Go (Fly) Fighting Irish!

While the Fighting Irish's 9-2 record in football this season is nothing to sneeze at, Aero-News is more excited to learn three former students of the fabled Notre Dame University have helped bring back an elective course at the college that helps teach students how to fly.

The elective course, which had ended in the late 70s as no professor remained to teach it, was revived in recent years by former Notre Dame students (and current pilots) Joe Friel, Jeff Newcamp and Brian McCarthy.

According to the Notre Dame/St. Mary's College Observer, the three men taught the undergraduate course while they attended the college, under the tutelage of Air Force ROTC professor Col. Michael Zenk. Zenk continues to oversee the program today.

The course, a ground school program that counts towards the FAA private pilot license, is currently taught by Dillon senior Lauren Centioli.

"I got involved my freshman year when I saw the posters for NDPI." said Centioli, a CFI who is majoring in accounting, according to the Notre Dame website. "Since [Friel] was graduating that year, the course would have ceased to exist if I had not come around. He asked me if would teach it and I said yes."
 
"We cover everything needed for a private pilot's license," Centioli added. "Other programs teach you just what you need to know to pass the private pilot's exam, [but] this class goes above and beyond that."

The course covers the same areas as a standard flight school ground program does, Centioli said, which then allows a student to go on and train in the cockpit with their written test already taken care of.

The course is fairly popular for an elective, with 18 students currently registered for the course in the spring -- nearly triple the number who had enrolled in the fall. Centioli said there is room for 30 students.

Although the course is run by the ROTC, it is intended for civilians -- students need not be in the armed forces to take it.

"If more people knew people about the class, more people would take it," Centioli said. "The supply is there to meet the demand," adding the cost of the course is already covered by a student's tuition.

In addition to the valuable classroom experience, Centioli has brought in guest speakers such Elkhart EAA President Sam Pavel, and Col. Mel DeMar, a former Marine One pilot who served two tours in which he transported now-former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Students have also visited the tower at South Bend Regional Airport (SBN).

AS 30098 is offered Monday and Wednesday afternoons at the university, according to the Observer.

FMI: www.nd.edu