NORMAN, Okla. (OBV) – A new degree program designed to grow the state’s helicopter aviation workforce is about to take flight at the University of Oklahoma.
The University of Oklahoma School of Aviation will launch the new program this coming fall semester, enabling students to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in a fixed-wing helicopter aviation program with a focus on helicopter flight.
The program is engineered to address a critical workforce shortage of qualified helicopter pilots.
“Part of the reason the program is going to be so popular is just like on the aircraft side, there’s a shortage of helicopter pilots. Demand exceeds supply,” said Eric Wydra, director of the OU School of Aviation.
The idea for the program was introduced three years ago when the university’s provost asked Wydra about developing a helicopter program.
Wydra and his team investigated the possibility and found that there was a significant lack of collegiate helicopter aviation programs across the nation.
“There are plenty of what we call fixed wing or aircraft collegian programs, but at the time we looked, there were only four collegiate programs that had a helicopter program,” Wydra said. “So, there was a definite need we saw out there where we could grow, because we were planning on growing the program anyway, and this would be another area where we could fill a need.”
The pieces for a helicopter aviation program further came together last year when the owners of Semper Fly Helicopter Academy approached OU School of Aviation officials.
“They were developing what we call a part 141 helicopter training program and wanted to partner with us,” Wydra said.
School of Aviation officials sent out a request for partnership proposals to helicopter flight training programs, and received bids from three different companies. Semper Fly won the bid by presenting the best business plan, Wydra said.
Semper Fly is operated by female military veterans and was previously based in Broken Bow. They have since moved their operation to Norman, the city where the University of Oklahoma is located. A ribbon cutting on Semper Fly’s new Norman location was held on Wednesday.
Flight experts will train flight students using Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopters painted in OU’s crimson and cream color scheme.
OU’s helicopter aviation program will be the first in the state tied to a university and one of the few in the nation.
“We knew there was a demand out there. We’ve heard it from the aviation community, but there wasn’t a lot of opportunities for somebody that wanted to get their degree but also trained to be a helicopter pilot. There weren’t a lot of choices out there. And obviously there were none in Oklahoma tied with any collegiate program,” Wydra said. “We saw a void and we elected to fill it.”
The program offers the following four degrees: professional pilot helicopter, aviation management flying, air traffic management and aviation management non-flying.
Wydra said students previously asked about the possibility of OU launching a helicopter aviation program.
Also, officials with the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, at the time known as the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, asked Wydra about the status of establishing a collegiate helicopter training program in Oklahoma.
“So, we saw the demand out there. And even outside the state, we get a lot of questions from parents on whether we can do it,” Wydra said. “So, we’re expecting big [enrollment] numbers because we started a little late this year, but next year it’ll be in the normal admissions cycle.”
Six students are enrolled in the program for the upcoming fall semester. Wydra anticipates 15-20 students being enrolled in the program for Fall 2015.
OU School of Aviation is regarded as one of the best aviation programs in the nation. FLYING Magazine ranked the OU School of Aviation the best collegiate aviation program in the U.S.
Wydra said adding a helicopter aviation program to the school is essential to keeping the School of Aviation on the forefront of aerospace education.
“It adds another avenue into the aviation world that isn’t available in a lot of fleet and flying programs. It’s definitely a big deal on that side, too,” Wydra said.
Students seeking to earn a professional pilot Bachelor’s degree must complete roughly 250 hours of flight training. They must also pass a flight physical mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
“They will have three FAA certificates when they [graduate from] us. The first certificate they’ll earn is private pilot. The second certificate they’ll earn is commercial, which allows them to fly charter or work for another company. And the third certificate they’ll have is an instrument certificate,” Wydra said.
There are a number of careers available to graduates of the program, according to Wydra. He said helicopter aviation careers include law enforcement, firefighting, air ambulance service, charter services, search and rescue operation and pipeline surveillance.
“Literally, the sky’s the limit,” he said.
