A Soaring Signature Program

Under Chancellor Dixon’s leadership, Aviation Science was publicly recognized as ECSU’s signature program. In four years, the program has experienced a significant increase in funding and enrollment, as well as developed a number of new partnerships. ECSU offers the only four-year Aviation Science program in North Carolina. The program’s accolades and distinctions include:

• ECSU’s Aviation Science program is one of only 40 programs in the world that is accredited by the AABInternational for Aviation Science.

• In 2018, the university owned two planes, which has increased to a fleet of 14 planes that are used to support enrollment growth.

• ECSU established new career pipelines for students and flight training partnerships with United Airlines, AeroX, JetBlue and Piedmont Flight Training.

• The university started new partnerships with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy Jr. ROTC Aviation Academy to provide flight training to cadets.

• ECSU forged new community college partnerships with Guilford Technical Community College, Lenoir Community College and Sandhills Community College.

• The university secured the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reduced Airline Transport Program Certificate (R-ATP), which reduces the cost and number of flight hours a student needs to obtain flight certification.

• The Aviation Science program is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including a $576,000 grant for a three-year partnership with NASA.

• ECSU built a new, $1.5 million Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) – or drone – facility that mimics realworld drone flying conditions as students train for future careers in agriculture, public safety disaster response, homeland security, and more.

• The university received funding from the North Carolina State Legislature for a $34 million new Aviation Facility to support the continued growth of the academic program.

Enrollment in

Aviation

Science Majors increased from 54 in the Fall of 2017 to

180 in Fall of 2022.

Aviation Science Majors