Over 1,500 Students Explore Aviation Careers at Van Nuys Airport
(Van Nuys, California – March 20, 2015) A group of 1,500 high school students from regional high schools and 40 exhibitors from the aviation industry participated in the tenth annual The Sky’s the Limit: Aviation Career Day, hosted by MP Aero, Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Los Angeles City Councilmember Nury Martinez, and The Valley Economic Alliance.
Students in attendance were given an airport tour, took part in interactive exhibits, and viewed aircraft displays including a C-130H "Hercules", Condor Squadron’s AT-6, Los Angeles
Fire Department Air Rescue Unit, Los Angeles Sheriff Department and Van Nuys Airport major tenants including Clay Lacy, Helinet Aviation, and North Valley Occupational Center.
"We’ve been participating in this event for ten years, and the great part is getting to see some of the students we’ve talked to at Aviation Career Day become pilots, air traffic controllers, and mechanics," said Jeanne Fenimore of San Fernando Valley Ninety-Nines, adding "There is a big need for young people in aviation, especially women, and this event allows students to learn about careers that they might not normally be exposed to." Stefani Guzman, a 12 th grade student at Polytechnic High School, saw the event as eye-opening for both her and her peers. "I was surprised at how my interest in computer science is very applicable to aviation. It was exciting to see how many of the exhibitors have opportunities that fit my background."
About Van Nuys Airport:
VNY is one of three airports owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a self-supporting branch of the City of Los Angeles, governed by a seven-member Board of Airport Commissioners who are appointed by the mayor and approved by the Los Angeles City Council.One of the world's busiest general aviation airports, VNY serves as a valued San Fernando Valley resource, providing ongoing leadership in general aviation, business and community service. Dedicated to noncommercial air travel, VNY had over 232,000 operations in
2014. More than 100 businesses are located on the 730-acre airport, including four major fixed- base operators and numerous aviation service companies.
Annually, the airport contributes approximately $1.3 billion to the Southern California economy and supports over 12,000 jobs. In addition, VNY provides programs to benefit local residents, along with educational initiatives and aviation-related career and training opportunities. For more information, visit
lawa.org/vny , like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/VNYOfficial, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/VanNuysAirport and Instagram at instagram.com/vannuysairport.