SAN ANGELO, Texas — It’s been more than a year since Angelo State University started offering a commercial aviation program. Since then it has been a success, offering more than 10 programs dedicated to teaching students about commercial aviation.
Statista reports in the next 20 years, airlines in North America alone will be in need of approximately 130,000 new pilots.
ASU’s commercial aviation director and instructor Scott Turner said this is the perfect time for the program to help prepare more students to fly.
“This program from an industry standard is huge, it's really huge. That's what we want to do. We want to help the industry. We want to create a pipeline worth of students coming through. They're going to help fill that gap over the next 10, 20 years,” Turner said.
This is the only commercial aviation program in West Texas.
Turner said the West Texas weather has also been a big help in getting students more practice in the planes.
ASU has partnered with Skyline Aviation, a flight school owned by two ASU graduates.
There are currently about 30 students enrolled in the program with a total of 70 estimated to be enrolled by the fall.
First year aviation student Daniel Herrera said while it seemed intimidating at first, the instructors at ASU have been extremely helpful.
“It seems impossible at first. It's very overwhelming trying to get into it. But applying here, getting in and just just getting it out there it's really the best thing to do. Just take that first step. These past few months have really solidified it for me. It's definitely something I want to do from now on,” Herrera shared.
Second-year student Halli Hanna said she had always had a fascination with flying planes, but the cost of joining an aviation program out of state was just too expensive. That’s until ASU’s program was offered.
“When ASU offered this program, it was really a blessing on me and my family because it meant that I didn't have to move away from my parents. I could still do it and save as much money as possible. It just really opened up a lot of doors for me,” Hanna said.
Right now, ASU owns approximately 10 planes for training and a helicopter training course in the works.
For students not looking to fly, ASU offers administration-based commercial aviation courses. More information about the program can be found on its website.