I am the volunteer president of a year-old chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1700 in a small rural town in middle Tennessee. We are a 501(c)(3) educational charity and are building an aviation program for students 8 to 17 in the Warren County school system.

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Our chapter was initially chartered as the Warren County Memorial Airport Pilots and Technicians Corp, but when EAA accepted us as a chapter in their international organization, we changed the name to EAA Chapter 1700 Warren County TN Inc in February 2024.

The aviation industry provides great, good-paying jobs in many different disciplines. From airframe and powerplant technicians, to pilots, to electronic technicians, to administrative personnel, to airport management, the list goes on and on. Few students are aware of the opportunities during and after high school to make choices to take advantage of the jobs that are available.

EAA Chapter 1700 and our sister 501(c)(3) educational charity, the Aviation Leadership Academy, have developed a joint venture to make sure students in rural areas with few career choices have opportunities to learn about aviation and to participate in aviation-related education from K-12 and beyond.

We recently purchased a 6,200 sq ft hangar on 2 acres of land to provide a campus for the students. The hangar is an old industrial building that needs LOTS of work before we can safely bring students in. It will require deep cleaning from top to bottom, roof repairs, siding repairs, painting, reconfiguration of the classrooms inside, painting inside and out, and complete modifications for the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Phase 1 of our project will be to refurbish and remodel the hangar in preparation for the 2026-27 school year. The hangar will be used to give hands-on experience to students for aviation theory through actually building an aircraft. We currently have 4 aircraft that have been donated for student projects. We cannot bring students in until Phase 1 is completed.

Phase 2 will be to make preparations to build a 10,000 sq ft state-of-the-art training center for the academy to provide much more extensive training beginning the 2027-28 school year. Students who choose to become pilots will be able to take and pass the FAA ground school and begin flight training as early as they are authorized by the FAA. Students will be able to have their FAA Aircraft, single engine, land license by the time they are juniors.

We have already received confirmation from a flight simulator company to provide 15 brand new networked flight simulators. We will use them in the temporary hangar classrooms until the larger facility is complete.

Our chapter website

October 25, 2025 The chapter's first annual Dinner and Auction was a tremendous success! With over 100 local leaders, dignitaries, and aviation education supporters, we cleared over $8,000! Many thanks to our attendees and donors.

News Release: January 20, 2026

For Immediate Release

EAA Chapter 1700 Launches Pioneering Aviation STEM Education Initiative for Warren County Students

McMinnville, Tennessee – January 11, 2026 — Warren County Pilots and Technicians Corp d/b/a EAA Chapter 1700, a 501c3 Educational Charity based at Warren County Veterans Memorial Airport, today announced the progress of an ambitious aviation-focused STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education program designed to provide high school students in Warren County and surrounding Upper Cumberland counties with unprecedented access to career pathways in aviation.

The program will offer a comprehensive curriculum including airport administration, aviation cybersecurity, private and sport pilot ground school, private and sport pilot flight training, aviation maintenance technology, and additional specialized topics. These courses are structured to earn transferable credits toward two-year technical programs and four-year college degrees, equipping students for diverse roles in the aviation industry.

Our educational partner, Aviation Leadership Academy, Inc, also a 501c3 Educational Charity, and its Executive Director Derek Rowe, is working closely with the Tennessee Department of Education to standardize the curriculum statewide, with the goal of launching programs across Tennessee by the 2026–2027 school year. This initiative aligns with existing successful aviation STEM efforts in other Tennessee schools, as well as established programs in states like Oklahoma and Florida, and supports Tennessee's broader strategy to attract aviation, aviation support, and other aeronautical companies by developing a skilled local workforce.

“By bringing high-quality aviation education to rural Tennessee communities, we are opening doors to high-paying, rewarding careers that have historically been out of reach for many students,” said Jerry Lassiter, President of EAA Chapter 1700. “This program not only prepares the next generation of aviation professionals but also positions Tennessee as a national leader in aviation workforce development, drawing companies to invest here and creating lasting economic opportunities.”

The Warren County Department of Education has approved the program, and Chapter 1700 has secured a contract for deed on a property adjacent to the airport to serve as the primary facility. Renovations and upgrades are underway, with grant applications submitted to the Governor’s office, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Aeronautics Division, and major aviation industry partners. In addition, a GoFundMe program is available for individuals and corporations interested in contributing to a major provider of alternative education to the underserved rural and semi-rural areas.