MAYS LANDING _ Atlantic Cape Community College plans to move its
flight simulator to space leased from Midlantic Jet Aviation at the
Atlantic City International Airport.
The site will also house the new airline pilot training
program, college officials said at an open house for its aviation
programs Tuesday at the college.
About 25 prospective students attended the open house, most
interested in the new program that will combine an associate’s degree
with a pilot license.
Among them was Anthony Spina, 19, of
Galloway Township, a 2012 graduate of Absegami High School who said he
had originally planned to attend Atlantic Cape and get his pilot’s
license from a private school. The Atlantic Cape program would allow him
to do both in one location close to home.
“I’ve been interested in becoming a pilot since I was a kid,” he said. “Coming here I can get a degree too, and financial aid.”
Last
week, commercial aircraft manufacturer Boeing forecast that at least
460,000 new commercial pilots, including 69,000 in North America, will
be needed over the next 20 years. That announcement has generated
interest in Atlantic Cape’s professional pilot option, program chairman
James Taggart said.
The college is finalizing a lease with
Midlantic that will also house the pilot training courses run by Big Sky
Aviation, which is based in Millville.
Students will be able to
get financial aid for their training, an asset to participating in the
college program. The cost for the pilot’s license course ranges from
$10,000 for the private pilot course to $21,000 for the commercial pilot
license program.
Beth Smithson, cq co-owner of Big Sky said large
commercial airlines expect pilots to have a bachelor’s degree, but
pilots with an associate’s could get jobs with cargo freight companies
or smaller private companies.
Taggart said Atlantic Cape is
developing transfer agreements with four-year colleges including
Embry-Riddle in Florida, Hampton University in Virginia and Dowling
College in New York for students who want to earn an aviation-related
bachelor’s degree.
The college already offers an air traffic
control program and has expanded its aviation programs to include an
associates in science, professional pilot, pre-aerospace engineering.
Taggart said 46 students are currently in the air traffic control
program.
He said while the Federal Aviation Administration still
is not accepting any new programs for training certification, graduates
can still apply to become FAA air traffic controllers through he general
public announcement process.
More information on the programs is on the Atlantic Cape Community College web site at www.atlantic.edu/aviation.
Source: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
Source: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
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