SAN ANGELO, Texas — For many college students, receiving a degree in higher education might mean a lot of time spent in the classroom.
However, for those studying commercial aviation, their eyes are to the skies when it comes to pursuing their future career field.
In November 2023, Angelo State University received a $6.7 million building permit for a new aviation training facility, set to be located at 8540 Hangar Road near the San Angelo Regional Airport.
"It's about 15,000 square-feet, it'll house three different classrooms, a simulator room, pre-flight and post-flight briefing areas for instructors and students, a couple conference rooms, offices, all sorts of stuff," ASU commercial aviation instructor and director Scott Turner said.
The new facility will be built on three acres of land and will provide the needed space for the university's growing aviation program, which currently includes more than 130 students after just two years in operation.
Currently, the commercial aviation undergraduate program offers two paths: flight operations or aviation administration. Flight operations students can then go on to become corporate, cargo and airline pilots.
With the help of the Southwest Airlines Destination 225 Program, students have the chance to work with a mentor and eventually place into the major airline.
"They'll be ready, they'll be qualified to enter straight into some of those programs," Turner said.
According to Turner, the new location will provide a larger space for students while also boosting San Angelo's economic impact, in part because of the premium new fixed-base operator (FBO) set to be built soon, as well. An FBO provides the chance for airplanes to receive fuel, allowing pilots from across the country to stop in West Texas during their travels.
Additionally, community support has been evident in every step of the process with help from ASU, Skyline Aviation, the City of San Angelo and more.
"It's 100% community driven," Turner said. "I really do believe we're building something special out here and everybody is involved. It's not just a handful of people, it's a lot of people involved that share the same vision."
The project's tentative completion date is August 2024 and once permits are officially approved, construction can begin.
For now, ASU's program continues to grow with the first set of aviation graduates set to walk the stage in spring 2024.
"A lot of these students that come to us, that's their dream, right? They've dreamt of being a pilot, they've dreamt of flying a major airplane like a 737 or something like that and they're gonna live that dream," Turner said.
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