LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday, participants in this weekend’s Clear Lake Seaplane Splash In began arriving in Lakeport, with this year’s event to feature activities and seminars for young people designed to draw attention to career opportunities in aviation.

The 40th annual Splash In takes place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Natural High School, 810 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

On Thursday afternoon, planes piloted by Ray Arceneaux and Steve Hamilton were among the first to arrive in Lakeport for the event.

They will be joined by another two dozen planes from in and around California.

The Clear Lake Modelers will have many of their sea and land airplane models on display as well as a simulator where visitors may try their hand at flying a model. The club members will answer questions and demonstrate how to build models.

A sound system covering the entire field will be in place so everyone on the field can hear what’s going on including the pilot briefing at 9:30 a.m., what planes are there and descriptions of aerial demonstrations over the lake later in the day. Seaplane rides over Clear Lake with two commercially licensed pilots will be available for purchase.

This year’s field marshall this year is Ray Shipway of Shipway Aviation, assisted by Lee Cook, a long time Splash In volunteer.

Shipway will oversee the Scouts of Sea Scout Ship unit 711 as they direct planes entering and leaving the field. The Sea Scouts camp on site from Friday through Sunday; they and their leaders do 24-hour security for the field.

Unlike many fields where jobs are disappearing, career prospects in aviation are bright. Boeing’s CEO, Dennis Muilinberg, noted at the Paris Air Show last month that there will be a need for 800,000 new pilots in the next 20 years, and that there will be a severe pilot shortage.

The Splash In features seminars that could be useful to high school students and their parents in learning about career opportunities in aviation.

A seminar entitled “You Can Be a Pilot” takes place at the Natural High School in Lakeport at 11 a.m. Saturday, and a seminar entitled “Career Opportunities in Aviation” takes place at 2 p.m.

In addition, Steve Bateman, director of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Flying Clubs Initiative, will present “Maximum Fun, Minimum Cost: How to Start and Run a Flying Club” at 10 a.m.

“You Can Be a Pilot” is a fast paced, inspirational session designed to increase awareness that obtaining a pilot certificate is a realistic and achievable objective.

“The Career Opportunities in Aviation” seminar examines the exciting prospects for young people in aviation. In addition to outlining the specific careers available in aviation, the career opportunities seminar presents details about the high school curriculum for aviation education that the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association makes available at no cost to high schools.

Professional pilots, mechanics, avionics technicians and flight instructors will be on hand to answer questions that students and parents may have.

“It’s important that students in the Lake County school system become aware of the career opportunities in aviation, including jobs as aviation mechanics, avionics technicians, corporate, airline and military pilots and aerial photographers. The career opportunities seminar enables them to learn about those opportunities,” said Melissa Fulton, chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, which is presenting the event.

Lake County high schools used to have aviation classes, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association high school curriculum is being taught in a number of California high schools.

Kevin Soto, a Boeing 747 pilot for the United Parcel Service, said, “The aviation program at Lower Lake high school back in the 1970s made me aware of the opportunities in aviation. Those classes were invaluable to my path to becoming a Boeing 747 pilot for UPS.”

“I saw firsthand the beneficial impact that teaching aviation had on some of the students in my classes,” said retired high school teacher, Miles Turner, who is a pilot and used to teach the aviation classes at Kelseyville High School.

Dan Dye, who is a retired chemist, pilot, former aircraft owner and substitute high school teacher in Lake County, said, “I have no doubt that an aviation curriculum at one or more of Lake County’s high schools would open doors to career opportunities many students are simply not aware of now.”

“A Lake County-based flying club can complement a high school aviation curriculum by reducing the cost of flying for students, giving them opportunities to fly with other club members and to become involved in aircraft building projects sponsored by the club,” said Herb Lingl, the education director of the Clear Lake Flying Club.

In addition to accommodating seaplanes by providing a ramp for access to the Lakeport waterfront, the Splash In provides a chance for the public to see seaplanes first hand and interact with seaplane pilots.

The Splash In attracts a wide variety of different types of seaplanes. More details about this year’s Splash In are available at www.clearlakesplashin.com.