My passion for aviation started before I understood what “lift” or “drag” meant. As a child, I was mesmerized by how such a heavy aircraft was able to effortlessly lift off the ground, and how the wings were able to so smoothly cut through clouds was mesmerizing, setting the foundation for my interest in aviation.
I started to truly understand the science behind aviation in 2019 when I visited the Aeronautical Sciences Museum at Narita Airport. I sat on the flight deck of an old Douglas DC-8: all the switches, knobs, sensors, and analog altimeters. It was perplexing, but fascinating. From that day, I was eager to learn the science behind flight: lift, thrust, drag, and immaculate engineering behind the creation of aircraft. Whenever I had free time, I would pull open a video from YouTubers “Captain Joe” or “Mentor Pilot” (and still do from time to time), who not only explained the aerodynamics behind flight, but also inspired me to think deeper. I was no longer just captivated—it drew me in. This evolved into a dream: a dream to one day be a captain on the Airbus A350.
Starting the club wasn’t easy. Recruiting students outside of friends was initially difficult—almost impossible. Many younger students were initially hesitant to join due to how technical ‘aviation’
sounded. However, with the help from teachers in the science department, we launched our first official session in early September, and that’s where it all began.
Our club focuses less on theory and more on hands- on, teamworking activities. An example would be our last session, where we asked our members to apply the lift equation to optimize and engineer large, A3- sized paper airplanes. By doing this, this not only gives members a deeper understanding of aviation concepts by demonstrating them in action but also gives all grades an equal opportunity for participation, and builds their confidence, teamworking skills, and problem-solving skills.
Here is what some of our members have to say about our club so far:
I think it’s fascinating to learn how airplanes fly and even though the calculations are a bit tough for me, it’s very interesting and I want to keep learning it Ethan G7B
What I’ve enjoyed most in Aviation Club is learning how planes actually work and how much science and tech go into flying. It’s made me see aviation as more than just traveling. Suji G10B
I am more interested in aircraft fields and wish to learn more about it in the future. I liked the fact that the leaders explain effectively and make the club interesting with games with easy explanations on the way how physics is applied in the real-life world. Avyukta G11B
I’ve really enjoyed the activities as they’ve deepened my understanding of airplane physics and made me appreciate the technology and engineering behind aviation. The hands-on challenges have been the most inspiring part for me. Abhigyan G11B
