FAA awards $13.5M in grants to schools nationwide to rebuild aviation workforce

In a continued effort to rebuild the nation's aviation workforce, the FAA is providing 32 schools around the country with $13.5 million in grants. A dozen of the 32 schools awarded the funding will receive $4.5 million from the FAA's Aircraft Pilots Aviation Workforce Development Grants. This grant program stems from the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act, in which Congress addressed the projected shortage of pilots in the industry by giving the FAA the authority to establish the program to expand the aircraft pilots workforce and provide an aviation education, designed to prepare students to become aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers or unmanned aircraft systems operators. These grants may also be used to support the professional development of teachers. Grant recipients include: • Beaufort County Schools, Washington, N.C.: $374,930 • Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, N.C.: $393,142 • Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton, Wisc.: $27,800 • Georgetown Independent School District, Georgetown, Texas: $462,208.95 • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Harrisburg, PA: $169,692.58 • Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville, Iowa: $493.,657 • Kent State University, Kent, Ohio: $419,708.47 • Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La.: $476,643 • Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio: $346,400 • Pacific Aviation Northwest, Inc., Grant Pass, Ore.: $500,000 • Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.: $500,000 • University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Md.: $335,818 The remaining $9 million will go to 20 schools as part of the Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development program. These grants will assist in building back the pipeline of maintenance professionals as roughly 20,000 fewer people are working in the aircraft maintenance sector than before the pandemic. Grant recipients include: • AAR Aircraft Services, Inc., Oklahoma City, Okla.: $500,000 • Aersale, Inc., Coral Gables, Fla.: $400,000 • Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School, Bessemer, Ala.: $398,375 • Central Louisiana Technical Community College, Alexandria, La..: $500,000 • Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Cincinnati, Ohio: $493,277 • Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.: $497,317 • Conway School District, Conway, N.H.: $301,129 • DFC, Inc., Woodland, Calif.: $500,000 • Houston Community College System, Houston, Texas: $402,284 • Indian Hills Community College, Ottumwa, Iowa: $302,816 • Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, Iowa.: $500,000 • Joby Elevate, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.: $500,000 • Kenton County Airport Board, Hebron, Ky.: $479,000 • Lewis University, Romeoville, Ill.: $496,016 • Maysville Community and Technical College, Maysville, Ky.: $500,000 • North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, N.D.: $307, 608 • O.S. Johnson Technical Institute, Scranton, Pa.: $423,754 • San Bernardino Valley College, San Bernardino, Calif.: $498,555 • Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tenn.: $500,000 • Thomas University, Thomasville, Ga.: $499,869 The recipients can use the funding to establish new educational programs, provide scholarships or apprenticeships, conduct outreach about careers in the aviation maintenance industry, and support educational opportunities relating to aviation maintenance in economically disadvantaged areas. Find more information about the list of grant recipients here.