DRG Donates Flight Simulator to Sequoyah High School

Training device helps broaden students’ STEM knowledge, exposure to state’s second-largest industry

Aaron Emberton, Cherokee Nation (far left) Senior Adviser of Education Aaron Emberton provides direction to Braden Young, a student at a Sequoyah High School student who tries out the new simulator.

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 7, 2021) – As part of its continued effort to help build a talent pipeline in Oklahoma for the state’s aerospace and defense industry, Delaware Resource Group of Oklahoma LLC on Aug. 24 donated a flight training simulator to Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah.

The Redbird Flight-Jay Velocity Simulator allows students to learn and apply their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, through flight training. In addition to the flight mode where students select the aircraft and conditions, the Jay Velocity simulator has a scenario mode where they can load a preset scenario and fly it. A scenario could range from a simple aviation challenge to a complex flight with multiple potential outcomes all while the students apply STEM principles.

“Helping establish a STEM-based program for students in the Cherokee Nation will foster talent development, educational opportunities and career pathways that will benefit students, the aerospace industry and keep jobs locally,” said Phil G. Busey Sr., chairman and CEO of DRG and The Busey Group of Companies. “We are excited to be able to begin development of an aerospace-focused program with the Cherokee Nation! Working together, the simulator is a beginning step.”

Sequoyah High School, a school for Native American students in grades 9-12, is operated by the Cherokee Nation and funded by the Bureau of Indian Education.

“The new simulator at Sequoyah Schools shows students how fun flying actually is, but also shows students how complex and difficult an aircraft can be to fly,” said Braden Young, a student at Sequoyah High School. “Since it has been put in, I’ve seen many students interested in trying it out. More students are interested in aviation as a career because of it.”

The donation is the latest in a list of educational initiatives related to aerospace and defense in which DRG has partnered with the Cherokee Nation over the last 18 months. In July, DRG and the Cherokee Nation launched the CASE (Culture, Aerospace, Science & Engineering) program that gave high school students from Oklahoma, Texas and Washington the opportunity to learn from Oklahoma industry experts in aerospace, engineering and technology.

Founded in 2002 in Oklahoma City, DRG has become a leading global training service contractor specializing in the aerospace defense industry. DRG is owned and operated by the Busey family.

DRG Director of Information Technology Stephen Gaede installs the simulator device in Sequoyah High School’s library. Pictured in the background (L to R): Cherokee Nation Senior Adviser of Education; Director of Education Services Corey Bunch; Chief of Staff Todd Enlow; Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner; and Brittany Attaway, director of Community Relations and Business Development for DRG. Ronda Oravetz, DRG’s director of Commercial Procurement (not shown), also traveled to Tahlequah for the donation presentation.