News
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Montgomery County programs aim to address pilot shortage
Programs in Montgomery County seek to address an industry shortage of pilots with the opening of an aviation training hub and a renewed interest in educational and training opportunities. The approach According to the United States Government Accountability Oce, aviation industry stake- holders have started to take steps to address the workforce shortage. Local authorities in Montgom- ery County also took measures in recent years. In November, a new aviation training hub opened in Conroe. Chennault Air eld became Con- roe’s new airport and ight school with a grand opening Nov. 16. The Lone Star College System also provides a pilot training program in Montgomery County. According to a news release Dec. 6, the Pro- fessional Pilot Program, located at LSCConroe Center, trains students to earn the Federal Aviation Administration pilot certi cates and ratings
required by the aviation industry. • The rst cohort started its ight training in spring 2020. • Since the program started, 32 students have graduated from the program. • There are 140 professional pilot students enrolled in the program for the spring semester. What they’re saying Ashley Christian-Kapalske, a graduate from and instructor at the LSCMontgomery program, said other factors also contribute to the pilot shortages, including low salary, expensive program costs, lack of knowledge on training opportunities, and challenging requirements. “In the past, pilots were not treated well in terms of their salaries, travel rules and accom- modations,” she said. “Today, the industry has come a long way in recognizing and compensating [pilots’] hard work.”
Students in Lone Star College’s Professional Pilot Program receive training for certi cation.
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