Tasman Field Open Day

Our annual open day at Tasman Field is the best way to find out whether a career in spaceflight is for you. Visitors can sit in the cockpit of a Sparrow Trainer, try a 20-minute session in a fixed-base simulator and watch First Solo students complete pre-flight checks on the pad.

Principal Sabine Aalto opens the day with a short talk on how the academy works and where our graduates fly today. Director of Admissions Marisol Huamán will explain entry requirements, aeromedical checks, tuition and the sponsored seats available for the November intake, and Lead Instructor Tevita Fonua will describe what a first solo flight actually feels like.

Experienced pilots interested in teaching can also meet the Flight Instructor Certificate team. Entry is free, but simulator slots are limited and allocated on arrival.

During the afternoon, current students lead guided tours of the ground school, the maintenance hangar and the student accommodation. Parents and partners are welcome, and there is a dedicated session on funding, including the First Solo scholarships offered by hiring partners for young people from Oceania communities. Shuttles run from the regional transit hub every thirty minutes.