Minnesota State Is Looking For U

Just five short years ago, MSU's flight program was a mess. A renegotiated flight contract detailing how flight training would be run - and with a new flight instruction organization; the firing of the program's head faculty member, who had a practice of garnering fees from administering FAA student flight-check tests.

Enrollment and reputation went down the tubes, reported the Mankato Free Press.

But from the ashes of what was arises a program that is on a trajectory: a new Diamond DA20 Eclipse and flashy Piper planes complement a new, enthusiastic faculty and a university president who is bullish on the program.

"We don't have anything old," said aviation faculty member Craig Ruedy. "It is freaky-advanced compared to what we had five years ago."

"I am very hopeful that this will turn things around," MSU President Richard Davenport said.

Before the controversies, there were 250 students in MSU's program. After the nosedive five years ago, the program almost disappeared.

Today the future looks bright. With 130 students in the program today, that number is expected to jump next year. While no one is ready to provide numbers, they're hoping next fall's beginning aviation class will be twice the size of last year's incoming 30 students.

FMI: http://ed.mnsu.edu/aviation