On October 3, AFIT welcomed 120 cadets from the Chilean Air Force Academy and Aeronautical Polytechnic Academy located in Santiago, Chile.  The cadets learned about the overall mission of AFIT and specifically about the School of Systems and Logistics and The Civil Engineer School.  Presenters included Lt Col David Bennett, Capt Ricardo Basora and Capt Alberto Sigala – all three are fluent in Spanish and were able to share information about AFIT in the cadet’s native language.

Traveling with the cadets were Maj Gen Jose Aguirre, Chief of Educational Division, Chilean Air Force, Col Rodrigo Leon, Aeronautical Polytechnic Academy Director, Col Miguel Marguirot, Chilean Air Force Academy Director, Col Jorge Vargas, Air Attache, and Maj Andres Barros, Chilean Air Force Academy Instructor Officer.

After their time at AFIT, the cadet’s visited the Wright Brothers Cycle Shop to see where the Wright brothers began to manufacture their own brand of bicycles which gave them the mechanical experience and financial resources necessary to begin their experiments into powered human flight.  The cadet’s then spent the afternoon at the National Museum of the Air Force - the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world.

Similar to AFIT, the Aeronautical Polytechnic Academy provides engineering under-graduate and post-graduate academic professional and specialization training to Chilean Air Force Officers.
 

Dr. Todd Stewart (center), AFIT Chancellor, with Maj Gen Jose Aguirre, Chief of Educational Division, Chilean Air Force Academy (left) and Col Rodrigo Leon, Aeronautical Polytechnic Academy Director (right)

Faculty member Capt Ricardo Basora briefs the cadets on the mission of AFIT’s Civil Engineer School

Faculty member Lt Col David Bennett briefs the cadets on the mission of AFIT’s School of Systems and Logistics

Leaders from AFIT and the Chilean Air Force Academy and Aeronautical Polytechnic Academy during a visit on 3 Oct 2018