OWENSBORO, Ky. — He still has time to figure things out, but Elijah Davis is more sure than most high school sophomores about the path he wants to take.
“I, for one, plan on being an aerospace engineer.” Davis said. “Coming here, meeting pilots and experiencing all the aeronautics themselves is really good training for me.”
When an email went out to students at Apollo High School about an opportunity to visit MidAmerica Jet for the Owensboro Air Show STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) day, it was an easy “yes” for Davis. The air show partnered with local high schools to give students a hands-on look at careers in aerospace, from piloting to engineering.
“I remember sitting down multiple times on my couch watching a documentary about Boeing on Netflix over and over again, just because it always fascinated me learning about the black box, the 747 MAX, the MCAS system, all that,” Davis said.
The event gave students a feel for a career in aviation by hearing from pilots, flight engineers and air traffic controllers about what the field offers and how to get involved.
“Just like any career, we need to have turnovers in the career and get some young folks going into it,” said Tim Ross, Owensboro director of public events. “Aviation is no different ... I feel like with a lot of students, [it] almost seems unattainable because aircraft are super expensive, and it seems really challenging. How would you even go about getting a license to be a pilot?”
Staff Sgt. Matt Ford of the C/5-159 GSAB Bourbon Dustoff said it is challenging but also attainable for anyone who wants it.
“I love coming out here and talking to these kids, especially the ones that are really interested,” Ford said. “I didn’t have that, and I wish somebody would’ve helped guide me along or someone that I could’ve asked questions to. I love being a resource like that for them.”
Ford rides in the back of an HA60 Mike Black Hawk as a 68 Whiskey Foxtrot 2 flight paramedic, a career he sought after learning he had a love of medicine.
“I knew that I wanted to be a flight paramedic because there’re levels to EMT, basic, advanced paramedic and then flight paramedic,” Ford said. “Not only is there more knowledge with those, but there’s also more skill set, and I wanted to be the peak of pre-hospital care.”
Davis was soaking it all in, knowing the wealth of knowledge available to him will serve him well.
“They know more,” he said. “They’ve been here longer. I can definitely learn something from that.”
“If I become an aerospace engineer, I get to help build the future of America. I could be building the next fighter pilot that could be used by a great aviator in the Navy or I could help build the next Medic Black Hawk that can help save lives.”“If I become an aerospace engineer, I get to help build the future of America. I could be building the next fighter pilot that could be used by a great aviator in the Navy or I could help build the next Medic Black Hawk that can help save lives.”
The Owensboro Air Show is taking 2025 off, but preparations are already underway for the next show in 2026, which will bring back the Air Force Thunderbirds team. Ross said more announcements about the show will be made soon.
