MACON, Ga. — Some of our Central Georgian pilots, air traffic controllers, and aviation mechanics come straight from Middle Georgia State University.
Senator Jon Ossoff says he wants to give more opportunities for students, and has worked with the school to expand their resources.
13WMAZ’s Jessica Cha was on campus today to talk to a few of those benefiting from the investment.
Ossoff says he and the school want to make its programs more accessible to students and to give Georgia's second largest industry a bright future.
"Aviation is essential to the state of Georgia,” he says.
Ossoff says aviation is important for our economy and national security. He says its future is in the hands of students at Middle Georgia, and he wants to invest in them.
"I'm pleased to announce that with bi-partisan support, these resources-- among other things– will go towards the acquisition of a cutting edge new simulator to support flight training,” he explains.
The aviation school's Dean, Adon Clark, says this opportunity has been a long time coming.
"It puts them a step ahead of their competition when they go to work for the airlines and when they hit those training classes,” Clark says.
He says their current simulator is outdated and has been broken for a while. Clark says a lot of schools don't have this technology.
"First it gives them an opportunity to see larger aircraft cockpits. It's the type of aircraft that 90% of our students will fly after they graduate,” Clark says.
Patrick Johnny is a senior majoring in aviation management. He served in the military for eight years, so he's used to jumping out of planes and attack helicopters.
Johnny says this investment is recognition of their work.
"We work very hard everyday, day in and day out. So, to see us, to recognize us, and to invest in us-- that's an overwhelming feeling,” Clark explains.
Bennett Delaney is a flight science major. He says he dreams of becoming a Delta pilot.
“Kind of where my goals are now is just to give back to the community that gave me so much,” he says.
Delaney says he's glad that they're leaving behind something for future students to be the best prepared they can be. He says it’s putting them ahead of the game.
“I've had several friends who have gone to the airlines, and so the first time that they're flying with passengers is the first time they're flying in the actual jet. So, that kind of shows how realistic the simulators are getting and the fact that we're able to acquire them here at Middle Georgia State is a really huge for the program," he said.
He says it’ll also help the industry in the present.
"Aviation has been in the news more recently because of the pilot shortages and maybe everybody is getting upset about the cancellations,” Delaney explains. “Kind of the way we see us fixing that is through helping to fix the infrastructure here.”
Ossoff has secured $2 million in funding for the school. The Eastman campus will be getting the new simulator equipment. They say they don't have it yet, but they will soon!
Middle Georgia State University says it's the only public four-year school in Georgia to offer an aviation program.