Thrust Flight Partners with Purdue University Global to Address Projected Demand for Pilots

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2021

Thrust Flight and Purdue University Global have formed a partnership to address the projected global and regional demand for aviation professionals over the next 20 years.

Beginning December 13th, students accepted into the Purdue Global professional flight degree program will complete their Bachelor of Science degree courses online through Purdue Global, while completing professional flight training at Thrust Flight one of several other Purdue Global affiliates across the country.

“We’re excited to partner with Purdue to help train even more exceptional pilots,” said Patrick Arnzen, CEO of Thrust Flight. “Purdue’s professional flight program is highly regarded in the industry and we know by combining their program with our ability to deliver remarkable flight training we can help students prepare for a successful career in aviation.”

“We’ve worked to create an environment of learning and support here at Thrust Flight and I know Purdue Global’s online students will benefit from this as they do their flight training at our facilities and move through their Purdue coursework,” said Liz Brassaw, Chief Flight Operations Officer at Thrust Flight.

Students who complete all five flight certificates/ratings – Private Pilot Certification, Instrument Flight Rating, Commercial Pilot Certification, Flight Instructor Flight Certification, and Multiengine Flight Certification  – will receive 45 college credits from Purdue Global towards their bachelor’s degree in professional flight, equivalent to one year of college credits. Students who have college credits from previous schools may also receive additional transfer credits, thereby saving them more money and allowing them to graduate faster.

“We are pleased to join forces with an established flight training center like Thrust Flight to bolster our popular professional flight program,” said Sara Sander, Purdue Global vice president and dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the School of Education. “The benefits to our students training under Thrust Flight is the significant cost savings and speed to obtaining the five flight certificates/ratings required within our professional flight program. Students can realistically accelerate their path to the airlines by one or two years.”

Thrust Flight students, employees, and immediate family members (spouse, domestic partner, children, siblings, and parents) will receive a 20% tuition reduction for undergraduate degrees and certificates and a 14% reduction for graduate degrees and certificates.

Purdue Global’s professional flight degree program is a collaboration between Purdue Global and Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology – announced in 2019. It combines the quality of Purdue’s legendary aviation program spanning more than six decades with the flexibility and affordability that Purdue Global offers.

Purdue’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology, one of six departments and schools in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, is recognized worldwide as a leader in aviation education and provides its expertise in curriculum development, faculty hiring, and accreditation by the Aviation Accreditation Board International.

As U.S. airline pilots approach the federally mandated retirement age of 65, the industry faces a shortage of pilots. Reports forecast a need for more than 800,000 pilots over the next 20 years, and airlines are already finding it hard to fill open positions. This partnership is designed to get students flying immediately, shortening the timeline to professional pilot in order to meet this demand.

About Thrust Flight 

Thrust Flight is a leading flight school with multiple locations in North Texas. They offer flight instruction services for many different aviation ratings and certificates. Through their airline partnerships and flagship program, Zero Time to Airline, they fully prepare flight students for a career at the airlines.

About Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits, and other considerations – no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue University’s flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering, and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit purdueglobal.edu.

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Brian Brassaw

Thrust Flight

972.735.9099

media@thrustflight.com