UCA will begin training pilots with its new federally-certified aviation program next March, President Houston Davis said.

Davis announced the opening of the UCA Aviation Academy, a partnership with Little Rock aviation company Central Flying Service, in a speech at the Conway Municipal Airport on Nov. 15.

UCA Aviation Academy students can earn full licensure in private aviation, commercial aviation, and instrument rating through the Federal Aviation Administration. 

College enrollment is not required, and UCA students may choose to pursue licensure while working toward their degree. 

Through this program, licensed pilots can immediately enter this high-paying workforce. 

According to a UCA Aviation Academy pamphlet, “the median pay for airline pilots is $210,000” and “new pilot salaries have risen from $20,000 to $70,000.”

The $50,000 increase in pay reflects the high demand for pilots. 

Davis said the starting salary was a motivator in bringing the program to UCA.

“We knew that there was large demand and we knew that there were salaries to be able to justify that people are going to want to do this,” he said.

According to a UCA Aviation Academy information pamphlet, there will be “20,000 pilots needed by 2030 and more than 600,000 pilots needed by the year 2040.”

Davis said, “We hear over and over again that there’s a scarcity of that [pilots] and we’ve been approached many times over the last four or five years [asking] ‘Is there any way that UCA might be able to partner or develop a program that can meet that need?’” Davis said.

According to Houston Davis, UCA first considered the idea in 2017, but could not run the program on its own. The partnership with Central Flying Service and the Conway Municipal Airport made this possible.

Right after the announcement of the program, Davis said he predicted about 15 students would do the program in the spring but expects the number to grow exponentially within the next 36 months as more people learn about it.

As of Nov. 27, over 750 potential students have requested information from the UCA Aviation Academy website, Rick Edwards, board member of the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society, said. Edwards said he received the information from Davis.

“We’re proud that we’ve come up with a way to be able to do this and it be cost-effective to the students,” Davis said.

Brad Teague, UCA athletic director and interim director of aviation, said the program will cost less than similar programs and will have grants and scholarships available for students.

Aviation academy students will train with Tecnam P-Mentor planes, which are designed to train pilots.

Davis said, “Aviation is a big part of the economy. It’s a big part of the community. It’s a big part of the overall economic development of the region.

“We know that we’re contributing to making Conway and Faulkner County a better place to live.”

To learn more and request information on the program, visit www.uca.edu/aviation.