The program will combine 32 credit hours of Ivy Tech classroom time with nearly 260 flight hours, allowing individuals to pursue an Associate degree at the same time they complete flight training to prepare for a career in the airline industry. Through this partnership, students will also have an option to complete their flight instructor certifications.
“Our Professional Flight program has helped prepare students on their pathway to becoming a pilot since its inception five years ago,” said Dr Steven Combs, Chancellor of the Ivy Tech Columbus service area. “LIFT Academy’s unique programming will connect our students with top-notch training and lead to potential employment. We welcome LIFT aboard as a partner to Ivy Tech Columbus Professional Flight.”
LIFT Academy, owned by Republic Airways in Indianapolis, is one of the largest flight schools in the nation, training approximately 300 students a year with one of the largest, newest and most technologically advanced fleets of training aircraft. Due to LIFT’s unique ownership structure with Republic Airways and strategic relationship with Cape Air, Ivy Tech students who successfully graduate from the program will receive an interview with Republic and have an exclusive opportunity to interview for initial pilot positions with Cape Air.
“As the first flight school of its kind in the nation with a direct pilot career pathway to Republic Airways, we’re proud to continue forming valuable strategic relationships, such as this with Ivy Tech, to bring aviation closer to a broader population, making a career as an airline pilot more attainable and accessible,” says Ed Bagden, LIFT Academy’s Director of Operations and Academic Programs.
There will be a limited number of seats available for this program, and prospective students will need to successfully pass medical examinations and background checks before gaining admittance. Interested individuals can learn more by visiting www.flywithlift.com/admissions or applying to https://www.ivytech.edu/apply-now/index.html.
