EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016: Liberty University Has Impressive Exhibit, St. Louis Connection

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience year-round coverage of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016, sponsored by Air Associates, continues with a visit to the Liberty University School of Aeronautics exhibit in the Aviation Gateway Park area.  Their exhibit was easy to find, with numerous banners reaching to the sky and surrounding the red and white tents.  Two of the school's Cessna 172 aircraft were parked near the exhibit tents, with the Liberty University eagle logo proudly displayed on their tails.  One of the aircraft on display was the 10,000th single-engine aircraft delivered from the Independence, KS facility since 1996. The Liberty University's School of Aeronautics flight operations are based from Freedom Aviation at the Lynchburg, VA Regional Airport near the university campus.      
 

 
 

 


























Liberty University operates the largest flight school in Virginia, and has demonstrated the high quality of its flight program in recent years.  In 2014, the flight team claimed their tenth straight regional competition title, placed fifth in national competition, won National Top Pilot Honors by student Zach Floto and earned top five finishes by the two Liberty Belles teams in the Air Race Classic.  In 2015, Liberty University student and flight instructor, Evan Thrams, earned the Cessna Top Hawk Award and the Unmanned Aerial Systems program was ranked sixth of the top fifteen ranked programs in the nation.  

Liberty University offers Associate of Arts in Aviation Maintenance and Airline Flight Attendant programs and the Bachelors of Science in Aeronautics program in Lynchburg.  They also offer the Flight Training Affiliate Program that allows students to receive flight training from approved flight schools in other locations while pursuing the Bachelor of Aeronautics Degree through Liberty University Online.  Air Associates (St. Louis, MO location) is one of the affiliates that serves Liberty University students.  The Flight Training Affiliate program offers students around the country top-quality flight training and academic degree courses as well as access to veterans benefits (where applicable), the Restricted Air Transport Pilot Program and regional airline hiring agreements.  Liberty University and Air Associates also participate in the High School/Dual Enrollment program that gives high school students a head start in earning flight training and college credit.  Through these industry-leading programs, Liberty University and affiliates like Air Associates are dedicated to helping the next generation of aviators reach their professional pilot goals.  For a personal introduction to the Liberty University and Air Associates Flight Training Affiliate partnership, see this story from The Aero Experience in 2015.


















The Aero Experience thanks Liberty University and Air Associates for their hospitality during our regular visits and coverage of their outstanding  academic and flight training programs.