On May 22, months of hard work and planning payed off as High Flight made two major announcements.
First, we were presented with our Part 141 certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Our president and founder Bob Ferree accepted the certificate, which enables the school to instruct and prepare students for their private pilot certificate, instrument flight rating, and commercial ratings.
Second, we announced our partnership with the Community College of Beaver County and Butler County Community College to form an Aviation Academy. Representatives from both colleges, as well as the Airport Administration and county commissioners, joined to celebrate the new program.
Starting in fall 2019, high school students will be able to get credit for aviation education hosted at High Flight Academy. Students who complete the program can apply the 28 credits toward CCBC’s School of Aviation
Sciences.
“CCBC has a goal to continue to expand and grow its nationally recognized School of Aviation Sciences and partnering with our colleagues in Butler County will only help us accomplish that goal,” said Dr. Roger W. Davis, president of CCBC. “The CCBC Aviation Academy at High Flight in partnership with BC3 will provide Western Pennsylvania’s high school students with high-impact educational experiences that prepare them for successful careers in aviation.”
Mars High School student Alex Ola explained his experience in the program so far.
“I’ve known that I’ve wanted to be an airplane pilot since I was eight years old,” Ola said Wednesday. “I realized that I could take college-level classes in high school- learn a lot of important things- and work towards a career, while still getting high school credits. I’ll earn my degree in about half the time as a regular four-year college program.”
After presentations from the presidents of the colleges, the FAA, and other airport and county officials, attendees donned aviator sunglasses for a group photo. Bob Ferree joined the two college presidents in cutting a cake featuring the Aviation Academy logo.
For more on the event, read this article on the ButlerRadio.com.
We look forward to the opportunities this will present for Butler and Beaver County residents.
