Southeastern Oklahoma State University signs aviation agreement with American Eagle

DURANT -- It's a concern for almost every college student: Will I find a job after graduation? But now, one Texoma university is taking away the guesswork.

Morgan Hartwell is an aviation student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. "I came to this meeting because I want to get to know, possibly, my future employer," Hartwell said.

Kyle McKeever has already graduated from the program and is now a flight instructor. "I've known I wanted to be a pilot since I was 10 years old," McKeever said.

Both came to a signing ceremony Friday on-campus between SOSU and American Eagle Airlines. American Eagle is a subsidiary of American Airlines.

The agreement establishes a new program designed to streamline the process for student pilots who want to one-day fly for a commercial airline.

"This is truly a historic day for the university with the signing of this agreement. It's truly a milestone," SOSU President Dr. Larry Minks said.

The program is called the American Eagle Pipleline Program.

Under the program, aviation students will be mentored through graduation. After graduation, students are guaranteed a job at American Eagle as a flight instructor at SOSU, giving pilots-in-training a chance to continue to log flight hours and pick up a paycheck.

In addition to being guaranteed a job after graduation, new pilots for American Eagle will also receive a $10,000 signing bonus. The bonus comes after graduates acquire the 1,000 flight hours required by the FAA to become a commercial airline pilot, and when they begin training as a first officer.

"That's obviously going to help the pilot out during the first several years at the airline," Nick Alford, American Eagle director of pilot recruiting said.

Graduates also have to go through pilot training with the airline itself.

For Alford, the program will begin bringing the airline a brand new crop of pilots to replace many soon set to retire.

"So, there's a lot of opportunity for a Southeastern graduate," Alford said.

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