• When did WWII begin? The answer has been argued ever since. It will be up to you to formulate your own opinion to that question when we begin our tour.
• What was the war in Indo-China?
• How did Hitler amass so much power?
• What did the United States do with Germany and Japan before we became involved?
• How was the attack on Pearl Harbor planned and executed? What was the real reason for the attack?
• What happened on the Home Front before and then during the war?
• How were pilots trained in preparation for battle? You will learn about and “fly” an actual WWII Link Trainer.
• How did the United States handle the logistics of the war in both theatres of operations?
• What was D-Day and how was it achieved?
• How and when did WWII end in Germany and Japan?
• What were the repercussions of WWII for everyone involved?

This class will include a trip to the ECISD ropes course at Ratliff Stadium. The ropes course instructors are certified. Midland and Odessa Chambers of Commerce use the ropes course for their leadership classes. According to Wilderdom.com the theory behind ropes challenge courses is that if a person is supported to move out of his/her comfort zone, and has a successful experience, then powerful conditions exist for positive change. This is a "development-by-challenge", "stress-inoculation" or "resilience-building" philosophy.

Desert Survival Training

• Control Surfaces and Cockpit Instrumentation – USAF FB-111
• Ejection and Parachute Demonstration
• Knot Tying
• U.S. Military Meal Ready to Eat Presentation
• Desert Survival – Food and Water
• Signaling
• Compass Use
• Shelter Construction
• Fire Building

Principles of Flight

• The Airplane—Major components, wings, control systems, power plants
• Basics of Flight—what makes an airplane fly?
• Flight Instruments
• Aircraft Power Plants
• Aviation Development in WWII
• Safe Aircraft Operation—both on the ground and in-flight
  • Pre-flight planning
  • Weather
  • Ground Operations
• Review of engines on display
• Practical Aircraft Operation
  • Pre-flight inspection
  • Basic Marshalling Signals