The Aviation Program at The University Of North Dakota at Visual Aircraft

The Aviation Program at The University Of North Dakota

Posted On: June 4th, 2008 by Andy

Co-Pilot

Norm Goyer and RedOrbit.com presents an interesting article about The University of North Dakota’s Aviation Program. They have come along way since their inception in 1968 and roots in the crop duster business. Enjoy this article excerpt.

-Andy

“A virtual Harvard College at 35,000 feet” The Department of Aviation at the University of North Dakota (UND) has become a benchmark for aviation-oriented universities around the world. Upon finishing the program, UND Aviation graduates have all the FAA certificates and ratings necessary for employment in the airline industry.

UND’s Department of Aviation got its start in 1968 with two donated aircraft and 12 students. John Odegard, a longtime pilot, was the department’s founding chair. He had worked as a crop duster to earn his college tuition (sort of a far cry from today’s bustling campus environment).

I recently spoke with UND’s Director of Extension Programs, Don Dubuque, who told me that there are currently 90 aircraft on the flight line and 15 flight-training simulators in the classrooms. At this writing, the school has ordered six more single-engine aircraft, four twins for multiengine training and two jets for a true turbine experience. These modern jet-powered aircraft assure the continued growth of UNO’s flying programs. Dubuque also informed me that the school has received bids from Cessna, Cirrus, Diamond and Piper Aircraft. The average age of the fleet is four to five years, with replacements scheduled for every eight years. Fifty percent of the fleet is equipped with a glass cockpit, and about 90% of the fleet has ADS-B equipment, demonstrating the importance the school places on new, up-to-date aircraft. This is one of the most advanced fleets I have seen in any collegiate flying program.

Commercial and corporate aviation opportunities are growing dramatically each month. Aircraft manufacturing firms have affirmed their continued interest and growth in advanced aircraft, including jets of all sizes. Those involved in business aviation know that a pilot position is still the most sought-after aviation career, but openings in related aviation careers far outnumber slots for pilots. For every pilot, there are a myriad of associated positions; UND Aviation offers professional courses in many of these ancillary careers.

One of UND’s most popular nonflying courses is the Air Traffic Control program, which features new training hardware with 225- and 360degree tower simulators and a 32-degree radar simulator. The cutting-edge equipment allows UND aircraft to depart from any featured airport. The pilot then contacts departure and proceeds into various en route environments in an integrated system that assures accurate and stimulating training for potential ATC employees. Graduates of this program are uniquely qualified to effectively operate in a multi-sector environment. As the FAA has acknowledged, there’s currently a shortage of properly trained controllers, so graduates of UND’s ATC program are in demand and have excellent career prospects.

In addition to the popular ATC program, UND offers courses in aviation/airport management, helicopter training and high-altitude physiology chamber training. The school has its own high-altitude chamber and features aviation-software development capabilities; UND also operates a state-of-the-art television production studio. Graduate and undergraduate programs in aerospace are offered through five different academic departments: aviation, atmospheric sciences, computer science, earth system sciences and space studies. The aerospace training complex is among the world’s most technically advanced environments for aerospace education, training and research.

I’ve always been a bit of a name dropper, and when 1 learned that UND has a program in place at the Cirrus Factory in Duluth, Minn., 1 was impressed. As we all know, the Cirrus SR22 and SR20 are among the most highly desired, modern four-passenger aircraft available. They’re fast, have modern glass cockpits and require specialized flight training. Professional checkouts will ensure that their new owners can safely transition from yesterday’s cockpit into a modern, technologically advanced aircraft. I personally know three pilots who have undergone this training, and they confirmed that they felt secure piloting their Cirrus airplanes after completing the course.

Using the school’s modern TV production center, students and instructors have produced a series of training podcasts covering many of the subjects and maneuvers taught in the various programs. In UND’s Laptop Program, each student is provided with a laptop that has been loaded with the necessary programs so that students can review, refresh or monitor their classes and progress at their own leisure. Some of the subjects covered on the video podcasts are: Cleared for Take Off, Rudder and Adverse Yaw, Rectangular Course, Turns About a Point, S-Tums, Commercial Eights on Pylons, Spin Awareness Training, Commercial Steep Turns, Lazy Eights, Chandelles and Steep Turns. Examples of these podcasts are available on UND’s website.

UND Aviation has satellite campuses in Duluth, Minn., Phoenix, Ariz., Spokane, Wash., Lumberton, N.C., Crookston, Minn., and Williston, N.D.

Anyone interested in starting a successful career in aviation should log on to www.avit.und.edu. Contact the school for more information about available financial programs, student accommodations and the cost of the courses that interest you.

For more information, contact:

Department of Aviation

University of North Dakota

231 Odegard Hall

3980 Campus Rd., Box 9007

Grand Forks ND 58202-9007

Phone: (701)777-2834

Fax: (701) 777-3016

www.avit.und.edu

lovelace@aero.und.edu

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