Our Crowdfunding Groups
Thank you to everyone who made a gift to this project! While this round of weR Gold closed June 30, you may still support students with your gift by visiting the Rensselaer Giving website.
“My son is a CS major who’s always wanted to be a pilot, but the costs of classes made it seem impossible. Now with your club he’s one step closer to that dream.” - Parent of a club member
The Mission
The purpose of the RPI Flying Club is to introduce and promote aviation education to the entire RPI community. This is accomplished through a variety of methods, including aviation-related trips, ground school, presentations, and club-hosted speakers. Ground School is a program that the Flying Club hosts annually that's open to every member of the RPI community. No prior knowledge or experience is needed to participate.
This class teaches students the skills needed to pass the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) private pilot written exam, which will be administered at the end of the course. These skills include the basic dynamics of flight, how to read a sectional chart, how to read flight instruments, and more. Passing this exam is one of the requirements necessary if you wish to earn a private pilot's license. The class does not provide any flight hours or time in a plane. This class is not an RPI official class and does not provide credits.
What You're Supporting
A donation will help completely cover the expenses of both the the Ground School class, and the fees to take the FAA exam (around $195-$215).
Students from all majors and backgrounds may have a desire to learn more about the science and wonder of aviation, but may be unable to explore that interest due to schedule conflicts or unaffordable expenses. Donating to this project will help make the course free and available to everyone.
