Boston Logan International Airport Hosts Annual Aviation Education Career Expo
More than 1400 students from 32 Greater Boston Schools Connect with Aviation

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today hosted the 2009 Aviation and Transportation Education Expo at Boston Logan International Airport. The Expo is a dynamic educational event where representatives from industry, government and academia introduced more than 1400 students and educators from 32 Greater Boston area schools to the opportunities and experiences offered by the aviation transportation community.

More than 40 static displays and information booths representing various aspects of the aviation and transportation industries served as the backdrop for the event along with 11 aircraft and various airport operations vehicles. The Expo started over 15 years ago as a collaborative effort sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Massport.

Participating for the first time at the Aviation Expo was Terrafugia, Inc., a Massachusetts based company that designed and constructed the Transition® Roadable Aircraft, often referred to as a “flying car”. The Transition® is a two-seat aircraft designed to take off and land at a local airport and drive on any road transforming from plane to car in less than 30 seconds.

“Our goal with the Expo was to get students thinking about careers in aviation and transportation,” said Massport Director of Aviation Edward C. Freni. “The Expo was a multi-faceted event that brought together students from the Greater Boston area to hear from aviation professionals about the many opportunities and experiences offered by the aviation transportation community.”

This year’s theme centered on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education program. STEM is a national educational curriculum that promotes an understanding of scientific and mathematical principles, a working knowledge of computer hardware and software, and problem solving skills. The most recent 10 year employment projections by the U.S. Labor Department show that of the 20 fastest growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant mathematics or science preparation to successfully compete for a job.

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