Sept. 02--Owensboro Community & Technical College, Eastern Kentucky University, MidAmerica Jet and the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport are continuing to work on several fronts to boost interest in aviation in Owensboro with a 2 + 2 degree agreement ready to sign and the ground work being laid for a flight academy at the airport.
"We haven't finalized anything on the flight academy yet; we still have a lot of moving pieces," said Pete Carroll, the new business development director for MidAmerica Jet. "The EKU agreement, though, has come together."
All of these initiatives are designed to create a road map for U.S. pilots or anyone who wants a career in aviation. "The idea is that they would come here for training," Carroll said.
Airport Director Bob Whitmer and Carroll mentioned some of the additional efforts under way to bolster the airport's general aviation numbers during the airport board's Aug. 19 meeting.
The board approved Boonville, Indiana-based X-Cell Aviation Flight Training Center's new flight instruction business that will operate in conjunction with Ayer Flying Club at the airport.
In addition, Owensboro Public Schools has started offering a four-year aviation education program in partnership with the Kentucky Institute for Aerospace Education.
"We're really approaching these next steps from two angles," said Jim Klauber, president of OCTC. "We're going ?to sign a 2 + 2 agreement with Eastern Kentucky University, and the flight school will help students work toward their air transport pilot certification."
A 2 + 2 agreement means that students who earn an associate of arts degree at OCTC may transfer all of their credits to EKU and complete the four-year aviation degree. The partners have agreed on all the parameters, Klauber said.
The big news Klauber and Carroll and others are touting is that by starting their aviation career path at the community college, students may save from $20,000 to $25,000 and apply that savings to the additional flight training required.
"For airline pilots or anyone who wants a career in aviation, it's going to be good for them to start with us first," Klauber said.
All of the partners, including Ralph Gibbs, EKU's director of aviation, are expected to meet during the city's air show this fall that also includes events at the airport.
"For 48 hours here, we have tremendous excitement around aviation," Carroll said. "It will be a good time to get the word out."
Klauber said an open house for students also may be scheduled around the air show.
2 + 2 equals savings, officials said
The requirements for pilots are different -- depending on where they want to fly, Carroll said. U.S. pilots can earn their multiengine commercial rating with 250 hours. But the FAA requires 1500 hours.
"So, U.S. pilots have to bridge that gap -- earn more hours -- or participate in an approved flight training program," Carroll said.
With a degree from EKU, pilots will have 1,250 hours.
"These programs offer tremendous financial savings for pilots and their families," Carroll said. "We estimate it is a $25,000 savings if they participate in these local programs."
MidAmerica Jet is providing the capital investment and resources -- flight instruction, personnel, plane and maintenance, he said.
"Now we're working on recruitment so that when we make the announcement, we will have students ready for enrollment in next year's fall semester," he said.
Klauber said students who have an interest in an aviation career may look at the cost "and that's an instant turn-off," he said. "With this savings, it becomes much more affordable."
OCTC and MAJ also are working on another pilot training program for international students who would be recruited to earn their skill set at the local flight school. This offering would be for students from around the world who could complete the instruction in 15 months, Carroll said.
"Down the road, we hope to work with MidAmerica Jet on this," Klauber said. "With the middle classes rising around the world, there is a growing need for aviation. With this initiative, the pilots would be trained here. We're interested in working with MidAmerica Jet on this as well as on the feeder program to the four-year degree program."
Whitmer said the airport will be supportive of the programs in any way it can.
"One of the objectives of the airport board is promoting flight activities, and that has to do with helping us to keep the control tower," Whitmer said. "That is critical for us as an airport feature."
Aviation career jobs available
The aviation industry is dealing with pilot shortages in particular, Carroll said. "Airlines didn't meet their hiring quotas for a second year," he said.
The recession has had an impact on the number of new pilots entering the industry as has something called "the 65 rule," he said. Before that rule, pilots had to retire after age 60. "For five years, there has been some stagnation, but now all of a sudden, pilots have to retire."
The major airlines expect to lose half of their captains within 10 years, and those jobs will have to be filled, Carroll said. The U.S. shortage is not as severe as worldwide, but international airlines are trying to recruit U.S. pilots. That may cause salaries to increase.
"There is definitely a job for anyone who wants to pursue it," he said. "I hope the salaries figure themselves out."
In terms of salaries, annual earnings depend on which part of the industry pilots choose to work, he said. Airline pilots, for example, may earn $20,000 to $40,000 in their first year, and in three to five years may earn $40,000 to $70,000.
"General aviation salaries are all over the board," he said. "They're different for a pilot who flies a single-engine plane for a company or for one who flies a $30 million jet for a major corporation. And then there are med-evac flights. Each is covered under a completely different pay structure."
Joy Campbell, 691-7299, [email protected]
Copyright 2014 - Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
