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About the National Flight Academy

The National Flight Academy, LLC is a subsidiary of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. The Academy is an educational activity authorized but not endorsed or financially supported by the United States Navy.

Tom Moore, then president of ABC Television, founded the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation, in 1965 along with Oakleigh Thorne, a lawyer with a prestigious New York law firm, and retired Rear Admiral W.J. McNeil. The charter of the Foundation states that it will: (a) develop the National Naval Aviation Museum, and (b) foster meaningful education programs for youth and adults.

In 1993, the Foundation began to focus on youth education programs including a Distinguished Lecturer Series, Kids Day in Space, Kids Day in Antarctica, Kids Day with the Blue Angels, and special teacher education programs. In 1996, the Foundation implemented its Flight to Excellence program, where as of 2019, more than 575,000 children from five states have participated. In 1999, the Foundation created the Flight Adventure Deck, a 39-station interactive exhibit on aviation, which addresses the scientific and mathematical principles of aerodynamics, propulsion and meteorology. The National Flight Academy(NFA), the Foundation’s latest educational initiative, was authorized by the Department of Navy in 2001.

The National Flight Academy is designed to address the serious concerns of declining Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills and standards in our country. The Academy’s mission is to inspire students who subsequently return to their parent schools and seek out the more challenging courses in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

Disciplines include aerodynamics, propulsion, navigation, communications, flight physiology and meteorology, along with core values, teamwork, and leadership skills development.

The National Flight Academy development team currently includes the best and brightest from the entertainment industry as well as leaders in education, simulation and training. Our immersive simulated environment, coupled with the most revolutionary methods in instruction, will foster cooperative learning and inspire young people primarily in grades 7 through 12 to pursue the math and sciences today that open the door to science and engineering degrees and careers of tomorrow. This vision for today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders is the guiding purpose of the National Flight Academy.

The NFA is a self-supporting, tuition-based educational program. In order to make the National Flight Academy experience a reality for as many students as possible, we are committed to finding and continuing partnerships that enable demographically and geographically diverse student populations to attend. We welcome support from individuals, corporations, and foundations for both our scholarship program and general operation funds.

Map & Directions

Click here for location and printable directions to the National Flight Academy.