1. Build An Airport DW Commercial pilot & flight instructor
As well as teaching people to fly, I’ve flown traffic watch, skydivers and a float planes.
I worked with Colorado’s Division of Aeronautics to create a K-12 teacher workshop called Science of Flight which served at least 350 educators in the 3 years I was there.
Most recently, I was the Education Director at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver. While there I created Wings Aviation Science Program, an 8-lesson inquiry-based curriculum which comes with a fully-stocked hands-on activity kit. Nearly 350 Colorado teachers have been trained to use the program and it served an estimated 13,500 students in 2009.
Bottom line: passionate about using aviation to get students excited about math, science and other core curricula areas

2. Objectives The students will: Design and build a model airport.
Learn the components of an airport.
Use the model to demonstrate airport operations.
Standards and Skills Science
Science and Technology
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Science Process Skills
Measuring
Making Models
Investigating
Communicating
Mathematics
Communication
Reasoning
MAP TO P-12 STANDARDS IF YOU HAVE TIME

4. We’re going to break into teams and you’re each going to build a model airport. Along the way, we’ll learn some airport fun facts you can share with your students as they make their airports in class. Making the model will teach your students about the basic elements of an airport. This is what airport planners do prior to building to identify potential problems.
Visiting your local airport is a great follow up! List of airport managers is also on Aeronautics’ website.
What’s GA? What’s commercial service?
All airports have a few things in common:
Runways, hangar(s), taxiways (not ALWAYS), a wind sock. What might a commercial service airport have that a GA airport might not need or have?
Do all airports have control towers?
Big parking lots, businesses – maintenance, flight instruction, fuel sales, pilot supplies, airplane parts, restaurants, passenger terminal

5. http://www. coloradodot
How many airports do you think there are in Colorado. (Let them shout out some numbers.) Pick the lowest and have everyone who think there are that many raise their hands. Go up in numbers and have folks keep their hands up as you get higher. Have the last few pick a hard number and give the prize to the one who’s the closest.
77 total, 13 commercial service (leaves 64 GA) – so over 80% GA
One Colorado has a unique distinction – does anyone know what that is?
Leadville is highest airport in North America at 9,927 above MSL
Several airports in CO was used as a training base during WWII – how many? Six – La Junta – (7000 feet remain, it was probably 10,000 at some point), Pueblo, COS, Leadville, Lowry and Buckley.

6. Runway Magnetic Headings
Runways are generally numbered according to their magnetic heading (the takeoff direction it is "pointing towards").
Each digit is pronounced separately for clarity in radio communications. For example, Runway Three Six would be aligned in roughly a 360 degrees direction (magnetic north), Runway Nine would be used for a runway with a 94 degree-alignment (close to magnetic east), and Runway One Seven for 168 degrees. Each runway can be used in either direction, and hence has two numbers, each 180° apart. Thus, Runway One Zero (100°) becomes Runway Two Eight (280°) when used in the opposite direction and Runway One Eight (180°) becomes Runway Three Six (360°).
How do they decide where to build a runway? Wind
Lots of airports were built with a sort of triangle configuration like this – at least six in Colorado. Why? Didn’t have time to do wind research, so they built “any direction” runways
Runway 03 ► = ► Runway 21
Runway 14 ► = ► Runway 32
Runway 09 ► = ► Runway 27
Runway 30 ► = 480 – 360 = 120 ► Runway 12

7. Examples of Runway Layout
Single
                     
Examples of Runway Layout
Single
Parallel
Open-V
Here are some other examples of runway layout you could use for your airports, based on the location and type of use you intend for it
Let’s break into teams now. Each team gather around a table.
What are some things you’d want to consider before you decide where to put your airport?
Noise, flat space, mtns or other obstructions, vehicle traffic ingress/egress, what type of a/c operations (GA or commercial use)?
Float plane base, fire bombers, traffic helicopters or planes, skydiving

8. Black paper – make your selves a runway, align it, and label it.
Place a/c on and around the runway. What would happen if an a/c parked right on the runway? What do you suggest for a/c parking and storage?

9. Great – let’s build some taxiways, parking ramps and hangars and move the a/c on the runway to safer locations
Now – what about vehicle traffic? Let’s build a parking lot appropriate to the size/use of your airport. Make some model cars/trucks.

10. Single
                     
Runway Markings
How many built large, commercial use airports? How many GA?
Basic runway markings:
Threshold
Touch Down Zone
Fixed Distance Marks
Center Line

11. Taxiway indicators - this or next?

12. Taxi Way Markings
Taxi way Location Sign (the taxi way your aircraft is currently on)
Taxi Way Direction Signs
This or previous?

13. Taxiway Centerline Markings
Taxiway Markings:
Centerline
Enhanced Centerline
Hold Short Lines
Blue lights vs white lights vs red

14. Add runway & taxiway markings and some taxiway signs

16. Hold Short Lines

17. Displaced thresholds may be used for taxiing, takeoff, and landing rollout, but not for touchdown. A displaced threshold often exists because obstacles just before the runway, runway strength, or noise restrictions may make the beginning section of runway unsuitable for landings. It is marked with white paint arrows that lead up to the beginning of the landing portion of the runway.

18. Now for some buildings – build out of construction paper
Control tower
Hangars
Terminal
Fuel
Note whether a/c can get to each building as appropriate

19. This is what a pilot would use to familiarize herself with an airport she hasn’t flown into

20. Where do I get this?

28. Assessment
Ask a student to role-play the airport manager and give a tour of the airport to a group of ‘citizens’ – fellow students
Have a student simulate the first inaugural flight from the airport, describing the airport from a pilot’s perspective. (Radio reporter)