Amazing Aviation Fair at George T. Baker College

George T. Baker Aviation Technical College is currently preparing approximately 1,000 high school and adult students for careers in aviation.  For high school students, they offer instruction in aerospace technology, electronics, avionics and aircraft maintenance (airframe and powerplant).  For adult students, they offer instruction in electronics, avionics, and aircraft maintenance (airframe and powerplant).  Both high school and adult students, upon completion of their respective course of study, may receive certificates issued from the NCATT, FCC, and FAA.  Baker Aviation is one of only two schools in Florida to be accredited by the NCATT and the only school in the country to offer NCATT accredited courses to high school students.

George T. Baker Aviation Technical College employs FAA, NCATT, and FCC licensed technicians with extensive aviation backgrounds who are certified for teaching by the State of Florida. Baker Aviation only employs certified FAA test examiners who administer oral, practical and written examinations on-site. Additionally, Baker Aviation articulates locally and nationally with colleges and universities offering a degree in aviation-related areas.

Aviation Fair

On Saturday, February 5, 2022, Baker Aviation hosted its annual aviation fair to the public.  Hundreds of people showed up to tour the wonderful facility, meet with the staff, talk to vendors, and check out lots of cool aircraft and machinery.

I headed out to the aviation fair with my 10 year old son, Sebastian, who loves to machinery, aviation, and turtles.  (Yeah, they’re not all related.). We were expecting to see some plane parts and maybe get a chance to try a simulator.

To our surprise, they had way much more than just a couple of planes and some parts.  They have a ton of aircraft including helicopters, propeller planes, and jet planes.  Plus, they have lots of engines including propeller engines and jet engines of various types and sizes.

Not only were we surprised to see so many different types of aircraft on the grounds, but they let you get into many of them.  Sebastian was definitely thrilled to hop in the pilot’s seat of a commercial passenger jet.

And he was surprised when they let him get into a helicopter.  Control sticks, foot petals, switches, and gauges.  Boy, there’s a lot to understand when piloting an aircraft.

Lots of Planes

And did we mention they had a ton of planes to check out?

Baker Aviation has a wonderful mix of aircraft to allow their high school and adult students take apart and put back together.

They had cool experimental, high speed, propeller planes.

And they had some of the popular small aircraft models you’ll find throughout the world.

In other words, Baker Aviation has the real world planes to prepare their students for the real world jobs.

Technical Machinery

My son loved the aircraft, but he also loves high tech machinery and manufacturing.  So he loved it when he was able to get into the machine shop and see how some of the equipment works.  For example, this heavy duty machinery has a custom computer controlled drill press (worth about $30,000 according to the staff member).  They showed us how the press uses three axises to create a custom name plate in mere seconds.  Pretty cool.

Of course, Sebastian couldn’t help but put his hands to use and start hammering and shaping some sheetmetal.

Of course, now he wants his own warehouse in Medley to house all this cool machinery.

The lesson here is that big machinery, like aircraft, requires big machines to maintain and repair them.

And the complex machinery needs experts that are well trained in operating and maintaining this equipment.

History of George T. Baker Aviation

The aviation program was started in 1939 at Miami Senior High School. In 1942 the program moved into the unfinished Roosevelt Hotel.  In 1943 the building became known as the Technical High School and several other programs moved into the facility. In 1947 the building was renamed the Lindsey Hopkins Education Center. Classes were held there until 1958 when the aviation program moved into its present quarters adjacent to Miami International Airport. In 1961 the building was dedicated as George T. Baker Aviation Maintenance Technician School to honor Mr. Baker who, until his death, had been president of National Airlines, and had donated the land to the School Board of Miami-Dade County.