For Immediate Release
July 1, 2019
Contact:
Frederick Badlissi
(424) 646-5260
(Los Angeles, CA) – Los Angeles International Airport's (LAX's) annual Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy concluded last week, after sharing more than 150 aviation-related career paths with 35 middle and high school students. The program showcases opportunities in the aviation industry through hands-on presentations and field trips led by industry professionals and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) staff.
"For many LAX ACE Academy students, this is the first time they learn that aviation career opportunities are within their reach, and how far those careers can take them," said Michelle Schwartz, Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs, LAWA. "Together with our program partners, we are creating lasting impressions about aviation that can propel young minds into future careers in this dynamic industry.”
The LAX ACE Academy exposes students to a variety of positions and offices at LAX and Van Nuys general aviation airport. From airport operations to information technology, and from commercial flight to aircraft fire rescue, students get an up-close and personal look at how these varied jobs are done, as well as how they fit into the aviation industry. Experts answer detailed questions from students and offer one-on-one guidance for those interested in a particular field.
The program's first week, which was for students in grades 8 through 10, started on June 17 and concluded on June 22. The program's second week, which was for students in grades 10 to 12, began on June 24 and concluded on June 28.
Field trip destinations included Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control towers, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Spartan College of Aeronautics, and Air Force One Discovery at the Ronald Regan Presidential Library. Alumni of the program, which is in its 20th year, have gone on to become commercial pilots and attend West Point, among other aviation-related career paths.
This year, 20 middle school students came from schools including Orville Wright Middle School STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Magnet and Children of Promise Schools. This year also included 15 high school students, from schools as close to LAX as Westchester Enriched Science Magnet and Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, and from other schools from as far away as Hemet and Santa Clara. Students who registered for the program were selected on the basis of prior aviation interest or by a teacher's or counselor's recommendation.
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX, the fourth-busiest airport in the world and second busiest in the United States, was named a top-10 U.S. airport by SKYTRAX. LAX served more than 87.5 million passengers in 2018 and offers an average of 700 daily nonstop flights to 109 cities in the U.S. and 1,281 weekly nonstop flights to 93 markets in 47 countries on 69 commercial airlines. LAX ranks 10th in the world in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.4 million tons of air cargo. LAX handled 707,883 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2018.
LAX generated 620,600 jobs in Southern California, with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion, according to an economic study based on 2014 operations. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion; $966 million in state and local taxes; and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.
LAX was honored as having the “Best Overall Customer Service Program” by Airports Council International-North America; named the “Best Airport for Breastfeeding Moms” by Mamava; selected for the Top 10 “Best of the U.S.’s Big Airports” (Wall Street Journal) and “Most Pet-Friendly Airports in the U.S. (Mental Floss); named the second-most improved airport in the U.S. by JD Power; received an “Innovation Award” from the L.A. Better Business Challenge for its Central Utility Plant; and named a “Business Leader in Air Quality” by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
LAX is also the second-most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram, according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
