Though the war is in Iraq, students can fly aboard a Marine Corps aircraft in Muncie.
The Marine Corps will be giving free flights to Ball State students and Muncie community members Wednesday at the Delaware County Airport, located at N. Walnut Street and Riggin Road.
Students will not only have the chance to fly aboard a Piper Twin-Navajo aircraft, but they can also help fly the aircraft under supervision.
Capt. Brett Hart said the program will begin at 10 a.m. and is scheduled to last until 3 p.m. Flights will be taken in 30-minute intervals allowing each passenger five-to-10 minutes to take control on the second set of controllers.
However, Hart is willing to continue to fly until dark as long as there are people wanting to take rides, he said.
The aircraft, which can carry six to eight people at a time, has a wingspan of 40 feet and is 30 feet long.
Students will be flown at a speed of 205 mph over Muncie.
"You should be able to get a pretty good view of Ball State," Hart said.
Another officer will be assisting Hart with the program.
As one officer is in the air teaching students about flying, the other will be on the ground answering questions, Hart said.
Hart said students can also watch informational videos, and a free cook-out will be offered during lunch time.
Hart said the program is a promotional effort aimed at Ball State students.
"The purpose is to generate awareness that the Marine Corps does have an aviation program," Hart said.
Aviation is an option for students participating in the Marine Corps Officer Program.
To become eligible for the Marine Corps officers program, applicants must be citizens of the United States and have a bachelor's degree or be in the process of getting a bachelor's degree, according to the U.S. Marine Corps Web site.
In addition to the requirements for becoming a Marine Officer, aviators have the additional requirement of passing an Aviation Selection Testing Battery and a flight physical. Perfect eyesight is no longer a requirement to fly as a Marine. The current standard is 20/40 eyesight, correctable to 20/20.
While Wednesday's flight program is directed at college students, anyone can attend.
The program has been offered at Muncie before, though it has been awhile.
It was scheduled for last fall but was canceled due to rain, Hart said.
Hart said the Marines also offer this program at Indiana University, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and Indiana State University.
If it is canceled again, they will most likely drop the next-scheduled flight at another university and do it here because it has been so long since the program has been offered at Muncie, he said.
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