Year 9 student Nathan Gaetke, son of Koorda Primary School principal Fiona Gaetke, studies at Kent Street Senior High School in Perth and was part of a group of students from the school who flew to Koorda to address students about a career in flying.

Nathan, Miles Marche and Lex Candy travelled with aviation teacher Nigel Bednall on Thursday and spoke to the Koorda students on Friday morning.

After hearing from the Kent Street students about their studies, the Koorda students were bussed to the airstrip to see the plane and hear how it operated before watching the four depart for Perth.

Mr Bednall said Kent Street Senior High School, which has 900 students, was the first high school in WA to offer aviation as a subject.

“It could also be the first in Australia,” he said.

“The school has been teaching aviation since 1979 and currently has 140 students between Years 8 and 12 enrolled in various aviation courses.

“Once they have completed their high school studies, some will continue on to TAFE, university or the defence force to continue their career.”

Mr Bednall said one of the key aspects of Kent Street school was the ability for students to be able to build a plane from kit form before flying it.

“The school began building planes in 1991/92 and is currently building its fourth plane,” he said.

The school also formed an industry partnership with Skywest Airlines which Mr Bednall said was a mutually beneficial alliance that was meeting the needs of the high school students.

One certified student visits Skywest Airlines for one day each week and sits in with the commercial aircraft pilot as part of their training.

“This is the only program of its kind in the world since 9/11 in the United States,” Mr Bednall said.