Welcome Parents and Students:

  My name is Mr. Skarpness & I am the Aviation Maintenance Instructor at Peterson Academy.

I have been in the aviation industry for 30 years working a variety of positions from mechanic to Site Manager. I have been an FAA certified Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) since 1982. I have been an FAA certified Private Pilot with Instrument Rating (SEL) since 1992. I have an AAS in Aviation Training & technology from Wallace State College. Over the years, I have worked on a variety of A/C from fixed wing to helicopters. I have worked in general aviation & commuter airlines on everything from Cessna to Dehaviland Dash 8's.  I've worked on a number of Helicopters such as Blackhawk H60, MD500E, Bell 47, 206, OH58, Huey & Cobra. I feel that I bring a wide array of experience, knowledge & talents to this position. I hope to make this a fun & interesting learning experience for students. I am looking forward to working with you & the students to give them all I have to offer.

  Please be aware that class will be conducted in a shop environment. While I have isolated the machinery & determined the shop to be a safe environment, there are still ways to get hurt. This means that it is vitally important that students be on their best behavior & follow all safety instructions in order to not hurt themselves or someone else. Shop safety will be covered in detail so students understand the safety requirements in the shop environment. After that training, I will be sending out a letter for student & parents to sign, acknowledging the safety training & risks students must assume. Please be advised that during shop, students must adhere to appropriate attire requirements or they will not be able to participate. This usually means that only shoes that fully cover the foot may be worn, jewelry removed or loose items secured. We provide safety goggles & hearing protection but students may want to have their own. There are shop lockers available for students to store extra shoes or attire. Please contact the office for lockers. If students do not adhere to the safety requirements, they will be given class work away from the project area to reiterate the shop requirements & will probably fall behind on that project but they are still responsible for project completion. 
  I will post various classroom information on this website for your benifit. Parents are welcome to chaperon class field trips and events. Please see the DCPS volunteer policy & sign up sheet. Also, if there are any tools, equipment, or items that you would like to donate to the program, please contact me & I will facilitate that.

Thank you for your support.

Gary Skarpness