Giving students flight lessons important due to openings in aviation

Fargo, ND (WDAY/WDAZ TV) - A class at Concordia called adventure, exploration and risk is doing just that. Sending new students to new heights, 14,000 feet high to be exact, by teaching them how to fly a plane. Becoming a pilot now may be better than ever.

Different people learn in different ways. Some enjoy learning in a classroom while others enjoy a more hands on approach.

Rebecca Elliott, "When I woke up this morning, I was really nervous with the whole concept of me flying a plane."

Once their feet are back on the ground, everything that they did sinks in.

Allison Ross, "I just flew a plane. I'm really excited."

Rebecca and Allison are freshmen at Concordia. They are not going to school to become pilots, but the experience may have placed the thought in their heads.

Ross, "It's a definite possibility. I mean, it'd be pretty cool to get your license, so maybe someday I'll be flying up in the air."

Many say experience is the best teacher and some students are learning that first hand at the Fargo Jet Center. They're taking off and learning how to fly which is important because there is a need for commercial airline pilots.

Jonathan Katuin, "There has been a shortage of pilots. There's definitely a lot of them out there, but there's a mandatory retirement age of 65. So, there are pilots retiring and there aren't enough to keep filling up that void."

Flight experts say approximately 20,000 pilot jobs will open up in US airlines by 2022.

Katuin, "Right now, there's a big hiring and if you have the experience and qualifications it's a lot easier to get a job right now."

Flight instructor Jonathan helps some aspiring pilots meet those qualifications. He has taught many people how to fly.

Katuin, "You're either flying with kids that are 15 or 16-year-olds or someone who's 65 to 70 who always wanted to learn to fly and now they're retired so they have the time to do that."

If you've ever thought about being a pilot, now may be a good time.

Jonathan just accepted a job as a commercial pilot and will start training as an airline pilot next month.

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