TULSA -- A measure heads to the House Appropriations and Budget Education Committee on Tuesday, proposing to build a statewide aerospace training facility in Oklahoma.
"It’s really a true freedom that you can’t get anywhere else," said Brian Poulin, a local private pilot.
Brian Poulin is a private pilot which allows him to fly his friends around leisurely, but he's working towards a commercial certificate to reach his goal to fly for an airline.
"My dad is an airline mechanic so I’ve always been flying planes, been around planes," said Poulin.
He's training right in Tulsa, which he says is a mecca for aviation.
"You have the big maintenance base for American Airlines here, you’ve got an international airport," said Poulin.
Oklahoma Senator Adam Pugh heard from officials at the state's Air Force bases about the growing need for job candidates with specific skill sets in Oklahoma. With aerospace and aviation serving as Oklahoma's second largest industry, Senator Pugh authored a bill to build a statewide aerospace training facility.
"The need is there and it’s going to be there for quite a while," said Poulin.
Broken Arrow is home to three major aerospace companies, CymSTAR, L3 AMI, and FlightSafety International. The companies help make the industry one of the top employers for the city.
"We’re already a center for aviation, we’ve got maintenance bases and international airports, and many airports, a lot more than people think, general aviation airports. Tulsa and Oklahoma in general is a great place for that," said Poulin.
According to Senator Pugh, the statewide program would have no district boundaries, allowing students to have the same learning opportunities either online or in-residence training.
According to a Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook, North America alone will require 206,000 new pilots over the next 20 years. Research shows the aviation and aerospace industry in Oklahoma contributes an annual economic impact of $44 billion, providing 205,000 direct and indirect jobs with an average salary of $73,300.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
