The Bob Hoover Academy (BHA), a Salinas, California-based nonprofit founded by Sean D. Tucker and dedicated to empowering at-risk kids through aviation education, is taking its curriculum and career opportunities to new heights thanks to a powerful, dynamic donation led by The Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation.
Tom Siebel, Craig McCaw, and David Leuschen have provided funds for operational support and Carbon Cub airplane kits — one each year over the next three years — to be built by students at the academy. This donation — combined with training, the acclaimed AOPA aviation curriculum, guaranteed job interviews for graduates, and career opportunities from industry partners Cirrus, CubCrafters, and Game Composites — open previously unimagined doors for underserved youths.
Building Aircraft to Reinvest in Kids, Start Careers
The CubCrafters EX-2 aircraft kits will be integrated into the academy’s curriculum, serving as hands-on educational tools to enhance the learning experience and provide practical skills in aviation manufacturing and assembly. Such skills are in high demand, offering high-paid careers upon graduation. The proceeds from the sale of the completed EX-2s will be reinvested in the academy to support the cost of a full-time professional school administrator and other educational programs.
AOPA Curriculum Provides Foundation for Classroom Learning
Beginning this summer, the academy integrated the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) high school aviation curriculum as the backbone of its in-classroom learning. This STEM curriculum, implemented in more than 500 schools and reaching 23,000 students nationwide during the 2022-2023 school year alone, equips students with the knowledge and skills needed for the aviation industry.
Cirrus, CubCrafters, and Game Composites Step Up to Support
Generous industry partners have stepped up to support this unique partnership. Cirrus, with primary locations in Duluth, Minnesota, and Knoxville, Tennessee, has committed to providing post-high school engagement opportunities to BHA graduates, with potential access to real-world experience in the aviation industry and a direct pathway to a career immediately after graduation.
CubCrafters is offering discounted aircraft kits, complete with comprehensive technical support throughout the build process. This support includes factory training in specialty areas such as fabric work. Additionally, CubCrafters will offer guaranteed job interviews for program graduates in various fields, including machining, composites, welding, assembly, fabric work, paint, or services, depending on their areas of interest.
Game Composites, located in Bentonville, Arkansas, is pleased to offer two-week internships with guaranteed job interviews to BHA students. Participants can choose from positions in composite manufacturing, bodywork and paint, or engineering. For those working toward airframe and powerplant (A&P) certification, Game Composites will provide hands-on experience, contributing toward the necessary work hours for qualification.
For more information about the Bob Hoover Academy and its programs, visit MBobHooverAcademy.org.
