The seventh annual Outing for Scouting is a weekend at the Camp Gerber Scout camp, and it’s open to all troops in the Michigan Crossroads Council. Scouts arrived Friday evening and set up camp, making their own dinners, and then breakfast on Saturday. Opening flag ceremonies began at 8:30 AM and then the event got underway. Scouts chose from 25 different activities to experience. At this campout the scouts build camp, meet other scouts and are introduced to many different types of activities. The theme this year was STEMpunk, with many of the activities being STEM-based. Flight Path was invited to the Outing to tell scouts about aviation and give 6th through 12th grade scouts the opportunity to fly two of our X-Plane Flight Simulators. The flight simulators were a big hit! Of the 375 young people attending the Outing, 90 scouts flew the simulators. Everyone who flew had fun and learned a lot about flying and being a pilot. In the past Flight Path has offered a special Aviation Merit Badge program at our facility at the West Michigan Regional Airport in Holland, MI. If your troop is interested in setting up a program, please contact us at [email protected].
FLIGHT NIGHT is adding a FULL MOTION Simulator!
Flight Path is finishing up construction of our fourth FLIGHT NIGHT flight simulator. This one is a full motion simulator and will be used with a large monitor screen and virtual reality goggles. The video is our president Jeff Vos doing a test flight with just the seat on the full motion platform! Hang on Jeff!! If you are a middle or high school student, check out our FLIGHT NIGHT program at the West Michigan Regional Airport.
Flight Path NEW LOCATION
Praise for FLIGHT NIGHT
Parents and guardians are positive on FLIGHT NIGHT! Try it…you’ll LIKE IT!
Blackhawks visit Flight Night!
May 31 Flight Night students were treated to the arrival and departure of three MI Air National Guard Blackhawk helicopters on maneuvers. You NEVER KNOW what you will see at a Flight Night!
Fly in and see the TULIPS – MAY 14 at West MI Regional Airport
Recent FLIGHT NIGHT photos – It’s FUN!
Go to the Aviation Links page for more info on scholarships and careers
Aviation scholarships, from $2,500 to $14,000, are available from the AOPA Foundation—another great AOPA membership benefit! If you, or anyone you know, are looking to earn your private pilot certificate, an advanced rating, or a new aviation career opportunity, learn more about our available scholarships! The deadline for scholarship applications is Friday, February 11, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. EST
The AOPA Foundation also designated 80 merit-based flight training scholarships at $10,000 each for high school students to earn their private pilot certificate.
Learn more about the many different aviation scholarships offered through the AOPA Foundation. Scholarships are available in multiple categories, ranging from $2,500 to $14,000, including:
- Sport, recreational, and private pilot flight training
- Instrument rating
- CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor) rating
- CFII (Certificated Flight Instructor-Instrument) rating
- MEI (Multi-Engine-Instructor) rating
- Aviation maintenance technician certification
Learn more or forward this email to someone who would benefit from financial assistance to pursue their aviation goals.
The deadline for scholarship applications is Friday, February 11, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. EST
It is through the generosity of donors like you that Flight Path is able to provide local youth with experiences in aviation and encourage future career possibilities.
We hope you’ll consider us this upcoming Giving Tuesday.
DESIGN your own AIRPORT with the FAA!
The FAA offers a free Airport Design Challenge for students with a seven-week interactive, learning and collaboration opportunity starting November 15, 2021 and running through January 14, 2022. The FAA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Aviation and Space Education (AVSED) Program is organizing and sponsoring this exciting student challenge. Check it out at https://www.faa.gov/education/virtual_learning/airport_design/
Emerson flies the Flight Path simulator
Flight Path was on hand at the Emerson the Brave event at MEYR in Holland Saturday for the Family Fun event. Emerson came to our booth and tried her hand at flying the RedBird Flight Simulator. She “flew” from the old Park Township airport to West Michigan Regional airport and landed safely! Flight Path was pleased to be a part of the Chad Tough and Emerson the Great event.
The ultimate FLIGHT NIGHT hangar…
Someday in the future… we hope to have our own hangar. A 2400 sqft facility would include classrooms, simulators, an airplane, workbenches for STEM projects and aircraft components. The possibility exists for model and full size airplane construction projects. The facility would also enable hosting events for local aviation professionals, students, parents, and benefactors. Flight Path believes in bringing aviation to young people and with a dedicated facility located at the airport, anything is possible!
If you attend a FLIGHT NIGHT and LIKED IT….BUY a SHIRT!
FLIGHT NIGHT program REVEALED!
Check out this new video produced by the West Michigan Airport Authority. 
Anderson Bloemers and Flight Path President Jeff Vos explain the FLIGHT NIGHT program and the benefits of being at the West MI Regional Airport. Thank you to Aaron Thelenwood at WMAA for his support of Flight Path and our FLIGHT NIGHT program.
CLICK>> Anderson and Jeff talk about FLIGHT NIGHT
Please stop and see Flight Path at the Emerson the Brave Family Fun Day 9/18
Wings of Mercy visitors FLY the SIMULATOR
Last Saturday Wings of Mercy hosted a charity breakfast and 5K run at the West Michigan Regional Airport. The Flight Path crew booth was stationed in the hangar and had the Redbird Flight Simulator ready for visitors to fly. Based on the young people that flew the simulator we have a good crop of potential future pilots “in the wings”. Thank you to all that visited and bought one of our Flight Path shirts. See you at our next event!
FLY THE FLIGHT PATH FLIGHT SIMULATOR
If you are going to the Wings of Mercy CareAffaire this Saturday Sept 11 at the West Michigan Regional Airport, stop by the Flight Path booth and sign up your middle or high schooler to fly the Redbird Flight Simulator. We hope to see you there to support this important cause.
Please come to the Wings of Mercy event at the WM Regional Airport Sat. Sept 11
Holland Events Set for September 11 – Wings of Mercy
Wings of Mercy would like to invite you to make a day of solemn remembrances one filled with hope by joining us for the Holland Care Affaire and West Michigan Runway 5K at the West Michigan Regional Airport on Saturday, September 11, 2021.
This unique event is a community celebration of the good we can do together by giving wings to those in need. You can register for the West Michigan Runway 5K with this link (click here).
The registration fee includes a premium t-shirt and a pancake breakfast at the Holland Care Affaire.
In addition, we are again partnering with the EAA Young Eagles to offer free airplane rides for kids 8 to 17.
A parent must be present to give consent.
Same-Day registration for the 5K starts at 8AM
The Run and Pancake Breakfast start at 9AM
Young Eagles registration starts at 9AM
Breakfast will be served until Noon.
Be sure to stop by the Flight Path booth in the hangar and say HELLO!
Salvation Army Day Camp Kids visit the Flight Path group at the West Michigan Regional Airport
Aviation is full of rich history and exciting technology. It opens up a world of wonder and exhilaration, especially for young people. It’s a world that all kids should have the opportunity to explore. The Flight Path group in Holland MI helps to provide that opportunity. Flight Path is a non-profit organization made up of pilots and aviation enthusiasts. They invite students to the West Michigan Regional airport to get an inside look at what it’s like to be a pilot or mechanic or flight line worker. That glimpse became a reality for the 20+ Holland/Zeeland Salvation Army Day Camp youth this summer; an opportunity that made a lasting impression on them!
For most of these campers, ages 5-14, it was the first time they had ever been up close and personal with aircraft. As they were approaching the airport, a corporate jet took off over their heads as if on cue, and the realization of the treat they were in for began to take hold. The back-to-back small group tours that followed added to their excitement; They were able to see, touch and sit-in a Cessna aircraft. They all had a chance to “fly” the Flight Path Red Bird certified flight simulator, the same machine used by the airport’s flight instructors to teach student pilots. Even at this young age, many of the kids showed some real skill in piloting the simulator! Some were very serious about flying smoothly and others just had fun (not smooth!). All of the kids saw and learned things about flying they probably have never experienced before. And right on cue near the end of the sessions, a 1930’s biplane taxied out and took off while all of the children looked on.
The comments from the kids as they unloaded from the vans and returned to camp on Clover Street included “cool!”, “that was fun!”, “amazing!”, “I want to fly”. This was more than just a fun afternoon. Some of these kids will walk away with a new passion and interest that could create a future path toward flight. Others may have been inspired to learn more about related STEM and aviation service fields, giving them the motivation to excel in math and science. Mission accomplished! A huge thanks to Jeff Vos and the entire Flight Path group. AUGUST 2021
For more information about Flight Path and the Flight Night free introduction to aviation program for middle and high school students, go to www.miflightpath.org or the Flight Path Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/MIFlightPath/. Email Flight Path at [email protected]. For more information on the Salvation Army go to Holland Salvation Army
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Telephone 616-368-1985
Hangar - 1581 Washington Ave, Holland, MI 49423
