SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Students in Har-Ber High School’s aviation class got a unique surprise Wednesday when a helicopter landed on the school lawn.

Students got the chance to get their hands on the controls inside the chopper and talk with certified flight instructors thanks to a partnership between Har-Ber High School and FlyARH.

“It’s one thing to see it on a PowerPoint or on a video or on a Zoom presentation, but to be able to sit in an aircraft they normally don’t have access to and to experience it firsthand…as a teacher, it’s the ultimate [experience,]” said Jason McMullen, the aviation teacher at Har-Ber.

Har-Ber was the first high school in the state to offer pilot training as a CTE elective course.