Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum

EDUCATE AND INSPIRE PEOPLE ABOUT AVIATION AND SPACE ENDEAVORS OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES AIR & SPACE MUSEUM IS A PUBLIC MUSEUM THAT DISPLAYS NUMEROUS AIRCRAFT AND OTHER AIR AND SPACE COLLECTIONS. THE MUSEUM'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE IS TO ENHANCE, PRESERVE, AND EXHIBIT THE HERITAGE OF MILITARY, CIVIL, AND COMMERCIAL AVIATION AND SPACE-AGE INVOLVEMENT IN THE STATE OF COLORADO AND THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION WHILE EDUCATING AND INSPIRING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ABOUT AVIATION AND SPACE ENDEAVORS IN THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. THE COLLECTION HOUSED BY THE MUSEUM INCLUDES AIRCRAFT FROM THE EARLIEST DAYS OF FLIGHT TO THE SPACE AGE. AN INTERACTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM CHALLENGES, YOUTH TO EXPLORE THE ADVENTURE OF FLIGHT. WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES WAS DESIGNATED AS COLORADO'S OFFICIAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM BY THE COLORADO STATE LEGISLATURE IN 1996.

WINGS AEROSPACE PATHWAYS (WAP) IS A WEEKLY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INTERESTED IN AVIATION AND AEROSPACE. IN 2021, 62 STUDENTS MET WEEKLY TO PARTICIPATE IN A HANDS-ON EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING PROGRAM WITH AN AEROSPACE FOCUS. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES AND EARN INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS. WINGS PROVIDES INCREDIBLE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES WITH EVERYTHING FROM BUILDING AN EXPERIMENTAL FAA CERTIFIED RV-12 AIRCRAFT TO DESIGNING AND BUILDING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (UAV) SUCH AS RADIO-CONTROLLED AIRCRAFT, DRONES AND HELICOPTERS. WAP STUDENTS INTERACT WITH MENTORS ACROSS THE AVIATION AND AEROSPACE COMMUNITIES ON A REGULAR BASIS TO INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE OUR FUTURE ENGINEERS, ASTRONAUTS, PILOTS, ROCKET SCIENTISTS, MECHANICS AND MORE.

THE SPREADING THE WINGS TEACHER FLIGHT PROGRAM: WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM INVITES COLORADO TEACHERS TO TAKE A FREE FLIGHT WITH THE SPREADING THE WINGS TEACHER FLIGHT PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM, FUNDED BY THE RAY FOUNDATION, OFFERS COLORADO STEM TEACHERS FROM EVERY ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN COLORADO WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A 30 MINUTE FLIGHT IN A VARIETY OF SMALL 2 OR 4 SEAT PISTON PROP AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING A VINTAGE T-34 MILITARY TRAINING AIRCRAFT. IN ADDITION TO ENJOYING THE FREEDOM AND INSPIRATION OF FLIGHT, TEACHERS BECOME THE SPREADING THE WINGS COORDINATORS FOR THE MUSEUM AND GAIN AVIATION RESOURCES AND CURRICULUM TO SHARE WITH THEIR STUDENTS IN VIRTUALLY ALL STEM SUBJECT AREAS. THE TEACHERS BECOME AN IMPORTANT CONDUIT FOR SHARING WINGS' PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS STEM EDUCATION BY HELPING TO INTRODUCE AND ENGAGE STUDENTS IN IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING CONCEPTS, AS WELL AS ALLOWING STUDENTS TO EXPLORE AND LEARN ABOUT EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN AVIATION AND AEROSPACE. IN 2021, OVER 30 COLORADO TEACHERS TOOK FLIGHT WITHIN THE WINGS TEACHER FLIGHT PROGRAM.

THE "SPREADING WINGS" SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: THIS REPRESENTS A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE RAY FOUNDATION THAT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE AVIATION EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES WITH LOW-TO-ZERO FINANCIAL BARRIERS, ALLOWING YOUTH OF ANY CIRCUMSTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN AEROSPACE EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES. THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE INTEREST AND POTENTIAL IN PILOT TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL AEROSPACE CAREERS AMONG A MOTIVATED SELECTION OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN 2021, WINGS AWARDED 28 NEW FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS AND HAD 17 TOTAL STUDENTS EARN THEIR PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE AND ANOTHER 22 ACHIEVE THEIR SOLO FLIGHT CERTIFICATE. THE OPTIMIZED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES PROVIDES PILOT TRAINING TO SOLO AND BEYOND, INCLUDING THE INTRODUCTION TO A WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONAL AEROSPACE CAREERS.