EMU, Eagle Flight Centre Start Flight Training In Lansing
Eastern Michigan University and its partner, Eagle Flight Centre, will be expanding their highly regarded professional flight-training program to the Lansing community.
The new program will operate out of the Capital Region International Airport.
It will be modeled after Eastern's successful program with Eagle Flight Centre, which has been operating out of Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti for five years, and has prepared numerous students for careers in the aviation industry.
The new Lansing Flight Campus, announced Wednesday in a press conference at the airport, will offer area students the option of a four-year Bachelor of Science degree while pursuing their pilot ratings and certificates. The academic curriculum will prepare students for careers as professional pilots. Students will study aerodynamics, crew resource management, aviation law, advanced aircraft systems, and other advanced aviation topics. Students can complete their general education courses at Lansing Community College's main campus and apply those credits to the Eastern Michigan degree.
Eastern is working closely with Lansing Community College and students of the LCC flight program -- which was discontinued earlier this spring -- to provide opportunities for those area students to complete their education.
Lansing students will share the same benefits as those studying at EMU's main campus in Ypsilanti. A full-time, experienced staff, financial aid, financing options for qualified veterans, an FAA-approved flight training facility, new facilities and aircraft are a few of the options that EMU and the Eagle Flight Centre will offer their Lansing students. LCC transfers also will have the opportunity to explore EMU's Army ROTC program.
"The College of Technology considers its Aviation Flight Program to be one of the outstanding collegiate aviation programs, providing the opportunity for its students to earn both an undergraduate degree and become a commercial pilot at the same time," said Morell Boone, dean of the EMU College of Technology. "We are excited for the opportunity to be able to offer this same high quality program on-site for students in the Lansing area."
"We are delighted to partner with the Capital Region International Airport in establishing this program," said Thomas Trumbull, president of The Eagle Flight Centre. "This collaboration will increase opportunities for students in the mid-Michigan region in a growing and vibrant career area."
"Eastern Michigan has a proven record of training pilots, with first-class instruction, curriculum and Cessna equipment," said Robert Selig, executive director of the Capital Region International Airport Authority. "This is an excellent step for the airport, and great news for Lansing area students."
EMU and Eagle Flight train students for a range of levels, from private pilot through certified flight instructor. In the primary training fleet, the flight program uses new Cessna Skyhawks, which are some of the most technically advanced aircraft in the industry. Those aircraft are equipped with glass cockpits, autopilots and on-board weather capability.
Piper Seminoles are used for the multi-engine programs.
Faculty and staff are professional pilots from both general aviation and military backgrounds, and all share a commitment to offer a quality education and a memorable experience to those seeking careers in the aviation industry.
One example is EMU's "Venture Learning" programs, which introduce students to real-world flight scenarios and cross-country flights during school breaks. Participating students and their instructors plan and fly trips to build experience in various climates, airspace and terrain. Destinations have included sites in Maine, Florida and South Carolina, along with numerous Midwest locations.
Graduates of EMU's program have landed jobs at American Eagle Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines, Kalitta Air, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force and numerous other operators and carriers.
EMU's program expansion to Lansing comes at an opportune time for students. A recent article in USA TODAY noted that the airline industry is on the brink of a historic surge in the hiring of pilots. The surge is due to the rapid growth of travel in Asia, looming pilot retirements and increased travel demand in America as the economy improves.
As an added benefit, the Eagle Flight Centre will accommodate Lansing community residents who simply want to learn to fly. Community learners do not have to enroll at EMU or pay university tuition. They will be able to learn at their own pace, on their own schedule, and still receive the quality flight instruction provided by the Eagle Flight Centre.
To learn more about the EMU Aviation Flight Technology Program and the Eagle Flight Centre, call 734.481.3000, or visit http://www.EMUAviation.com
