LeTourneau University Opens At McKinney National Airport

LeTourneau University’s School of Aviation and Aeronautical Science has begun offering a new, fully online Aviation Management bachelor’s degree program from its new location at the McKinney National Airport in McKinney, Texas.

LeTourneau University's School of Aviation and Aeronautical Science has begun offering a new, fully online Aviation Management bachelor's degree program from its new location at the McKinney National Airport in McKinney, Texas. The university is also offering dual-credit aviation courses for high school students in McKinney, enabling them to graduate from high school with several of their college aviation courses completed.

LETU will begin offering the courses required for its Aviation Management, Professional Pilot concentration in McKinney starting in August 2015. "We have talked about doing flight training in the Dallas Metroplex for some time, but didn't know what that that might look like," said Dean of Aviation and Aeronautical Science Fred Ritchey. "When we decided to offer an online aviation management degree for working professionals we found that using McKinney National Airport as our base of operations made a lot of sense."

The school's Aviation Management degree is transfer friendly but also provides students with important business and aviation courses such as aviation law, aviation safety and airport operations and management. During this past year, as the online aviation management program was being developed, opportunities opened up allowing LETU to partner with the McKinney Independent School District and Collin County Community College.The McKinney Independent School District already offers an aviation academy with over 200 students enrolled. Through a new partnership, MISD students can take dual-credit courses through LETU and get college credit while still in high school.

Ritchey also announced that veteran aviation faculty member Brad Wooden, will be relocating to McKinney to lead the schools efforts there this summer. Before joining the university faculty in 2005, Wooden was a captain at SkyWest airlines. "Brad is an experienced aviation professional and seasoned faculty member with a desire to help students achieve success. He was a natural choice to become our lead faculty member in McKinney" Ritchey said.

LETU is also working with Collin County Community College. LETU is working on articulation agreements with CCCC that will enable a seamless transition for CCCC students to transfer into LETU's bachelor degree programs in aviation offered in McKinney and Longview. "We will accept transfer students on a two-plus-two agreement through CCCC, and we are looking to partner with other community colleges in the Dallas Metroplex area," Ritchey said. LETU has leased about 1,500 square feet, including a reception area, three offices, an FAA testing center and a conference/classroom in the McKinney National Airport terminal building.