Posts Tagged ‘flight schools’

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US Aviation Group and Tarrant County College Sign Agreement

Friday, December 17th, 2010

US Aviation Group and Tarrant County College have established an accredited flight training program at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas.

US Aviation Group(USAG), based out of Denton, Texas, has entered into an agreement with Tarrant County College (TCC) establishing access to USAG’s Part 141 flight training for TCC students. The two organizations will operate an accredited flight training program via a Learning Center established at Alliance Airport (AFW), in Fort Worth.

TCC students will be able to apply available financial aid, including GI Bill benefits and Pell Grants, to help pay for enrollment in USAG’s Professional Pilot Program. Upon completion of the program, students can expect to hold a multi-engine commercial rating and have passed the written exam for their ATP certificate. Additionally, the students can undertake coursework at TCC for a two-year degree in aviation and transfer to a university to complete their four-year degree.

This program sprang from an idea put forth by the North Central Council of Governments to provide a way for students to receive flight training locally. According to Floyd Curtis, Dean of Business, Technology and Transportation at TCC, the college latched onto the idea and began investigating Part 141 flight training providers in North Texas, where they discovered USAG. TCC was pleased with the success of USAG’s flight training program and both parties began negotiations to create the current program.

USAG is expecting “rapid growth and a high success rate” of students in the program. They currently conduct flight training at Denton and Hondo Municipal Airports, but will gradually expand operations to AFW as TCC students enroll for flight training. According to the President of USAG, Mike Sykes, within five years the U.S. airline industry can expect to see a critical shortage of qualified pilots as the numbers of older pilots reaching mandatory retirements out pace the numbers of new pilots. Despite current conditions at some airlines, now is the best time to begin flight training in order to best capitalize on the impending shortage.

For more information on US Aviation Group see our featured schools page for US Flight Academy in Denton, TX.

For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.

Source: US Aviation pens agreement with college
This article was written by Matthew Everett, a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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Mass. Flight School and College Establish Scholarship

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

A flight school and community college in Massachusetts have established a scholarship in memory of a late flight instructor.

A Massachusetts flight school and community college recently announced the establishment of a flight training scholarship. The scholarship, established by Beverly Flight Center and North Shore Community College, was created to memorialize the late Michael Costales, a flight instructor at Beverly Flight Center.

The scholarship will benefit students in North Shore Community College’s aviation science program and at the Beverly Flight Center. Costales was struck and killed by the propeller of a plane at Beverly Airport on Aug. 27. The schools announced the Michael Costales Memorial Scholarship on November 19, in honor of the late Costales’ 31st birthday.

A press release quotes the director of North Shore Community College’s aviation science program, John Bosco, as saying: “The accident was an incredible tragedy, which greatly affected many. I think the establishment of this scholarship fund will offer the many of us who knew and worked with Michael to acknowledge his contributions and ensure his passion for teaching people to fly continues.”

The Aviation Science Professional Pilot program at NSCC is a joint program between the college and the Beverly Flight Center which combines college classes and flight training in order to train students to become commercial pilots in fixed-wing aircraft.

The flight training industry is in dire need of both programs and scholarships like this. Joint programs like this create a stable source of students for local flight schools and allow colleges to add a degree program relatively simply while opening a new career path for students. Scholarships are needed to help students who want to be a pilot, but can’t afford the training. With programs and scholarships designed to benefit everyone involved, we can look forward to a more stable flight training industry that is better equipped to meet the needs of the aviation industry at large.

For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.

Source: Scholarship is a tribute to a late flight instructor
This article was written by Matthew Everett, a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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AOPA Recommends Flight Training Fixes

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

CFIs just "building time" for an airline job was one of the primary obstacles to student pilot retention indicated in a recent study.

A few months ago, AOPA announced that they would be performing an in depth study regarding pilot training. The results of the study were reported at the recent AOPA Summit in Long Beach. The study was performed by experts at APCO Insight and highlighted some changes that could improve flight training. The study indicated that the industry is struggling to retain students, as reported by a survey expert and new private pilot, because it isn’t exploiting the fact that being a pilot has a “cool factor.”

In a conference at AOPA Summit, APCO Insight CEO, Mark Benson reported that flight training industry is overlooking one of its most important promotional tools – the sense of community and feeling of belonging that pilots feel among other pilots. According to Jennifer Storm, AOPA’s head of their Flight Training Student Retention Initiative, the survey revealed a lot of information about the desires of student pilots when it comes to flight schools. In short, efforts to sell flight training have eroded the “specialness” of getting a pilot certificate. Additionally, student pilots are seeking value for their money. It is important that they feel their instructors and flight schools are actively saving them money. Flight training is already pricey, the last thing a student pilot wants is an instructor or flight school that needlessly runs up the cost.

Perhaps one of the defining issues of student pilot retention is instructor retention. According to Benson, the industry needs to attract more CFIs that are committed and involved in their students’ training. It is essential that they keep the student pilots engaged and check in regularly. The extensive research APCO Insight performed for AOPA on student pilot retention indicated that above all, instructors who are just there to “build time” for an airline job were one of the biggest turn-offs for student pilots.

AOPA and APCO Insight shared the results of the study with CFIs and flight schools at an event just before AOPA Summit. Among the issues discussed were: CFI boredom, CFI pay, and training material availability. According to the study, despited the fact that a majority of student pilots characterize flight training as a good thing, the many unprofessional, disorganized, and unmotivated CFIs across the country were at least partly to blame for poor student retention.

For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.

Sources: Training Needs A Tuneup
This article was written by Matthew Everett, a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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ATP Expands Training Fleet, Acquires Six Piper Seminoles

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

In an announcement at AOPA Summit, ATP and Piper revealed ATP's acquisition of six new twin-engine Piper Seminoles.

Airline Transport Professionals and Piper Aircraft Inc. recently announced ATP’s acquisition of a fleet of six Piper Seminole multi-engine piston-powered advanced training aircraft. ATP, a professional pilot training school with locations nationwide will take delivery of the aircraft, which combined are worth almost $4 million, in 2010. The acquisition brings ATP’s training fleet up to 87 Seminoles in addition to 50 Cessna 172s, five Diamond DA40s and a CitationJet.

The joint Piper, ATP announcement was made at the annual Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Aviation Summit 2010 in Long Beach, where both companies are exhibiting. Piper, headquartered in Vero Beach, Florida, is one of the biggest names in general aviation offering nine models of single-engine and twin-engine aircraft. ATP, providing cost-efficient, accelerated flight training, operates the largest multi-engine training fleet providing thousands of graduates an unparalleled amount of multi-engine flight time.

ATP’s recently announced partnership with Mountain State University, under which ATP provides flight training for Mountain State’s ATP Pilot Operations degree program, has driven up demand for ATP’s multi-engine aircraft. ATP’s new Seminoles will allow them to meet that demand. The degree program allows students to complete online coursework for a bachelor’s degree while undertaking standardized, airline-style flight training curriculum, building more than 100 hours of multi-engine flight experience.

ATP has chosen the Piper Seminole based on its proven reliability, having provided hundreds of thousands of flight hours around the world, and its compatibility with ATP’s flight training fleet and methodology. The Seminole is a stable and forgiving aircraft that allows students learn advanced flight maneuvers and procedures safely. The Piper Seminole is an aircraft that supports ATP’s mission of providing high-quality multi-engine flight training and offers unmatched reliability. Also, because they already operate a number of Seminoles, ATP is well equipped for maintenance of the Lycoming O-360-A1H6 powered aircraft.

For more information on ATP – Airline Transport Professionals, please see our featured school page.

For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.

Sources: Piper Seminoles Added to ATP Training Fleet
This article was written by Matthew Everett, a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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Aerosim Flight Academy Looks To Increase Enrollment

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Aerosim uses the Cirrus SR20 for its primary training aircraft.

Boeing’s crew assessment forecast, released earlier this year, calling for at least one million pilots and maintenance personnel in the next 20 years wasn’t missed by Aerosim Flight Academy. The popular flight school intends to increase enrollment in order to meet the needs highlighted in the forecast. During the recent Cocoa Beach Air Show, which took place on October 30th and 31st and had more than 160,000 attendees, Aerosim set up a booth to showcase the school.

The academy’s booth featured the advanced simulator they use during portions of their flight training syllabus. It was a crowd favorite with a long line and wait times that filling the gap between air show performances, but spectators felt it was well worth the wait. The booth was also home to a contingent of career counselors and executives from Cirrus, who manufactures Aerosim’s primary trainer, and several airlines. Aerosim uses the Cirrus SR-20 for it’s primary training aircraft. A group of Aerosim students and instructors were also present at the booth to answer potential pilots’ questions about their training.

Aerosim Flight Academy is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and was the first flight school to participate in the FAA’s Aviation Safety Action Program. Aerosim provides the utmost in professional and safe training with the implementation of FAA Industry Training Standards for their flight training operations. The academy also assists graduates with job placement through partnerships with numerous airlines.

Aerosim’s commitment to provide safe, professional training is a testament to their commitment to providing the best pilots to meet current and future industry demands. Additionally, their relationships with airlines and Cirrus are a huge benefit for their students who learn to fly in some of the best aircraft produced today and receive placements at some of the world’s leading airlines.

For more, please visit our Aerosim Flight Academy information page.

For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.

Sources: Aerosim Flight Academy Ready to Meet Pilot Shortage
This article was written by Matthew Everett, a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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Phoenix East Aviation First Flight School With ADS-B

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
Phoenix East Aviation ADS-B equipped cockpit

Future Phoenix East Students will fly with ADS-B technology

Phoenix East Aviation, Inc. (PEA) announces the acquisition of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) systems on its fleet of training aircraft.  Phoenix East Aviation is the first independent flight training academy in the U.S. to have such a system.

This technology is a crucial part of the nation’s Next-Generation Air Transportation System. ADS-B-equipped aircraft determine and then broadcast their positions to ground stations and other aircraft. Position data is derived from a global navigation satellite system or an aircraft’s inertial reference system. ADS-B provides accurate information and updates to airspace users and air traffic controllers and is an important safety and efficiency enhancement.

This system is the latest advancement in Phoenix East Aviation’s training safety and security program; ADS-B will be an augmentation to safe operation and pilot instruction. The system gives students and instructors real-time information on potential air traffic threats. With ADS-B, pilots and air traffic controllers see radar-like displays with highly accurate traffic data from satellites. It provides flight monitoring in both radar and non-radar environments.

The system consists of a network of Ground-Based Transmitter (GBTs), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and electronic equipment in the aircraft. The aircraft transmits its position continuously to the nearest GBT; the GBT then transmits information to the aircraft providing positional information of other aircraft in the area. With ADS-B, pilots also have access to weather and flight information services and terrain maps.

Phoenix East Aviation Chief Executive Officer, Ghassan Reslan, said “We are proud to be the first independent flight training academy in the U.S. to take the lead and implement the ADS-B system. Flight training students will learn to utilize this technology, which will make them better prepared for careers as professional pilots. Without a doubt, as the worldwide aviation system evolves and grows, ADS-B will play an important role in overall flight safety and air traffic control efficiencies.”

Phoenix East Aviation, Inc. provides comprehensive pilot training, specializing in professional flight instruction. FAR Part 141, private, commercial and multi-engine professional programs and FAR Part 61 courses are offered. The school is nationally accredited and is approved to offer Veteran Benefits under the G.I. Bill. Headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, where the climate permits flight operations 350+ days/year, the school has been in continuous operation since 1972.

For more information, visit Phoenix East Aviation‘s featured school page

By Patricia Cobleigh, Phoenix East Aviation marketing.

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MSU, ATP to offer joint aviation degree

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
By Matthew Everett

Mountain State University students have a new degree option thanks to a recent academic services agreement with Airline Transport Professionals. The agreement, signed by CEO and President of MSU Charles H. Polk and ATP President Derrick Dennis, provides the foundation for the Bachelor of Science in Airline Transport Professional Pilot Operations. Under the agreement, students will complete flight training through ATP at one of their 22 locations across the U.S. and college curriculum through MSU.

MSU, based in Beckley, West Virginia, is a not-for-profit educational institution with several campuses around the nation as well as a number of online degree programs. MSU chose to partner with ATP based on their proven record of professional multi-engine flight training, flying over 6,000 hours and providing 300 FAA pilot certifications a year.

According to David Robbins, director of aviation at MSU, “Airlines hire the most qualified pilots, preferring that applicants have a bachelor’s degree and high quality flight experience.” The program, which is intended to provide airlines with qualified pilot applicants, will allow students to build required flight experience, certifications and work as flight instructors while completing their bachelor’s degree. Additionally, students will study leadership, business and management, communications, and aeronautics.

“What makes this degree so unique is how the college coursework complements students’ flight training and professional pilot careers. With recent legislation requiring more flight experience of airline pilot applicants, it’s important that career pilots build high-quality flight experience as quickly and economically as possible. Graduates of this program will be the first of a new generation of airline pilot applicants,” said Derrick Dennis, president of ATP.

For more information see:
http://www.aviationschoolsonline.com/school-info/ATP-/83/92/F/1.php

Source: MSU

Find flight training near you: http://www.aviationschoolsonline.com/flight-schools.php

Matthew Everett is a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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Flight school fees: a growing trend?

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
By Matthew Everett

On Thursday the 24th of August, the Arizona State Board for Private and Postsecondary Education met to discuss the regulation of flight instruction in Arizona. Many instructors and advocacy groups feared that this would create a host of new fees and regulatory hurdles. With the number of flight training providers located in Arizona, this had the potential to be very problematic. The announcement was of particular concern to the National Association of Flight Instructors.

“We are concerned that Arizona may be considering similar fees (to California),” says NAFI Executive Director Jason Blair. “As a state that has a significant number of flight-training providers, we’re concerned about the chilling effect those fees may have on those businesses. We’re encouraging our members in that state to get involved in this issue, so we don’t have a repeat of the California situation.”

According to further reports however, the state board unanimously voted to reject the proposal to consider Part 61 flight schools as “vocational schools.” This is likely very good news to many, but does this indicate a growing trend? Should advocacy groups and instructors be concerned that other states may pass regulations similar to California?

The California law, which recently took effect, has remained fairly unpopular. According to the California lawmakers, the law is intended to protect students. While that may be true enough, the new law does have noticeable adverse effects on flight training operators, including new registration fees and very strict financial regulation. The fear is that such laws will only drive up training costs and force smaller schools out of business.

These fees are an important issue that advocacy groups should continue to discuss. There are some important questions that need to be answered, because regardless of how unpopular the new California law may be, it looks like the issue is spreading.

What’s your opinion, do the benefits outweigh the costs? Is there a better way to protect students?

View a complete list of Arizona flight schools

Sources:
http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/
Arizona_Flight_School_Fees_203180-1.html
http://www.generalaviationnews.com/?p=28137
http://www.eaa.org/news/2010/2010-08-26_nafi.asp
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/
Arizona_Rejects_Flight_School_Fees_203198-1.html

Matthew Everett is a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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Delta Connection Academy now Aerosim Flight Academy

Monday, August 30th, 2010
By Matthew Everett

In a recent announcement by Aerosim, Delta Connection Academy has been renamed Aerosim Flight Academy. Aerosim bought Delta Connection in January in an effort to expand the company’s service offerings.

Aerosim is a leading provider of simulation-based training products for customized training solutions that are in use world-wide by commercial air carriers and training providers. With the acquisition of Delta Connections Academy, they now offer training for aviators at any level. From the established career pilot seeking a new type-rating to the low-time primary student, Aerosim can provide training to meet the needs of pilots at any stage.

According to Dave Rapley, Aerosim CEO, “The industry is looking for a partner that can provide a full range of training solutions customized to their requirements. Bringing our technology together with the academy’s airline-based approach to professional pilot training just made sense in terms of providing a modern curriculum using advanced technology and offering an even broader range of customized training solutions. Now as we present under a unified name, we reaffirm our commitment to provide the industry with that singular partner.”

This is no doubt a welcome addition to aviators looking into career training as it provides an integrated platform of training options that are already in use by the very airlines at which they are seeking a career. Additionally, with four campuses in the U.S., Aerosim can train pilots with maximum efficiency.

For more information see: http://www.aviationschoolsonline.com/school-info/Aerosim-Flight-Academy/48/41/F/1.php

Source: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Delta-Connection-Academy-Becomes-Aerosim-Flight-Academy-1309719.htm

Matthew Everett is a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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Middletown Community Foundation establishes aviation scholarship

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

By Matthew Everett

Students in a four county area of Ohio have a new source of financial aid thanks to the Middletown Community Foundation’s establishment of the Aviation Educational Trust Fund. The fund will begin awarding scholarships from the assets of the Middletown Aviation Club, which has been disbanded, to students in Butler, Warren, Montgomery and Preble counties. The students must be enrolled in an accredited university, college, or flight school and seeking a degree or certificate in an aviation-related subject area including aeronautical engineering, airframe and powerplant mechanics, airport management. Students seeking commercial pilot or certified flight instructor certificates are eligible, but those seeking private pilot certificates are not.

The fund has grown out of the Middletown Aviation Club which has a long history of promoting interest in aviation and aviation safety. The club, once open to anyone with an interest in aviation, hosted many aviation events and field trips from August 1940 on. Applications, which are due in February for the first round of scholarships, are available on the Middletown Community Foundation’s website, www.mcfoundation.org.

For more information see: www.mcfoundation.org

Source: http://www.journal-news.com/news/aviation-scholarship-takes-off-for-area-students-875301.html

Find flight schools in Ohio: http://www.aviationschoolsonline.com/flight-schools/Ohio/

Matthew Everett is a private pilot, aviation writer, and frequent contributor to AviationSchoolsOnline.com. You can follow him on twitter @leaving_tf or find his blog at http://leavingterrafirma.com.

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