>> DAVE YOUNG: It's a great time to be entering
a career in aviation.
It's a great time to be in training, and the
reason I say that is because the airlines
are hiring; they're going to be doing so for
the foreseeable future, for the next 15-20
years.
In fact, the demand for pilots, both in the
United States and internationally is greater
than the capacity to produce them.
We have a very unique opportunity here at
Liberty University.
Not only do we have a fully accredited, four-year
aviation program, but in addition to that
we own our own fixed base operator, or FBO
as it's more commonly referred to.
It is a full-service aviation company.
We offer aircraft charter service, aircraft
rental, field sales, aircraft maintenance,
just a variety of opportunities that are afforded
to our students in several ways.
One, just the peripheral experience—I call
it osmosis just because they're exposed to
the operation on a day-to-day basis they learn
a lot that they normally would not have the
opportunity to do in another program.
But beyond that it offers employment opportunities.
We have several of our graduates who are flying
our charter aircraft, working in our aircraft
maintenance, and even while they're students
they can instruct as flight instructors in
freedom aviation as well as the Liberty University
School of Aeronautics.
And they have opportunities to work in the
FBO management, so they learn a lot, they
make money, and it better prepares them when
they leave here and go to other careers.
>> MARK CURLEY: We have bridge program right
now that's set up with Express Jet and also
with American Eagle where our graduates, if
they commit to working for them, they're guaranteed
an interview.
They have to go through a little bit more
training and a little bit more stricter GPA
requirements, but if they pass all these requirements
and also take our advanced jet simulation
course they're able to be guaranteed an interview
and have a great opportunity to work at one
of the two largest regional air carriers in
the nation.
>> YOUNG: We have an initiative, and we're
calling it Flight Training Affiliates—where
we, Liberty University School of Aeronautics,
are partnering with flight training schools
around the country to provide the academic
courses that a student would require in order
to receive a college degree in aviation while
the flight training school provides the flight
training.
The benefit of this is what we, the university,
can bring to this relationship is using financial
aid-both for the traditional student as we
think of them, and as well the military veteran
and those that have veteran's benefits.
This is a tremendous advantage that has not
existed before, and we're starting our first
operation at Newport News, Virginia, and we
see the opportunity to spread even further
around the country.
So, for anyone who is interested in aviation,
it's a great time to come to a school like
Liberty University.
And we encourage anyone who has a bent for
flying, would love to be up in the air, to
come take a look at us.
