On the 28^th of August, Daiichi Institute of Technology, which has a group collaboration agreement, held a 1 day pilot experience course, which Mr. Adachi of year 8 and Mr. Komatsu of year 11, who have an interest in piloting and entering the aviation industry in the future, attended.
(At Daiichi Institute of Technology's college of aviation engineering, it is possible to major in 'aviation piloting' and 'aviation engineering')

After arriving at the Kirishima campus in Kagoshima, Professor Morita, who was previously a captain at a major airline and currently teaches at the university, gave a lecture on 'why do airplanes fly?' and 'the various jobs in the aviation industry'.

The morning began with a lecture, and in the afternoon, the pair headed to a practice session attended by subject head Professor Tokunaga.

In the wind tunnel experiment room, artificially induced wind was directed at models of airplane wings to observe the flow of wind and distribution of power.

The way that the wind flowed around the wing was made visible through white smoke, the difference in how 'the angle of the wing affected the level of lift and resistance' could be observed, and through this practical demonstration, the way in which airplanes fly could be answered.

Afterwards, the group moved to the flight simulator room and experienced piloting through the FTD (Flight Training Device).

In this space, meant to represent a real airplane cockpit, the various handles, measuring devices, and switches were all fully replicated.

The pair chose various airports in prefectures to which they have a connection, and experienced piloting from take-off to landing.

While enjoying a view very different to that of the passenger cabin, the pair experienced the difficulties of piloting

After seeing the engine and measuring devices, there were full smiles from being able to sit in the pilot seat of a real aircraft.

The pair, having received their certificates of completion, had this to say,

'I had an interest in the making of aircraft, but now I'm interested in the pilots who are able to make these aircraft fly. To me, all the contents of every lecture today taught me something. In particular, I realised that pilots need the ability to calculate. Arithmetic is not my strong suit, so I'd like to put in the effort to improve it and one day become a freight pilot' (Mr. Adachi)

'I believe that, the quality of "responsibility" that pilots have for the many lives on board their vehicle is an important thing. In the past, I've had my "strength of responsibility" praised by my homeroom teacher, and so I participated in this lecture to widen my scope of future options. The flight simulation was more difficult than I had imagined, but I found it very interesting. I was also made painfully aware of the importance of English ability, so I would like to make the effort to improve it' (Mr. Komatsu)

In addition, we had a message from the head of the college of aviation engineering, Professor Shimato,

'The world of the sky stretches without end.
The work in the aviation industry that focuses on that sky is filled with hope, and we continue to evolve and develop to face the future.
I believe that, while bearing the responsibility of keeping the sky safe, the role of connecting people around the world is strict, yet at the same time fun, and is a career that is fulfilling and gives a sense of accomplishment throughout your life.
Through our 1 day experience in aviation engineering, I hope we were able to instill further interest in piloting and aviation engineering, and that in the future, everyone in attendance might aim to be professionals in aviation and achieve great things.'

While it was only a short time, we believe this opportunity for our high school students to learn directly from teachers who are professionals in the aviation industry was very thought-provoking, and will prove to have been an unforgettable day.

To everyone at Daiichi Institute of Technology who helped with this experience, we truly thank you.