Aerospace Workshops

Workshop B - Discover Northland Aerospace I - Swenson Hangar
Come on in and discover what Northland Aerospace campus has to offer. Our 86,000 square foot facility features a state-of-the-art hangar, housing over 20 aircraft including a DC-9 that was owned and donated by the Detroit Pistons NBA team! Hop inside the cockpit of an aircraft, become an AMT student through a hands-on activities, such as riveting and sheet metal. Try out the SCSU Trailer (the manufacturing trailer has 3D printers, CNC machines & more to explore), welding & paint sims.

Workshop C - UAS Hangar
Do you think you have what it takes to be a technician for autonomous systems? We do! Dive into the world of virtual reality and fly a racing drone. Take control of a land robot. Test your flight skills by flying a drone through the Aerial Drone Competition course. Learn how all these activities directly tie to programs that Northland Aerospace has to offer. Visit the TCOE Trailer (flight sim, Engine ID, Paint matching, Heavy equipment sim)

Workshop D - STEAM Electrical and Automation - Classroom 28
Are you interested in electronics and automation? If so, this is the class for you! Students will be able to choose from multiple activities such as working with Arduino, programmable logic controllers, configuring networks, and learning how to operate a skillboss.

Workshop E - Real Flight and Flight Simulators - Classroom 5-6
Are you ready to learn how to take off into the wild blue sky? With our variety of flight simulators, you can come get a feel for flight. Also in this class, you will learn the basics of flight, including the use of the instrument panel, how to read the instruments, takeoff and landing procedures, and other interesting rules of the air. You will also be learning the basics of drone programming for autonomous flight.

Workshop G - Learning to Solder - Build a Bug - Classroom 9
Are you interested in soldering but don’t know how to get started? We can teach you! This hands-on lesson is made even more impactful with a soldering board that lights up to signify how much light is getting to the photosensor. With this new-found skill, you can begin the path towards careers in jewelry, electronics, air conditioning and heating, sheet metal work, and much more!

Workshop I - Electronics Concepts with Spintronics - Classroom 11
Join us for the opportunity to understand electronics and computing in a whole new way. Rather than tell you what's happening in a circuit, let us show you with Spintronics. Feel the resistance, feel the pull of voltage, and watch the current flow. This hands-on activity is fun and easy and is an excellent way to learn engineering concepts!


Workshop J - Discover Industrial Design - Classroom 31
How companies bring a product or vehicle to life. Do you like to be creative? Do you like problem solving? Are you interested in a job that has opportunities in your hometown and all over the world? In this intro, we look at how companies (such as Dyson, Arctic Cat, Polaris, Lamborghini, Apple and Coca Cola) use the creative process and industrial design to set themselves apart to create great products that we interact with every day. Students will be guided through the initial steps of bringing an idea to life through sketching, clay modeling, and physical model making.

Would you like to explore exciting STEM careers? New this year to Experience Northland is our Mini Career Fair! We are pleased to welcome area companies with a variety of STEM careers available, including designing aircraft, maintaining drones, flight instruction, and much more!

Registration for these events will now be hosted on the Northland Launch Event Page.

April 10, 2025
NCTC Main Campus
1101 State Hwy 1
Thief River Falls, MN 56701

NCTC Aerospace Campus -- located next to the Thief River Falls Regional Airport.
13892 Airport Drive
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
Please park in the East Parking Lot (next to the highway) and use the East Entrance.

April 23, 2025
NCTC Main Campus
2022 Central Ave NW,
East Grand Forks, MN 56721