Marshall, West Liberty University To Announce Flight School Partnership
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West Liberty University will join forces with Marshall University for a new aviation program in the Northern Panhandle.
The two universities will go deeper into their plans for a satellite location for MU's Bill Noe Flight School at West Liberty at 1:30 p.m. today at the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport.
Classes at WLU are expected to begin in the fall of 2024.
Noe, Marshall's chief aviation officer, said in a release that MU is looking forward to working with West Liberty to make West Virginia synonymous with aviation.
"This new location will be fully populated with the technologically advanced Marshall University airplanes and Marshall's top-tier flight instructor force and will further enhance Marshall's mission of producing high-quality talented aviators to enter one of the most sought-after professions available today," he said. "This is significantly important as we open this industry and create 'Line of Sight' to the opportunities that aviation has available to the very talented pool of professionals from West Virginia.
Marshall's aviation program officially opened in the Fall 2021 semester to help meet the nation's projected significant need for commercial pilots over the next 20 years. Its ground and flight courses lead to a series of FAA certifications and prepare graduates to become commercial pilots. When in full operation, the Marshall University Bill Noe Flight School is expected to enroll more than 450 students and produce around 80 commercial pilots annually.
Noe said additional sites are in the works and will be announced in the near future.
"We are happy to be partnering with Marshall University and are looking forward to building West Virginia into the premier aviation state," said WLU Interim President Cathy Monteroso. "This will be a great opportunity for students in our area to be placed in high-need careers."
Marshall's aircraft fleet includes state-of-the-art Cirrus SR20 single-engine aircraft. They are fully automated and have a variety of sophisticated avionics, including large display screens; Garmin-outfitted instrumentation; synthetic vision technology; all-digital Bluetooth audio, engine and fuel monitoring; dual alternators; and weather and traffic monitoring systems and navigation. These composite aircraft feature a parachute that will safely lower the plane to the ground.