SUU Aviation Partners with Sundance Helicopters for Pilot Program
Published: March 07, 2019 | Read Time: 3 minutes
Sundance Helicopters, Inc. and the Sundance Skypath program in Las Vegas is partnering with Southern Utah University Aviation to bring a pathway program that will be instrumental in providing graduating pilots with a clear pathway from school to industry.
SUU is the third school to become a partner in the SkyPath program and joins other top-flight schools, Leading Edge Aviation (Bend, OR) and UND Aerospace (Grand Forks, ND), in offering the helicopter pilot development program.
“Sundance has taken the lead in developing a defined pathway for graduating students to enter the rotor industry,” said Michael Mower, SUU Aviation Executive Director. “SUU’s Department of Aviation is pleased to partner with such an outstanding leader in our industry. This partnership between our two organizations is what the rotor industry desperately needs to meet the overwhelming demand for highly qualified helicopter pilots.”
Pilot candidates involved in the SkyPath program will receive job mentoring, additional operating experience through internships and job shadowing, and guaranteed interviews with Sundance Helicopters after minimum program requirements are met.
“I am very excited to work arm in arm with SUU bringing our pilot program to the school and to participate in the development of future professional pilots,” said Mark Schlaefli director of operations for Sundance Helicopters. “Pilot candidates will be exposed to the industry at a very early stage providing them with the training and development they need to be successful in the commercial aviation world.”
Because of the booming helicopter industry and the many graduates, SUU Aviation has each year, this new pathway program opens up many opportunities for both organizations by supplying the starving helicopter industry with much needed pilots.
Current projections show the helicopter industry to be on the cusp of huge pilot shortages. Helicopters Association International has identified the gap between graduating students and top industry jobs to be one of the largest attributing factors to these shortages. Pathway program partnerships are critical to helping both the student pilot and the industry in placing experienced pilots where they are needed most.
SUU Aviation’s graduates will now have a clear pathway after school and Sundance Helicopters will be hiring some of the best, most experienced graduates out there. Both organizations are fully dedicated to making this partnership a success for both SUU graduates and the Sundance Helicopter’s Las Vegas and Grand Canyon touring company.
More about SUU Aviation and Sundance Helicopters:
SUU Aviation is a collegiate flight school located in Cedar City, Utah. SUU Aviation is the top collegiate helicopter flight school in the nation with the largest helicopter fleet. With one of the most robust and diverse flight training programs available, SUU Aviation has risen to the top of the industry in many areas, including an extraordinarily high job placement rate, amount of flight hours, and number of graduates. SUU Aviation is the only helicopter program in the nation to offer a master’s degree with a flight component, and also offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in aviation.
Sundance Helicopters is the most experienced and highly-rated touring company in Las Vegas, Nevada. They give tours primarily in the Las Vegas and Grand Canyon areas and take great pride in being the best of the best. As one of America’s top three most booked tours, they have been awarded TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence” eight years in a row (2011-2018) and voted Las Vegas Review Journal’s “Best Helicopter Tours” (2017-2018), “Best Charter Airline” (2018), “Best Event Planner“ (2018), Best Family Attraction” (2017), and “Best Extreme Adventure” (2017). Sundance Helicopters is the longest-running helicopter tour operator in this area and has flown over 4 million guests since 1985 to see these awe-inspiring sights. This long-standing tour company is dedicated to providing personalized customer experiences, safety and security, and employing the best team.
Tags: Aviation
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