Students at Coppell Independent School District’s New Tech High School, located in the flight path of Dallas‑Fort Worth International Airport, have begun a new aviation program that uses FAA‑rated flight simulators. The initiative, reported by NBC DFW, gives local teens—including Richardson residents—practical experience that could lead to high‑paying aviation careers.
The program, which is still in its first few months, places students in a cockpit‑like environment with multiple monitors and physical controls that mimic a real aircraft. “Never this focused, do I ever have to be while playing a video game. Because you’re looking at four different monitors, you look at your speed, you look at so many different aspects on each screen,” said senior Benjamin Burek, a participant in the program.
Students such as ninth‑grader Natalia Grajales are already asking technical questions like, “What’s my airspeed?” Their instructor, Chris Fullwood, emphasizes that the simulators are not video games. “Some people are crashing, blowing out tires, and the software literally will tell you when you blow the tires out. Or like, if you crash, the engine will be completely destroyed,” Fullwood explained. When a student makes an error, an “infraction” window pops up, alerting them to the mistake and prompting corrective action.
The curriculum is designed to take participants from basic flight principles to the point where they could transition to an actual aircraft after four years of study. While Burek, a senior, may not complete the full sequence before graduation, he sees the program as a stepping stone to a lucrative career. “Aircraft dispatch is actually a pretty lucrative career,” he said. “You’re looking at when the flights are supposed to be taking off; you’re making sure every flight has a pilot. If there are passengers going standby, you’re making sure that it is not an overbooking issue.”
According to NBC DFW, the program’s location is significant because the school sits directly under one of the world’s busiest air corridors. This proximity provides students with a real‑world context for their training and underscores the district’s commitment to preparing the next generation of aviation professionals.
What’s next: The program will continue throughout the academic year, with students working toward certification milestones and exploring career pathways in aviation. The district plans to expand the curriculum as more students enroll, further strengthening the link between local education and the regional aerospace industry.
Sources: nbcdfw.com
