Who We Are

Aviation Explorer Post #9 is part of the national Learning-for-Life program. Our local sponsor is Windy City Fliers which operates out of the Chicago Executive Airport, northwest of Chicago. Aviation Explorer Post #9 has been around since 1995.

Learning-for-Life

Aviation Exploring is a national youth development program centered around aviation careers. It is part of a career education program called Learning for Life, for young men and women who are 14 and have completed the eighth grade, up through age 20.

Exploring's purpose is to provide experiences that help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Explorers are ready to investigate the meaning of interdependence in their personal relationships and communities.

These major organizations have said the following about the Aviation Exploring Progam:

National Air Transportation Association

"The National Air Transportation Association is proud to join with the Learning for Life Aviation Exploring program in their promotion of aviation, particularly aviation careers to both young men and women."

Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)

"ALPA encourages you to volunteer your time and knowledge with the Aviation Eplorers as they investigate various aviation career fields. Your participation will help to enrich the program."

Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)

"The Experimental Aircraft Association is proud to join with the Learning for Life Aviation Exploring program in their promotion of aviation. .. The Exploring program helps build character through career opportunities, life skills, leadership experience, character education, and citizenship activities."

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)

"Local Exploring staffs provide help and training for volunteers and organizations wishing to participate in this worthwhile endeavor. ... I encourage all pilots and local pilot associations to become involved in the Aviation Exploring program."

Women in Aviation International (WAI)

"... WAI encourages you to volunteer your time and knowledge with the Aviation Explorers as they investigate various aviation career fields. . Together we can enrich the lives of America's youth."

Windy City Flyers

Our Post is sponsored by Windy City Flyers, a local flight training school and flying club. They support Post #9 in many ways, including providing us with training areas, suppling us with airplanes and pilots for most of our flights, and helping us with classroom instruction. Windy City Flyers is one of Chicago's premier flying clubs with a fleet of over 20 diverse aircraft including Cessna, Cirrus, Pipers, and Beechcraft. Windy City Flyer's flight school has over 20 instructors with over 40,000 collective hours of flight experience.

Chicago Executive Airport - PWK (formerly Palwaukee)

Our Post operates out of Chicago Executive Airport, which is owned by the City of Prospect Heights, IL and the Village of Wheeling, IL. It's located in Cook County, Illinois at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and Palatine Road. Chicago Executive is the third busiest airport in Illinois, and plays a crucial role as a reliever for O’Hare International Airport. Chicago Executive operates 24 hours a day year round. It has an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower that operates daily between 6 am. and 10 pm. Chicago Executive consists of three active runways and covers more than 412 acres. It is home to 325 aircraft, including 57 corporate jet aircraft. More than 167,000 takeoffs and landings were logged annually at Chicago Executive in recent years.

AE Post 9 Background

Aviation Explorer Post #9 began in 1995. A number of Post #9 Explorers have gone on to receive their Private Pilot's Licenses, several others have gone into related careers such as aerospace engineering, a few have become aircraft mechanics with their A&P License, one joined AFROTC and is now flying F-16s, and another has graduated from the US Air Force Academy. Not all who join our Post continue into aviation careers. There are those who decide aviation is not for them and go in a different direction, or those that love aviation more as a hobby and choose another carrer path. While some may consider these a "failure," we consider them a success. One of our missions is to enable young people to explore aviation and determine whether or not they may be interested in it as a career or just a love of flying. Without this program, they would need to invest considerable time and/or money before they could make that decision.

AE Post 9 Advistors

The Post's Senior Advisor is Doug Powers. Mr. Powers has been involved in aviation for over 40 years. He Attended the University of Illinois, where he received his Private Pilots License in 1967. He also went on to complete his Commercial Pilot License, with both Single and Multi Engine Rating, and his Instrument Rating.

After finishing school, he started with the FAA in 1969 as an Air Traffic Controller at O'Hare and later moved into management. He has held various positions with the FAA, including Manager of Detroit Metro Tower, Manager of Minn./St. Paul Int'l. Tower, Chicago Meigs Field, Palwaukee Tower, and Chicago Approach Control in Elgin, IL. Doug retired from the FAA in January 2006, after 36 1/2 years, but he continues to work as a consultant for the government on various aviation related projects. He also works each year at the annual EAA AirVenture Airshow in Oshkosh, WI as a liaison between the FAA Controllers and the EAA volunteer ground control staff.

During his flying career, Doug has flown over 3,000 hours and still holds a Commercial Pilots License as well as his Instrument and Multi-Engine Ratings. He also has an Airframe (repair) License (although it is not current). As Post Advisor, Mr. Powers plans the program and ensures the quality of the Explorer's aviation experiences.

Michael Haupt is the Post's Committee Chairman and has been a Post Advisor since 2002. Although Mr. Haupt is not a pilot, he has had a lifelong interest in aviation and flying. He is President of Edge Information Group, a small Mt. Prospect based computer company specializing in software for IBM mainframes. He also is an avid aviation historian, and you can read some of Mike's work on his website at www.aliquis-llc.com.

As Committee Chairman, Mr. Haupt takes care of the paperwork associated with running the Post. He can be reached via E-Mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone at: 1 (847) 736-5812.

Michael Rogers is another of the Post's Adult Advisors and has been involved with the Post since 2006, when his daughter joined the Post. Although Mr. Rogers is also not a pilot, he too has had a lifelong interest in aviation and flying. He has completed his Ground School and is working towards getting his Private Pilot's License in the near future, along with his daughter.

He currently assists Mike Haupt with the business side of running the Post, including helping with event coordination and Web Site development. He can be reached via E-Mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone at: 1 (847) 612-7194.

Melody Warman is the Post's Female Adult Advisor and has also been involved with the Post since 2006, when her sons joined the Post.  Ms. Warman is a licensed private pilot and is currently working on her advanced pilot’s training.  Her oldest son Bill is also learning to fly.

Melody currently works with the Post's officers to assist in event planning, and to be an advisor to the many female members of the Post.  She is also involved in many organizations that promote women in aviation, such as the 99s and Women in Aviation (WAI).