Purdue Aviation Day has long history of sharing love of flight

BY KEN THOMPSON

BY CHRISTINE PETKOV

Purdue Aviation Day has long history of sharing love of flight

Manned flight was in its infancy when the first Purdue Aviation Day took place in 1911.

Years before Purdue established the first university-owned airport, two biplanes took to the sky above a grass landing strip where Elliott Hall of Music is now located. Nearly 17,000 people gathered to watch.

This year’s Purdue Aviation Day took place April 13, the culmination of a year-long effort organized by student leaders within the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. The annual event, free to the public, features aircraft on display, educational programs, guest speakers and youth activities.

Annika Knott, a senior, was vice president of public relations and guest experience for this year’s Purdue Aviation Day. After volunteering in 2022, when the event returned following a two-year hiatus, Knott joined the executive board in the fall of 2023.

Knott inherited her passion for aviation through her mother, a flight attendant for United Airlines.

“I grew up traveling,” Knott says. “I kind of fell in love with the industry that way. I’ve since fallen in love with it more, majoring in professional flight and aviation management here at Purdue. My ultimate goal is to be a captain for a major airline flying internationally one day.

“Purdue Aviation Day has reinstilled that love for aviation and the community that comes with it. It’s a lot more than just airplanes, which is kind of how I viewed this school before coming here. It’s a super great community to be a part of.”

Knott and the executive board hope this year’s Purdue Aviation Day will perhaps birth a love for flying for others in Greater Lafayette.

“Our main goals are to connect our community of aviation enthusiasts,” Knott says. “We don’t only tailor our events to enthusiasts. We also are interested in sparking that curiosity in people who might not have had exposure yet to the field of aviation. And also educating and inspiring the Greater Lafayette community, bringing people together for a fun day whether you have prior interest and experience in the industry or not. We hope to see people come in with a smile on their face and leave with one as well.”

Knott says planning for the 2025 Purdue Aviation Day began the day after this year’s event. The executive board will examine its guest experience survey responses to determine if any changes are needed.

“That really influences the direction we take the event in the future,” Knott says. “Whether that’s parking or new guest speakers or aircraft that people want to see.”

The 2024 Purdue Aviation Day was highlighted by the A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team. Based at Davis-Monthan Air Force base in Arizona, the Air Combat Command A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team performs precision aerial maneuvers of the A-10 “Warthog” at air shows nationwide.

“That was a whole new ballgame we stepped into, adding an aerial component,” Knott says.

Getting the A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team required coordination with Purdue Airport safety and operations managers, as well as air traffic control. A temporary flight restriction was granted during the event.

Guests at this year’s Purdue Aviation Day included Shannetta Griffin, the Federal Aviation Administration’s associate administrator of airports. Also present was Erik Amend, the FAA regional airport administrator for the Great Lakes, and other members of the FAA team.

“Their vast industry experience and passion for educating the next generation of aviation professionals will offer new opportunities for members of the Greater Lafayette and Purdue communities to learn more about overlooked roles within the industry and to also explore career opportunities within the FAA,” the Purdue Aviation Day executive board said in a statement. ★