North Coast Flight School is partnering with the James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences program at the Community College of Beaver County.

The partnership allows students in Meadville, Crawford County and other surrounding areas to fly while also earning their two-year associate degree in the Professional Pilot program online.

"All the flight training would be done here, all the ground schools and the academic courses are done online, so they do not even have to leave our area," said Greg Hayes, CEO of North Coast Flight School.

Hayes explained that there are also financial incentives for the program such as partial reimbursement for flight costs.

"A student getting a two-year degree, who is a Pennsylvania resident, would receive $47.50 given back to them by the state and if you are looking at an aircraft being $165 an hour, $47.50 is quite a bit," Hayes said.

While the country continues to deal with a pilot shortage, Hayes believes this program can be a way to get more more future pilots in the cockpit.

"For somebody going into this a career it is incredible because it is like anything else, supply and demand, if you do not have them that is where you want to be so we are trying to fill that and also just think about those amount of families that are working in this industry and are from this area, it is only going to help our economy," he said.

For any student interested,

Dr. John Higgs, Senior Dean, School of Aviation Sciences, can be reached at: john.higgs@ccbc.edu

Greg Hayes, CEO of North Coast Flight School, can be reached at: gshncfs@yahoo.com