Eastern Slope Aviation Academy plans July Opening - Eastern Slope Aviation Academy

Press Release | March 16, 2021

The Board of Directors of the Eastern Slope Aviation Academy, located at the Eastern Slope Airport in Fryeburg, Maine, plan to open membership in the academy to the general public on July 3, 2021at an event to be held at the Airport. Public membership will help us fulfill our mission to provide an introduction to careers in aviation to people of the Mount Washington Valley and Western Maine.

Offering membership to the general public is a way of reaching more potential aviation students who might be further along in their career aspirations or those who simply want to take flight. We have a Cessna aircraft that will be available for training, and we’re planning to add additional aircraft to our training fleet as funding is secured. Instruction will be given by one of several local Certified Flight Instructors, CFIs, who have expressed interest in teaching our students. We also are working with our local FAA Flight Standards Office assure full compliance with applicable FAA regulations.

To date the Aviation Academy focus has been on providing an introduction to aviation to STEM Aviation students at the Mount Washington Valley Career Technical Center through the use of the Academy’s Redbird flight simulator, which will also be available to general members. A similar introduction is being provided to fourteen Fryeburg Academy students during May Term.

“There is a great deal of local interest in flying and careers in aviation”, says Ed Bergeron, president of the Aviation Academy. “Every week or so I get an inquiry from someone who is interested in learning to fly or who started flying years ago and is interested in finishing their license. There also are a few licensed “rusty pilots” who would like to get current and start flying again and we are introducing a program to address that need.”

In addition to affordable flight training (including ground school) the Academy has secured (through a generous donation) a 1917 Grumman aircraft, which will be used by those interested in aviation mechanics and avionics. This plane will be completely rebuilt over a period of 2 – 4 years by interested young people under the direction of a licensed aircraft mechanic. A fund raising project has begun to finance the rebuild and a Go Fund Me page will be established.

The Aviation Academy also plans to provide speakers and regular programs for those interested in careers such as air traffic control, business of aviation, military careers in aviation, drones, ultra-lights and aviation engineering. Programs on aviation weather and mountain flying are also being considered as well as other events like pancake breakfasts and a Fall Foliage fly-in.

The Eastern Slope Aviation Academy is a 501(c)3 nonprofit who’s operation depends on volunteers, grants and donations. To make a donation or learn more about the Aviation Academy contact Ed Bergeron, president at [email protected] or 603-387-5883.