Fox Cities News

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh software engineering students have developed an app to assist pilots in tracking their airport stops. The app, named FWAPPA! (Fly Wisconsin Airport Passport Program App!), was created by a group of students in Michael Rogers' class as a class project.

Senior Alex Ceithamer expressed his excitement about working on a real-world app, stating, “Working on an app that will have real users was definitely a big change from the usual labs and projects I’ve completed in my classes.”

The app is linked to a database containing Wisconsin airports and their coordinates, allowing pilots to plot points on a map and create routes between airports. Pilots can also enter visited airports and give them ratings, providing a digital way to track airport visits for the Fly Wisconsin Airport Passport Program.

Rogers, the instructor, emphasized the importance of collaboration and real-world experience in the project, stating, “I had final responsibility for adding their code to the project. This is an absolutely fundamental tool/skillset that students need in industry, and so this gave them some exposure to it.”

After completing the app over winter break, Rogers and Ceithamer published it on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, respectively. The app has already been installed on about a dozen devices in the first few weeks of availability.

Ceithamer highlighted the skills he gained from the project, including working with APIs, remote database management, and encryption. He mentioned that this project provided him with valuable experience in software development and will be beneficial for his future career as a systems/software engineer.

Looking ahead to graduation in December, Ceithamer is excited about the possibilities in his career, stating, “I'm sure will be very helpful in the future. This (app) project definitely gave me my first look at the software development timeline.”

The students' successful completion of the airport-logging app project showcases their practical skills and readiness to enter the workforce as software engineers.