About The Tour
A barnstorming tour with a difference!
The
DreamLaunch Tour is a dynamic half hour presentation delivered by 20 year old Jamail
Larkins. The presentation covers the various opportunities available in the aviation
industry, aviation youth programs, and shows students how to overcome any obstacl
es
they may encounter in life while trying to achieve their goals. As a pilot, Jamail
had to learn how to navigate from city to city, and overcome many unforeseen obstacles
such as weather, fuel requirements, equipment malfunctions, and many unexpected emergencies. “Navigating the Journey of Life” is
a simple presentation that applies the same techniques pilots use, into an everyday
life example for students to use, while facing many of the challenges they will encounter
during their school years. The goal of the presentation is to educate students about
launching and achieving their dreams in whatever fields they may desire.
"I cannot think of a better way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of flight than to reach out to students and teachers, share our enthusiasm for aviation, and stimulate a new generation of inventors, innovators, and dreamers."
Ruth Leverenz, Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest Region
The DreamLaunch Tour presentation is a combination of inspiration and education. It incorporates information about aviation careers, aviation youth programs (similar to Boy and Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc.) and how to achieve dreams. DreamLaunch Tour Essay Contest winners will be recognized during the presentation. A question and answer session follows the presentation.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Careers in Aviation Inc. sponsor the National Dream Launch Tour
In 1926, not long after the Wright brothers' first flight, John Paul Riddle, one of the school's founders, was giving aerial joyrides in Jennys and Wacos to drum up business for his fledgling flying business in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"On behalf of the Congress of the United States, I am pleased to join in celebrating Jamail's wonderful accomplishments. I commend him for his commitment to promoting aviation in America. Jamail, you are a role model for young people across this country and beyond."
Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Congresswoman (D-Ohio)
On Jan. 24, Jamail Larkins, a 19-year-old aviation business student at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus, will update that tradition when he begins a 20-city national tour piloting a new Cirrus SR20 aircraft. His mission: get youngsters in middle schools and high schools along the way thinking about careers in aviation.
Embry-Riddle's partner in the tour is Careers in Aviation, an organization that seeks to raise young people's awareness about opportunities in aviation. Sponsors are Aeroshell, AirShares Elite, Cirrus, Cox Communications, Lift, and Michelin.
"We're very happy to join with Embry-Riddle in bringing this educational opportunity to young people across America," said Shawn Raker, president of Careers in Aviation. "It's a perfect way to spread the news about the many exciting careers in aviation and that the industry needs talented young people."
The national tour officially starts in Lakeland, Fla. Every Thursday, Larkins will fly the Cirrus plane to a different city, where he will visit schools, make presentations, and discuss aviation with students.
Essay Contest
Students in schools included on Larkins' tour will be invited beforehand to write an essay answering the question, "How do you envision the next century of flight?" Judging will take place prior to each school visit. Winning essayists will be given the opportunity to fly with the Embry-Riddle student in the Cirrus the following Saturday.
Larkins, who is the national spokesperson for Careers in Aviation, will put students who want to learn more about aviation in touch with a Careers in Aviation representative or an EAA Young Eagles coordinator in their area.
Stops on Larkins' national tour of middle schools for the fall have not been finalized. Check back here for the tour dates.
Embry-Riddle and Careers in Aviation are in discussions with school districts in additional cities.
Background
Larkins started flying at the age of 12. Two years later, the Augusta, Ga., native became one of the youngest certified pilots in the United States when he soloed a powered aircraft in Canada. He completed his U.S. solo shortly after his 16th birthday in a Cirrus SR20. He currently flies a high-performance Christen Eagle II aerobatic aircraft on the air show circuit.
Careers in Aviation Inc. is an initiative that inspires American youth to achieve their dreams in the aviation industry by offering performances by a multijet demonstration team around the nation, a high-energy educational video about aviation careers, and scholarships for aviation-related education and training.
Embry-Riddle, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, educates more than 28,000 students annually through the master's level at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., at more than 130 centers in the United States and Europe, and through distance learning.
