SANDPOINT — The North Idaho High School Aerospace Program teaches students the ins and outs of everything aviation, from ground school, to building planes and flying them.

However, there was one thing missing — unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones.

"It's probably the most rapidly growing field in aviation," Ken Larson, NIHSA's pilot training and academic instructor, said of the UAV industry.

By adding a drone program, Larson said he hopes to reach a broader number of students who may be interested in different areas of the aerospace industry. Drones, however, are not the only new additions to the program.

One of the benefits of NIHSA is that students can earn their pilot's license. Through his company, Pilot Training Northwest, Larson provides flight training for the high schoolers at a discounted rate. Until recently, the program had one plane available for training.

"Having just one airplane was not working out," Larson said.

If the plane were down for maintenance, for example, flight training would have to wait. Therefore, a 1966 Cessna 150 named "Lupe" is one of the newest additions to the program. Coincidentally, Larson said he soloed in a Cessna 150 in 1966.

The NIHSA program also recently acquired a World War II trainer out of Colorado. It was offered at a "really good" price, Larson said, making it the first airplane purchased for the program. Other planes have been donated, including a kit plane the students in the program's ACES Aviation Workshop built over the course of about two years.

The 1942 Taylorcraft is the newest project for ACES students. They will need to replace some of the fabric on the plane, as it sustained hail damage. One student, Lilly Falconer, has already started repairs on the wings. Students will also have the chance to research the background of the plane. During World War II, Larson said, there was a "massive" invasion by gliders. The Taylorcrafts were used by the U.S. Army for glider pilot training during the war, and the 1942 was one of them. The students will research background specific to ACES' newest plane. When restoration is complete, it will also provide opportunity as a backcountry and tailwheel trainer for the students.

As for the drone program, Larson said NIHSA received a grant from the Community Assistance League, as well as $500 seed money from Empire Airlines in Hayden, to get started.

"We really want to encourage students to take a look at that, because it should be a lot of fun," Larson said.

Larson said the UAV program will start out with four small racing drones. A racing league of four teams will be implemented and, depending on the interest and participation, it will expand from there. The next phase will be to build a fixed-wing drone, which will be radio controlled. The third phase includes building a drone with a six-foot wingspan, and it will fly autonomously through programming, Larson said.

"So the end goal is that students would learn about the industry of unmanned vehicles, they would learn how to build them with all the different components, and they would learn how to fly them," Larson said, adding that the students would also learn how to program drones for autonomous flight. "All of these skills are exactly what is used in the real industry."

The program is looking for new recruits as Larson said a number of students have graduated and moved on to college programs. NIHSA is open to all middle school, high school and home-school students in the area.

Information about the NIHSA program, as well as the EAA Young Eagles program, will be available during the annual Wings Over Sandpoint Fly In at the Sandpoint Airport on Saturday. The Young Eagles program introduces youth, ages 8-17, to the world of aviation with a free flight. Registration will be available for the program during the event.

Larson said a tent will be set up on the ramp during the fly in with information on the programs. The 1942 Taylorcraft will be on display, and over in the hangar, Larson said he will have the flight simulator and drone simulators available for people to try out.

The fly in will be held from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Sandpoint Airport, 1100 Airport Way.

For information on NIHSA, visit highschoolaerospace.org.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.