Beginning this fall, Butler County students who have an interest in aviation will be able to take classes without leaving the county.
“This is an exciting day for Beaver and Butler counties as we announce the Community College of Beaver County Aviation Academy at High Flight in partnership with Butler County Community College,” CCBC Dean Lauren Susan said during a special program at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport on Wednesday.
The Community College of Beaver County and BC3 are joining together to establish an aviation academy for high school juniors and seniors.
High school students will be able to split their time between their high school and High Flight Academy (which is located at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport in Penn Township) and earn credits towards becoming a professional pilot, air traffic controller or drone operator.
Mars High School Junior Alex Ola is currently enrolled in the program.
“I’ve known that I’ve wanted to be an airplane pilot since I was eight years old,” Ola said Wednesday. “I realized that I could take college-level classes in high school- learn a lot of important things- and work towards a career, while still getting high school credits. I’ll earn my degree in about half the time as a regular four-year college program.”
Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration presented High Flight Academy on Wednesday with a Part 141 Flight School certification, which enables the school to instruct and prepare students for their private pilot certificate and instrument flight rating.
