Fox Cities News

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh software engineering students have successfully developed an airport-logging app for pilots, aiming to provide a convenient way for aviators to track their airport stops. The application, FWAPPA!, an acronym for Fly Wisconsin Airport Passport Program App, was the result of a class project led by Michael Rogers and his CS341 class.

Alex Ceithamer, a senior student involved in the project, expressed the significance of this real-world application development experience, 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 project provided a new level of purpose and attention to detail for the students participating.

Rogers emphasized the importance of collaborative software tools in the project, mentioning, “I used a software tool that encouraged collaboration." He highlighted the value of this experience in preparing students for the industry, providing them with essential skills for future endeavors.

The app, FWAPPA!, is designed to help pilots track Wisconsin airports they have visited by utilizing a database containing airport information and weather data. Ceithamer and Rogers continued to work on the project even after the semester ended, ensuring its completion and subsequent publication on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Ceithamer shared his learning experiences from the project, including mastering Graphical User Interface (GUI) creation, API integration, and version control using Git. He expressed his anticipation for the future, mentioning, "This (app) project definitely gave me my first look at the software development timeline which I’m sure will be very helpful in the future."

The development of FWAPPA! not only provided valuable technical skills to the students but also offered them a glimpse into the software development timeline, preparing them for future career opportunities in the field.