Civil Air Patrol is responsible for educating its members and the public on the important role aviation, space, cyber, and STEM play in America’s future.

The aerospace education program serves adults and youth in kindergarten through 12th grades, reaching more than 500,000 youth each year with hands-on aerospace/STEM lessons and materials. The program offers an engaging, standards-based curriculum designed to promote interest in STEM-related careers. This includes a STEM Kit Program, K-6 STEM Program, teacher orientations flights, and hundreds of engaging lessons in more than 40 curriculum products.

STEM Kits

More than 20 STEM Kits are available to our CAP units and to teachers who are CAP aerospace education members for use in instructing on a variety of age-appropriate topics like astronomy, hydraulics, robotics, navigation, renewable energy, electronics, drones, rocketry, flight simulation, and more. Approximately 80% of students who use the kits say they become more interested in aerospace, aviation, and related STEM careers.

Squadron aerospace education officers oversee the aerospace education portion of cadet and adult member programs. Aerospace education officers facilitate discussions about current events in aerospace, ensure cadet orientation flights are taking place, and work with the unit activities officer to plan activities for cadets and senior members. These activities vary widely and may include building model rockets, competing in Civil Air Patrol’s High-Altitude Balloon Challenge, and participating in online meetings with astronauts, military pilots, and scientists.

These programs and products are offered free to CAP’s aerospace education members, who teach in both formal and informal settings, including home-schooling. Schools, museums, libraries, and youth organizations can take advantage of this program.

Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE)

ACE is an aerospace-themed program for educators in grade K-6 who are CAP aerospace education members. This program provides engaging and meaningful cross-curricular aerospace-themed lessons that support STEM initiatives and enrich the school curricula. Additionally, many lessons promote good character and physical fitness, which are components of CAP's Cadet Program. Thus, the ACE program is a great introduction to CAP, especially for youth who may be interested in learning more about aviation and possibly becoming members of the cadet program for youth ages 12-18.   

Teacher Orientation Program Flights (TOP Flight)

One of the most exciting benefits of being a Civil Air Patrol aerospace education member is the opportunity to experience the thrill and science of flight in a CAP aircraft with an experienced CAP pilot at a local airport. 

This exhilarating program includes a preflight briefing and allows the teacher to take the controls if desired. If possible, the pilot can design the flight plan to fly over the school with students watching from the ground. The teacher or principal can speak to the students on the ground via cellphone to ground speaker. 

Taking videos and/or photos to share the experience with students or even livestreaming this flight will excite youth and generate greater interest in STEM subjects using the aviation theme. 

Civil Air Patrol focuses its Aerospace Education efforts in two primary areas: external education and internal education.  External education engages with members of the public.  Through these efforts CAP:

• Informs the general public about aviation and space activities.
• Has supported thousands of AE workshops for teachers at colleges and universities around the country for over 40 years.
• Maintains close working relationships with local education agencies and several national organizations such as the FAA, NASA and the Air Force Association to facilitate aerospace education in our schools.
• Plans and co-sponsors the annual National Congress on Aviation and Space Education, held in different cities around the country. NCASE is the national convention for aerospace educators.
• CAP’s internal aerospace education program focuses on CAP’s own members.  This program focuses on:
• Educating CAP cadets and senior members on aviation and space activities.
• Supporting cadet and senior members by providing trips to conventions, airports, military bases, the Kennedy Space Center, and other related places of aerospace interest.

More about Aerospace Education- National Headquarters link

Civil Air Patrol offers many opportunities to learn about the world of aerospace, from classroom learning to hands on flying experience.

Orientation Flights

Civil Air Patrol offers all cadets age 18 and under, 5 orientation flights in powered aircraft and gliders. An orientation flight is exactly what it sounds like-- an hour of in the air learning to flying the aircraft! In addition to the five free orientation lessons, all cadets are offered unlimited backseat flights in powered aircraft! 

Last updated 9/18/24