The Gulf Shores City Schools Aviation Academy has received a generous gift this week to enhance the program's flight training. School Superintendent, Dr. Matt Akin, celebrated the donation of a 2016 TL Sting S4, a composite, two-seat aircraft.

The aircraft was donated by Vince and Lynn Boothe, former employers of GSHS aviation teacher, Haley Kellogg, and previous owners of Saltair, an FBO and flight school located at Gulf Shores Airport.

Kellogg shared, “At Saltair, we trained military officers in the IFS (initial flight screening) program. Most candidates came in with no pilot experience. We instructed them until they could fly up to the standards of a private pilot, and then they would solo the aircraft. After that, they moved on to the military’s flight training program. In 2016, the Boothes purchased two Sting S4s to use within the IFS program and for civilian flight training. I enjoyed instructing in them due to the exceptional cockpit visibility and more modern avionics. This very generous aircraft donation adds a tremendous

advantage to what we will be able to offer to students interested in pursuing careers as professional pilots. We are incredibly lucky to have so much community support and involvement.” Dr. Matt Akin, Superintendent of GSCS, added, "The generous gift of the Sting S4 aircraft from Mr. and Mrs. Boothe will allow us to expand our aviation program so that we can offer flight lessons to our high school students. There is only a small number of schools across the country who provide students that opportunity and we will be very fortunate to be able to do so.”

The GSCS Aviation Academy offers hands-on learning experiences that foster students’ ability to connect academic content to a real-world context, and ongoing partnerships offer opportunities for exploration and discovery of real-world STEAM problem solving in action on the Gulf Coast.

Students, faculty, and mentors were on site Tuesday as the aircraft was revealed.