Welcome to the Adopt-A-Pilot web site

What is Adopt-A-Pilot?

Education takes flight with Adopt-A-Pilot, an aviation-related educational program that teaches math, science, geography, language arts, career-planning, and presentation skills with the help of Pilot mentors.

How does it work?

• Each spring, fifth-grade classes nationwide “adopt” a Southwest Airlines Pilot for four weeks.
• Pilots volunteer their time visiting classes and corresponding with students while flying their weekly trip schedule.
• Classes track their Pilot’s weekly flight schedule while learning about U.S. cities.
• Southwest Airlines provides the program curriculum (called the Flight Plan) that has been developed in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institute and other education specialists.
• Students learn core school subjects in a fun way and see how important education is in reaching personal goals.

How to learn more?

• Click Info & Registration for program facts and online registration.
• Go to Curriculum to download “Flight Plan” lessons.
• Visit Continue to Learn for fun learning activities, science experiments, program helpful hints, and more.
• Click Photo Gallery to see photos of Adopt-A-Pilot “in action” in the classroom. Also, take a virtual tour of a Boeing 737 cockpit and more.
• Check out Video Library to view exciting videos about the program.
• Be sure to logon to the AAP Blog to read stories from participating Southwest Pilots, school teachers, and students.
• Learn about AAP Online, the exciting Internet-based version of the program that extends the fun and learning of Adopt-A-Pilot to classes nationwide.