Upgrades to help prepare students for work in changing industry
By Liz Manring Cochise College aviation facilities officially reopened Oct. 19, and they're in better shape than ever. Student pilots now take off and land on a reconstructed and better-lit runway. The aviation building is brighter and more welcoming, and faculty and staff are gearing up to launch an Unmanned Aerial Systems program in order to meet anticipated workforce demands. "We believe this airport teaching facility and program offerings provide the gateway to jobs in the aviation industry," said Cochise College President J.D. Rottweiler at the Aviation Open House and ceremony unveiling the remodeled facilities. In the early days of the college’s flight program, students were bussed to the Bisbee-Douglas airport for training. In the late 1960s, the college started the initial phases of building the airport, beginning with a dirt runway that was eventually paved. Today, the program's future remains a priority. The college reunited all of its aviation resources at the Douglas Campus within the last year in order to maximize use of the existing facility and to take advantage of the area’s unrestricted air space. The Professional Pilot Technology, Avionics and, by spring 2013, Unmanned Aerial Systems programs will be housed under one roof. With the UAS field in the early stages of expanding outside of military uses, Rottweiler said partnerships with Fort Huachuca and Northrop Grumman are crucial in preparing operators and technicians to fill jobs in the future. "To be successful, it's all about thinking strategically," Rottweiler said. "Jobs in this field require assets and expertise well beyond what Cochise College could handle by itself. That's where our strategic private and public partners come in. We have long-standing relationships with the fort and Northrop. We leverage these partnerships into career-creating opportunities." Before those partnerships could reach their full potential, though, the college had to invest in some big upgrades. Facility space was a top priority. The entire package is now more welcoming to aviation students. A few of the aviation alumni who returned to campus and attended the open house and ribbon cutting in October said they remem-
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