Meet Mike McGuirt, UAV Coach’s New Student Support Manager

Mike McGuirt is our latest group member right here at UAV Coach, and can be offering assist to our college students who’re finding out to go the FAA’s Aeronautical Knowledge Test for a Remote Pilot Certificate by way of our distant course at Drone Pilot Ground School.

We needed to introduce Mike to the group, so we sat down to speak to him about his background, how he first turned concerned in flying UAVs, and what he’s most enthusiastic about in his new place right here.

Mike McGuirt, Student Support Manager

When our college students succeed, we succeed.

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1. UAV Coach: Welcome aboard! To begin out, please inform us about your self and the way you bought concerned in work with UAVs.

Mike McGuirt: I grew up in Arkansas, the place life revolved round both a farm or manufacturing facility. I knew early on that neither of those choices fueled a lot of a want in me, or would give me the possibility to grasp the abilities essential to make my mark on the world. Instead, shortly after graduating from highschool, I married my spouse of now 32 years, Gina, and I joined the Air Force to see what life needed to provide outdoors of Arkansas.

I spent the vast majority of my years within the Air Force in varied positions in Personnel (or Human Resources, in civilian phrases). I additionally spent about 5 years in Maintenance, working in a precision measurement tools laboratory, the place I calibrated and repaired check tools used to assist quite a lot of plane.

My spouse and I traveled for practically 28 years, dwelling in some very distinctive locations and assembly some actually nice folks from around the globe. Along this journey we have been blessed with the chance to boost our two sons, Jonathan and Jordan.

After the Air Force, I bought into educating at a highschool situated in—who would have guessed—Arkansas. I usually take into consideration the international change scholar who involves the United States to get an schooling with the intentions to return to assist their household, however by no means returns to their homeland. What an influence they may have made, not solely within the lives of their household, however each particular person they encounter.

As I begin my third 12 months of educating, I now take into consideration what might need occurred if I hadn’t come again to Arkansas. Look on the alternative I’d have missed to mentor and influence so many younger folks’s lives. And to high it off, I get to fly and train others to fly drones.

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My first encounter with UAVs was in 2015 as a approach to introduce Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) into our classroom. Not having flown any sort of RC craft prior, I spent many hours watching Youtube movies so I would seem smarter than my college students.

After the primary few flights and naturally a pair hundred Youtube movies, I used to be completely fascinated, not solely with the standard of the video and pics, however the know-how on board that made it really easy to fly.

Along with my growing ardour for drone know-how, our program has grown too. Two years in the past we began with one Phantom three, and we now have 5 drones that embody the Phantom four and Inspire 1.

One of my objectives is to supply college students with the chance to grow to be certified and licensed to enter the workforce as a drone operator after highschool.

2. UAV Coach: What will you be doing for UAV Coach / Drone Pilot Ground School? Tell us about your new function and your key obligations.

Mike McGuirt: I’ve been introduced on to fill the function of Student Support Manager for Drone Pilot Ground School.

The college students are a very powerful a part of our course. Theses women and men are working very exhausting to arrange for the Part 107 check and attain their small UAS distant pilot license. I guarantee scholar success by responding to emails and telephone calls relating to enrollment, course content material, technical points impacting course entry, processing refunds, and issuing diplomas.

Although the course is on-line, the scholars are by no means alone.

three. UAV Coach: You served within the Air Force for a formidable 28 years. Tell us in regards to the work you probably did there, and the way it informs the work you do now.

Mike McGuirt: During my time within the Air Force I supplied buyer assist to the very best prospects on this planet. Their selfless service and private sacrifice was a continuing reminder that every scenario is exclusive and every scenario is necessary. The finest customer support takes place behind the scenes by continually evaluating how issues are executed and, the place attainable, placing processes in place that stop or eradicate person interruptions. In a super world all components of the method would work so effectively that I’d work myself out of a job.

Students enrolling in Drone Pilot Ground School are distinctive and their success—not solely in finishing the course, but additionally in in the end attaining their distant pilot license—is paramount.

four. UAV Coach: What are you most enthusiastic about in your new function because the Student Support Manager?

Mike McGuirt: I’ve been a lifelong learner and labored my approach by way of school whereas within the Air Force, so I do know what it’s wish to battle by way of course work.

Group examine by no means labored for me, however one-on-one consideration labored each time. I’ve the flexibility to influence the success of each scholar, and I’m most enthusiastic about guaranteeing that our college students are arrange for achievement.

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5. UAV Coach: You’re an FAA licensed drone pilot. Can you inform us about your expertise getting ready for and passing the examination? Is there something you discovered alongside the best way that others may gain advantage from who’re studying this?

Mike McGuirt: I initially began finding out every little thing listed on the FAA web site. After printing the entire references, rules, examine guides, and so forth. I turned overwhelmed on the quantity of fabric I needed to digest and the time it was going to take to commit all of this data to reminiscence.

The secret’s this: there may be a lot data that you need to know, however there may be solely sure data that you’ll want to know to efficiently go the Part 107 check. And that’s what we’re right here for, that can assist you sift by way of every little thing and eradicate the stress of guaranteeing you’re masking the precise materials.

6. UAV Coach: Over the final three years you’ve been working as a highschool aerospace science teacher. Can you inform us about that work? What do you train from sooner or later to the following, and the way do your college students prefer it?

Mike McGuirt: As an Aerospace Science Instructor our lessons are very completely different from the standard classroom. Our program is designed to teach and prepare highschool college students in citizenship, selling group service, and instilling private duty, character, and self-discipline. We even have a bodily health side that entails particular person and group actions that promote wholesome dwelling.

We train quite a lot of curriculum that features aerospace science, management schooling, and well being and wellness. One week college students might study ideas of plane flight, and the following week they might be launched to organizational structure and design. I believe college students take pleasure in our class as a result of they’re uncovered to such all kinds of subjects and they’re actively concerned within the studying course of.

7. UAV Coach: Is there something we should always find out about aerospace science that we might not? What are a number of the most typical factors of confusion amongst your college students in terms of aerospace science?

Mike McGuirt: First, there have been a variety of courageous souls who misplaced their lives within the pursuit of manned aviation. Engineers can dream it up and construct it, however somebody needed to check it.

With regard to manned flight, the vast majority of folks take as a right how issues work and easily settle for that they do work, and likewise assume that they should be secure.

When we first dig into the ideas of Bernoulli’s Principle and the way an plane stays aloft, college students don’t but perceive the significance of the wing and its floor space. They assume the wings on a fighter plane and the wings on a 747 are just about the identical. The greatest problem to getting college students to know these ideas is breaking it down into small components and relating it to one thing that they’ve seen or encountered.

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eight. UAV Coach: We perceive you’re supporting your highschool college students in pursuing FAA certification, and serving to them put together for work in business drone functions. Can you inform us about which functions they’re most curious about, and the place you assume they may head within the business?

Mike McGuirt: Yes, that is considered one of my major objectives for college students curious about flying drones.

We are in an agricultural group the place issues are executed as they’ve all the time been executed. And frankly, the group is sluggish to embrace drone employment, not like different components of our nation. While this may be irritating, it will also be a bonus, because it provides us time to hone our abilities and get licensed. Capitalizing on the realm the place we’re situated, a number of the curiosity areas for our college students will in all probability be agriculture, inspection (constructing & website), and naturally actual property, since a variety of properties have acreage.

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9. UAV Coach: Please share anything about your background that pertains to the work you’re going to be doing with UAV Coach and Drone Pilot Ground School, or something that you simply assume can be of curiosity to our readers.

Mike McGuirt: I’ve spent the vast majority of my life supporting others to perform their mission and I do know what good customer support appears like. Having this chance to proceed supporting others to perform their mission/objective is the place I’m most snug.

When our college students succeed, we succeed.
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Watch this brief video to be taught extra about how Drone Pilot Ground School may also help you put together for the Part 107 check to grow to be an FAA licensed business drone pilot: