"Education is the ability to meet life’s situations"

Dr. John G. Hibben, former President of Princeton University

Welcome to Minnesota's Aviation Career Education Camp, a week-long camp held each summer that connects students with the opportunity to explore a wide variety of aviation careers through hands on projects, tours and flight experience.

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Education

Every hour in the air is preceded by hours of theory on the ground. Students will be exposed to their first lessons on a variety of topics that include physics, aircraft systems, airline operations, air traffic control and aerodynamics. The time spent in the classroom leads to a well-rounded aviation professional. 

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Flights

During ACE camp, students will log their first flight hours with FAA Certified Flight Instructors. Students will pilot a single-engine aircraft, gliders, helicopters and two full-motion airline simulators. Some years students have had the opportunity to ride along with the Air Force Reserve in their C-130 Hercules transport aircraft!

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Tours 

With more than 40 tours and speakers throughout the week there is something special for every interest. Whether becoming a pilot, air traffic controller, maintenance technician, drone operator, aerospace engineer or one of the thousands of career paths aviation offers we have what you're looking for.   

 

Minnesota AViation Career Education Camp
 

Minnesota Aviation Career Education Camp was founded in 1991 by Minnesota's Department of Transportation (MN DOT) in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to promote aviation education at a critical point in student's career selection process - entry into 10th, 11th and 12th grades. In its infancy Minnesota ACE Camp's founders saw the opportunities and career paths created by the ever changing dynamics and demand of the industry, but they also saw the challenges in presenting viable careers and the educational paths required to obtain them to students. The idea for an interactive, hands-on approach to aviation education was brought to life. We dared to dream and because we did each summer 60 students take part in this week-long, residential camp that offers the most exclusive access to all things aviation. Our mission is to help our students realize their dreams by making their ideas tangible and set forth a plan for each student through guided mentorship. 

Minnesota's Aviation Career Education Camp is one of the most successful and recognized ACE camps in the entire country thanks to the support of the local aviation community and the countless volunteer hours and generous staff. Aviation is a vital part of our country's commerce and supports thousands of dependent industries. Aviation outreach and education is one of the most impactful ways that we can attract new talent and ideas for the exciting future that lies ahead and provide support for the beginnings of those careers who will write that history. 

Watching our ACE Camp Family grow is the best! The energy that we all feel when we are together championing each other and celebrating each other's successes is electric. In our 27 year history we have graduated hundreds of students, many of whom are now also industry professionals and our current counselors & volunteers. We are proud to be adding to our ACE Camp Family every year!

"A mile of highway will take you a mile down the road, a mile of runway will take you anywhere in the world"  

 

During the course of our week students receive a full-access pass to Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan's aviation community - small group visits with Delta Air Line's 'Below the Wing' tour where students get to shadow employees on the ramp during a working flight, preauthorized visits to Minneapolis Air Traffic Control Tower, 'A Day in the Life' experience at an airline's flight attendant training facility and of course piloting their own aircraft all with FAA Certified Flight Instructors in gliders, helicopters, general aviation training aircraft, a special full-motion airline simulator time slot and much, much more. Please see our example schedule for the complete list of previous year's camp activities. All meals and accommodations are included in tuition for the camp. This includes three meals, plus snacks and single-occupancy hotel rooms on the Air National Guard Base at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.