Nearly 30 collegiate aviators are still on cloud nine after taking a tour last week of United Airlines’ Flight Operations in Chicago. Organized by ALPA’s Education Committee, the tour enabled aviation students from Lewis University and Parks College to put their classroom knowledge to the test and gain insight into airline operations.

Led by Education Committee volunteers Capt. Marco Canetta (TSA), F/O Thomas Fogarty (ENY), and Capt. Andrew Ross (ENY), students toured the downtown Network Operations Center in Willis Tower where they saw the inner workings of United Airlines—from crew schedulers and load planners to dispatchers and maintenance controllers. That afternoon, they toured the operations center at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and took in the view from the ramp tower overlooking all the United gates. The highlight, however, was when they toured the flight deck of a Boeing 767 and spoke with a retired 777 captain. Thanks, United!

Working under ALPA's Professional Development Group umbrella, the Education Committee promotes the piloting profession, mentors aspiring aviators, and prepares future generations of pilots to join the ranks of our members.