senior Izzy Mitchell is focused on tightening a propeller. It’s part of the classroom curriculum for her course in powerplant aircraft mechanics.

“We’re learning a lot about the engines and how they work, like carburetors,” Mitchell said.

“I figured, if I know how to fly a plane, I probably should know how to be able to fix it,” Mitchell said.

Her teacher, Ty McNew, spent years working on F16s in the military. He’s now passing on his knowledge of planes by teaching the next generation of aircraft mechanics.

“We bring in real airplanes, real helicopters, real test equipment and we try to teach them the latest and greatest of whatever the industry is seeing at this time,” said McNew, aviation powerplant instructor at Cherry Creek Innovation Campus.