DuPage Airport back-to-school event draws over 2,000 visitors

With a new school year about to take flight, the DuPage Airport Authority and the City of West Chicago invited students and their families to the tarmac on Friday, Aug. 5, for the annual "Back-to-School Celebration."

The event welcomed more than 2,000 attendees and introduced area students to the world of aviation with a behind-the-scenes look at one of the region's busiest business aviation airports.

Students were exposed to real-world operations at the regional airport in West Chicago, including the exploration of aircraft cockpits and emergency/snow removal equipment, trying out flight simulators used in flight school, and checking out a variety of aircraft, including the WGN-TV SkyCam9 and even had a chance to meet Sarah Jindra, WGN-TV's traffic reporter.

Students interacted with pilots and other aviation professionals and learned about what drew them to a career in the skies.

Admission to the event was free and all attendees received free lunch and refreshments.

If your students missed it this year, watch for next year's event at www.dupageairport.com/backtoschool.