Dr.
Charles Rodriguez
Dr.
Charley Rodriguez entered
aviation during his second year
in college. Over the years, he
has acquired an A&P mechanics
license, private pilot license,
inspection authorization, and is
an Aviation Safety Counselor for
the Springfield Flight Standards
District Office (FSDO). As a result
of his service to the FAA
Springfield FSDO, Dr. Rodriguez
received the Good Friend Award in 2004. He has written
textbooks
for the classes he teaches at SID and was awarded the
national Ivan D. Levi Aviation Maintenance Educator of the
Year in 1995.
Charley
has made numerous presentations concerning flight safety
and aviation science education at various aviation
events including
FAA Wings Seminars, forums at Oshkosh, teacher workshops
at Sun
'N Fun, the National Congress on Aviation and Space
Education,
Women in Aviation Conferences, and Civil Air Patrol
to name a few.
He is well-known for the assortment of clever
aviation gizmos he
has designed and constructed for teaching aeronautical
principles.
To
help motivate school children, Charley built over 40
airplane school desks. These biplane desks have been
delivered to schools
throughout Illinois. They are typically used to enhance
academic
achievement and classroom development.
In
his spare time he remains active with the local EAA
Chapter 227 and with the assistance of the Rotor and
Wing Association of America
(RWAA) he continues to organize and conduct airshows.
The RWAA -
won the National Intercollegiate Aerobatic Championship
offered by
the International Aerobatic Club in 2001 and 2002.
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