By Lindsey Piercy Monday
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 9, 2024) — The University of Kentucky community can witness the Kentucky Army National Guard land Black Hawk utility helicopters on campus beginning at 1 p.m. Sept. 19. The aircraft will be on display through 4 p.m.
The “Engineering Takes Flight” event, which is free and open to the public, is organized by the UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering Living Learning Program and will be at the UK Club Sports Field, behind the UK Softball Stadium off Alumni Drive.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Kentucky Army National Guard to bring this special event to campus and inspire future engineers to pursue aerospace engineering,” John Roberts, director of UK Engineering’s living learning program and organizer of the event, said.
Faculty members from UK Engineering’s aerospace program also will be displaying unmanned aerial vehicle technologies and sharing information about the aerospace programs.
UK offers the only undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering in the state.
Aerospace plays a significant role in Kentucky’s economy. In fact, aerospace exports are the top export in the state and number three in the U.S. — behind only California and Washington.
Additionally, the Commonwealth is home to 79 aerospace-related facilities, which employ more than 19,000 people, including Belcan Corp., General Dynamics, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
Housed in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the new degree pathways foster research and innovation by enhancing collaborations between UK and the local aerospace industry.
“We have a number of students who will go on to work in national defense, aircraft design and manufacturing. So this event is a great opportunity to provide a hands-on experience for our students to connect what they’re learning in the classroom to real life,” Roberts said. “Moreover, as the only aerospace engineering program in the state of Kentucky, it is a good opportunity to showcase some work being done in aerospace engineering by having departments, student organizations and design teams on site.”
The Black Hawk aircraft is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft.
First introduced in the late 1970s, the Black Hawk has become a staple in military operations around the world due to its durability, speed and advanced avionics. From combat search and rescue to VIP transport and special operations, the aircraft can be outfitted to accomplish a variety of missions.
There are more than 4,000 Black Hawks in service today.
Visitor parking will be available at the Soccer/Softball South Lot. From Alumni Drive, take College Way to Wildcat Court. Continue past Kentucky Proud Park to the parking lot.
More information about the event is available here.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.
