Wichita, Kan. – Wichita, also known as the Air Capital of the World, will soon have its first collegiate airplane pilot program. To begin in August 2021, WSU Tech will offer a two-year professional pilot program aimed to prepare individuals for a professional pilot career in a multitude of industries including commercial airlines, flight training, private or business aviation, cargo and government organizations. Instruction for the program will be at WSU Tech’s National Center for Aviation Training located at Colonel James Jabara Airport in northeast Wichita.

“Over the last 10 years, the National Center for Aviation Training has become the nation’s leading institution for aerospace manufacturing and aviation maintenance education and training,” said Dr. Sheree Utash, president of WSU Tech. “It is our mission to help meet our region’s workforce needs but until now we have been limited to the aviation needs that exist on the ground. We are excited to take our education to new heights with the addition of the professional pilot program and to help combat the robust need for trained pilots in our nation.”

Graduates from the pending FAA Part 141 pilot program will earn an Associates of Applied Science in Professional Pilot from WSU Tech as well as be eligible for five ratings from the FAA; Private, Instrument, Commercial, Multiengine, and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). Full completion of the program will take approximately 2 years. Outside of the classroom work, students will be required to complete a minimum of 235 flight hours that they will begin to complete in WSU Tech’s new Cessna Skyhawk 172, the ultimate training platform and the most popular single-engine aircraft in aviation history. The aircraft is provided to the college by Textron Aviation as part of its Top Hawk program.

“Training and developing the next generation of pilots is vitally important to our industry,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO, Textron Aviation. “Welcoming WSU Tech into the Top Hawk program will expose future aviators to the latest technological advances in pilot training, and allows students to explore a wide range of aviation career possibilities right here in the Air Capital of the World.”

Textron Aviation launched the Top Hawk program in 2015 as a collaboration with flight schools and universities across the U.S. Organizations receive full use of a factory-new, custom-branded Cessna Skyhawk for the duration of the program for student pilot training and to promote pilot training at air shows, aviation contests and recruiting venues. The Top Hawk program has placed 26 Cessna Skyhawks with participating schools and pilot centers, training more than 1,000 students to help fill the pipeline of skilled aviators.

“WSU Tech’s pilot program is excited to be among the select aviation schools in Textron Aviation’s Top Hawk program,” said James Hall, Dean of Aviation and Manufacturing at WSU Tech. “Our students will gain a unique experience training in a brand new, WSU Tech custom branded Cessna Skyhawk. This new addition to our fleet also reinforces the standard of providing state-of-the-art training facilities and equipment at the National Center for Aviation Training.”

Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook 2020–2039 executive summary cites that while the current industry downturn, driven by COVID-19, has resulted in a temporary oversupply of qualified personnel, the long-term need remains robust. The report states that in the next 20 years there will be a need of 763,000 pilots nationwide with 208,000 being in North America. The outlook goes on to reiterate that “meeting the projected long-term demand” for aviation positions “will require a collective effort across the global aviation industry” as “tens of thousands of pilots, technicians and cabin crew members reach retirement age over the next decade.” The company says educational outreach and career pathway programs “will be essential to inspiring and recruiting the next generation.”

“This is such a momentous time for our city and the college,” said Utash. “We thank Textron Aviation for their partnership and helping to make this dream a reality. Keep an eye on the sky Wichita, we will be flying there soon!” The program will be open to 15 participants each fall starting in August 2021. Individuals interested in joining the program should apply today. More information can be found at www.wsutech.edu/pilot.