Local students take flight to learn about aviation careers

Published on August 08, 2025

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - This week, 27 local students learned about careers in the aviation industry during the Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy hosted by the Fayetteville Regional Airport.

On Aug. 4–5, students participated in a hands-on, two-day program designed to introduce them to the exciting world of aviation and aerospace. This immersive academy offered local youth the opportunity to explore careers in aviation through interactive workshops, aircraft demonstrations and mentorship from professionals in the industry such as Civil Air Patrol, NASA, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

One particularly enthusiastic participant, with dreams of becoming a pilot, was 11-year-old Eydin Yarborough, a rising sixth-grader at Flaming Sword Christian Academy, who said she “loved ACE”.

From watching airplanes in the sky to putting together model planes to flying drones in her neighborhood, Yarborough has always found the aviation industry exciting and amusing.

During the program, she gained a deeper understanding about air traffic tower operations and developed an interest in a possible career as an air traffic controller. Although this wasn't her first time flying, it was her first experience in a single-engine aircraft during the discovery flight. Last year, Yarborough participated in a ground pilot program at Duke University and has been selected to be a participant in the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program with the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary this September.

“We were honored to host the ACE Academy here at Fayetteville for the fourth time,” said Andrew LaGala, Director of Fayetteville Regional Airport. “This program is about more than aviation—it’s about expanding horizons, building confidence and helping students see themselves in careers they may never have considered. As a city with deep military and aviation roots, we believe Fayetteville is the perfect place for this opportunity.”

The program is aimed at inspiring the next generation of pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers, airport managers and more. ACE is made possible through the Aviation Career Education grant through the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

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