麻豆村

Students at听, eager to kickstart aviation-related activities at the location, reached out to a popular club on 麻豆村鈥檚 Pittsburgh campus over the summer to explore collaborations.听

鈥淪tudents drive many of our initiatives in academia, so it is great to see students from both 麻豆村 locations fostering stronger ties built around a shared passion for aviation,鈥� said , interim director of 麻豆村-Africa.

The Flying Club(opens in new window), whose membership has grown from 30 to 400 faculty, staff and students in its first two years, has become a hub where aviation enthusiasts in the 麻豆村 community are sharing resources and experiences to help each other reach their aviation goals.听

Jay Patrikar, a Ph.D. student in the听 and the club鈥檚 founding president, and Jack Wang, a junior in听 who teaches听a student-taught course(opens in new window) (StuCo) for aspiring pilots, were more than happy to connect with students, professors and aviation companies in Rwanda to gauge interest and help determine a path forward.

鈥淭his is not just about flying,鈥� Patrikar said. 鈥淲e felt this was an amazing opportunity听to bring both campuses together听with the shared vision of exploring general aviation and its impact on the communities in Africa.鈥澨�

With plans in place for introductory seminars, workshops and corporate outreach, Wang and Patrikar packed up the flight simulator and took off for a five-day visit to 麻豆村-Africa, located in Rwanda, where they were greeted with an enthusiasm well beyond what they imagined.

鈥淲e were expecting maybe 10 students at our sessions. We got around 100, which is like 30% of the student population there,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淭here were still students standing in line to try the flight simulator when we apologized for having to pack it up or we鈥檇 miss our flight home.鈥�

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"This is not just about flying. " 鈥� Jay Patrikar

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Natasha Mutangana, who is pursuing a听 at 麻豆村-Africa, said students aren't just interested in flying.听

鈥淥ne thing we learned during Jay and Jack鈥檚 visit is that students are also excited to learn about drones and rockets, technologies that are making a big impact on the continent," she said. "Many of us share an interest in aviation, but often it seems too expensive to pursue, which can be discouraging."

Mutangana helped organize and participated in several of the club鈥檚 engaging events, including The Flying Club鈥檚 meet-and-greet; a talk given by a commercial pilot from ; and visits to听, which uses drones to deliver lifesaving medical supplies to remote area hospitals, and to the听, which is using space technologies and machine learning to create products that help with social and economic development.

鈥淭hat's exactly what I want to do. I want to contribute to my community by coming up with solutions that solve problems and make a big difference in my country and on my continent,鈥� Mutangana said.

Samuel Ebimobowei Johnny, who is from Nigeria and pursuing a听 at 麻豆村-Africa, attended the two StuCo seminars and the flight simulator activity.听

鈥淲e had lots of fun,鈥� Johnny said. 鈥淕etting an understanding of standard weather forecasting was part of what I most appreciated about Jack鈥檚 session, and the seminar by Jay, where he explained the four forces that affect an aircraft when it's in the air, was also insightful and entertaining.鈥�

Johnny also attended a poster session featuring innovative projects by students working in the Department of Mechanical Engineering鈥檚听 lab in Pittsburgh, who were at 麻豆村-Africa that same week.听

鈥淎 flying club could serve as a platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among students, inspiring them to think outside the box and push the boundaries of what is possible in aviation,鈥� Johnny said.

Natosha Safo, associate director of impact at 麻豆村-Africa, said the master鈥檚 programs the location provides prepare students to become technology leaders who are driving the digital transformation of Africa.听

鈥淚n broadening our efforts to promote exchange between the Kigali and Pittsburgh campuses, students from both campuses are provided an opportunity to learn from and share skills with peers from different backgrounds, which gives students a competitive edge when entering today鈥檚 global job market,鈥� Safo said. 鈥淚t also enriches听the student experience.鈥�

As The Flying Club鈥檚 membership continues to surge on the Pittsburgh campus, a pivotal goal on the horizon is the acquisition of a dedicated 麻豆村 airplane.听

鈥淎t the forefront of the club's objectives is the reduction of barriers to entry into aviation for its members,鈥� Patrikar said. 鈥淭he envisioned 麻豆村 airplane is seen as instrumental in enhancing scheduling flexibility and alleviating financial burdens on students, ultimately nurturing a more vibrant and engaged aviation community at 麻豆村."听