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City Council approves resolution to support new aviation program at NT
Brittany Bevis
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: NEWS
Denton City Council members approved a resolution supporting NT Tuesday night in the creation of a four-year comprehensive aviation sciences program to be developed at the Denton campus.
Denton Mayor Perry McNeill said the idea came up in conversation at an economic development group meeting, where members discussed the advantages of having this type of program in Texas.
"There has been a real movement and concern in the transportation arena for someone in the metro to establish an aviation sciences program," McNeill said.
In 2003, according to a Texas Transportation Institute Report, Texas was home to about 370 students enrolled in some type of aviation program, none of which had a four-year option. Also, Oklahoma had 684 aviation students, a large number of which are residents of cities in North Texas.
McNeill said many students are traveling up Interstate 35 to Oklahoma because no comprehensive aviation science program exists in the North Texas area. Baylor University offers a similar program, but at a steep $11,100 per semester for 12 hours or more. NT's in-state tuition is $3,233.40 for 12 semester hours.
According to a report by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the commercial, federal and public use airports and related industries in the region generate $23 billion for the economy each year, with more than $5 billion in salaries. The report also said some regional carriers have experienced 100 percent pilot turnover in 2007 and in the next 20 years, experts predict major airlines will have to hire more than 50,000 new pilots as a result of retirement and industry growth.
The Council of Governments report released in January said the creation of an aviation science program at the NT Dallas campus would help the university with its goal to act as an "incubator for small businesses and residential development near the campus." The intention would be to launch the NT Dallas program by fall 2010, according to the report.
Denton Mayor Perry McNeill said the idea came up in conversation at an economic development group meeting, where members discussed the advantages of having this type of program in Texas.
"There has been a real movement and concern in the transportation arena for someone in the metro to establish an aviation sciences program," McNeill said.
In 2003, according to a Texas Transportation Institute Report, Texas was home to about 370 students enrolled in some type of aviation program, none of which had a four-year option. Also, Oklahoma had 684 aviation students, a large number of which are residents of cities in North Texas.
McNeill said many students are traveling up Interstate 35 to Oklahoma because no comprehensive aviation science program exists in the North Texas area. Baylor University offers a similar program, but at a steep $11,100 per semester for 12 hours or more. NT's in-state tuition is $3,233.40 for 12 semester hours.
According to a report by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the commercial, federal and public use airports and related industries in the region generate $23 billion for the economy each year, with more than $5 billion in salaries. The report also said some regional carriers have experienced 100 percent pilot turnover in 2007 and in the next 20 years, experts predict major airlines will have to hire more than 50,000 new pilots as a result of retirement and industry growth.
The Council of Governments report released in January said the creation of an aviation science program at the NT Dallas campus would help the university with its goal to act as an "incubator for small businesses and residential development near the campus." The intention would be to launch the NT Dallas program by fall 2010, according to the report.
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