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School of Aviation

College of Justice, Safety & Military Science

School of Aviation

College of Justice, Safety & Military Science

Reach New Heights with a Career in the Aerospace Industry

EKU has been training aviation professionals since 1983 and is home to Kentucky’s only FAA-approved university flight program. The department boasts a 100% job placement rate, state of the art facilities, hands on learning opportunities, and experienced, highly trained faculty. The department offers the bachelor of science in aviation degree, which has concentrations in professional flight, aerospace management, and aerospace technology.

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School of Aviation Degrees & Certificates

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Why Study Aviation?

The aerospace industry offers a variety of rewarding opportunities for individuals interested in working with innovative, complex technical projects and cutting-edge technology. In addition to the aviation core, students are required to take supporting courses in mathematics, statistics, physics, and business management. Graduates of the program are professionally prepared for all facets of the aerospace industry to include piloting, flight instruction, aviation management, and aerospace technology.

Aviation Briefings offer a comprehensive overview of the program, a tour of our facilities (including a visit to the airport) and a place to meet and ask questions of faculty, staff, and current students.

Due to space limitations in our facilities, capacity is very limited at each briefing. We encourage you to sign up to attend as early as possible and to cancel if you are no longer able to attend to allow space for other students.

Briefing Schedule:
12:45pm – 1:00pm Check-in
1:00pm – 2:15pm Presentation / Q&A
2:15pm – 2:45pm VR Lab Tour
3:30pm Airport Tour (optional)
Please note: Airport visits are not scheduled outside of aviation briefings.

Fall 2025 In-Person Aviation Briefings:
Register to attend below!

Virtual Briefings
Each semester, we offer one Virtual Aviation Briefing, which is 100% online. Register to attend below.
Monday, November 10 @ 12pm

Campus Visits
If you would like to attend a Campus Visit & Tour on the same day as your Aviation Briefing, please visit our Campus Visit Page to register.

Be sure to register for a morning visit so that it does not conflict with the 1pm Aviation Briefing.

Located just 15 minutes south of campus, the Central Kentucky Regional Airport is the home of EKU’s flight training operations. Since 2011, EKU has also served as the airport’s Fixed Base Operator (FBO), which provides students with a variety of advantages over other programs including reduced operating costs, dedicated facilities, and employment opportunities.

The airport features a 5,000 ft. runway, medium intensity lighting system, ample parking areas, and dedicated fuel services, and onsite aircraft maintenance.

Our robust fleet of training aircraft includes 27 Cessna single engine aircraft (including 172-P, 172-N, 172-M, 172-R, 172-S, and 172-S G1000) and 3 Piper Seminole multi-engine aircraft.

Schedule time with the Alsim MC200 Flight Simulator – capable of up to 15 different aircraft types to include a small jet or the Professional Flight Controls DCX MAX with glass cockpit capability. The simulators, which are an actual model of an airplane cockpit, replicate different types of airplanes allowing students to gain flight hours and get comfortable with flying before leaving the ground. Get your Instrument Recurrency or brush up for your Instrument Proficient Check (IPC).

Welcome to a new reality! EKU is home to one of the largest and most advanced virtual reality (VR) flight simulation labs in the United States. VR offers new opportunities to enhance teaching and learning as students can be taught in an immersive, hands-on experience. The VR experience in our simulators accurately represents the cockpit and in-flight experience of our Cessna 172 aircraft, giving students a significant advantage as they transition from the classroom to the airplane.

Our lab contains 12 advanced simulators, each consisting of an adjustable racing-style seat, a full array of flight controls and switches, a 42-inch ultra-high-definition TV, a high-end Alienware gaming computer, and an HTC VIVE Pro VR headset. Combined with Gleim Aviation’s X-Plane 11 Flight Training Course and the full capabilities of X-Plane 11 and 12 Flight Simulator, our simulators can take you anywhere in the world while providing superior flight training.

In addition to our VR capability, some of our simulators have been equipped with Garmin GPS simulators that replicate the hardware and functions of the Garmin GPSs installed in our EKU aircraft. We currently have two Garmin GNS 430/530 simulators, two Garmin 650 simulators, and three Garmin G1000 simulators in use. These simulators allow students to devote additional time to learning the functions of a Technologically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) and the Garmin GPSs before stepping into the cockpit.

Student Stories & Features

  • Carter Sizemore

    EKU Student & Army ROTC Cadet
    The EKU ROTC program has given me the resources to reach new heights I didn’t know I was able to achieve. I have made many connections and friends through this program; it never feels like I am alone in doing something, and I think that says a lot about the community that is created here. We have our high days, we have our low days, but I have no doubt that this program has helped me and many others become better people and better leaders.

  • Chloe Hampson

    EKU Student & Army ROTC Cadet
    Chloe Hampson ’25 “The ROTC program is full of opportunity and comradery. Cadets learn important skills needed to commission as an officer in the Army, as well as have opportunities to compete for Army schools. More importantly, cadets learn how to interact with other soldiers and build interpersonal relationships.

  • Jesse Valdez

    EKU Safety Leadership and Management Student
    The advisors, administrator, and instructors at EKU are compassionate, empathetic, and available to meet the educational needs of all students when necessary.

Quick Links

Upcoming Events

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Thu
04

Fall 2025 Graduation

December 4, 2025 at – December 5, 2025 at calendar-multiday
Thu
12

Provost's Leadership Institute

February 12, 2026 at – February 13, 2026 at calendar-multiday
Thu
19

High School Honor Band Festival

February 19, 2026 – February 21, 2026calendar-multiday
Mon
02

EKU Choirs: NYC Preview Concert

at – calendar-day
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03

EKU Wind Ensemble and Concert Band Performance

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20

Middle School Honor Band Festival

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News & Updates

Turning a Passion Into a Career in Aviation

In celebration of Aviation History Month in November, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Aviation highlights student Boston Wolfe and his bold pursuit in the legacy of flight.  From a young age, Wolfe felt drawn to the sky. While some prefer entertainment during a flight, Wolfe was content looking out the window, captivated by the clouds and […]

Aviation Careers Beyond the Cockpit: EKU Graduates Soar in Aerospace Management

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) isn’t just preparing students to pilot planes—it’s launching them into high-powered careers managing some of Kentucky’s most critical aviation hubs. From strategic innovation to airport operations, EKU aviation alumni are proving that aerospace management offers dynamic, impactful career paths. Hannah Meredith, ’15, leads innovation initiatives as the senior manager of strategic […]

Sky’s the Limit with EKU’s Innovative UAS Program

Controller in hand, the drone lifts off the ground and rises steadily and effortlessly into the sky. Under the operator’s control, it soars through the landscape transmitting valuable data and information for a variety of applications. Learning how to operate an unmanned aircraft system, or drone, as well as mission planning and execution are some […]

Contact Information

School of Aviation

Stratton Building
Room 50
4453 Kit Carson Drive
Richmond, KY 40475

859-622-1014
aviation@eku.edu

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