Students Visit Yellowstone Airport

July 1, 2023

Students from the West Yellowstone Elementary School got an exciting opportunity to see firsthand what goes on at Yellowstone Airport. When the 2nd and 4th graders showed up at the airport, they were greeted at our Delta Air Lines ticket counter and given pretend boarding passes to destinations such as Miami and Seattle. The students were then sent through the TSA checkpoint. Security officers showed them how to use the metal detectors as well as what a backpack looks like going through the x-ray machine. Next the students went out on the ramp where our Delta employees showed them the basics of marshalling signals while the students pretended to be taxiing airplanes. Later the students were split into groups and rotated between several different activities such as touring the Air Idaho Rescue medical helicopter, the MDT Aeronautics Cessna 210, and the airport Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) trucks. Students were also able to operate the firehose on the trucks as well as fly small drones in the fire station and attempt to fly an F-18 on Microsoft Flight Simulators. The students were given ice cream and mini toy airplanes they could build and fly themselves. The students showed a lot of interest in the variety of aviation activities that go on at Yellowstone Airport. Montana Aeronautics proudly supports students in Montana and encourages their participation and interest in aviation. Field trips like this can spark an interest that can last a lifetime.