Eaton RESA Announces Regional Aviation Careers Institute

The ACI courses will include classroom instruction, flight simulator training, plane management education, and ground school and is open to students in Eaton, Ingham, and Clinton Counties. Like other CTE programs, students attend classes for half of their school day earning high school credit with the opportunity to earn college credit as well. There is no cost to students to attend the ACI.

“Our Career Preparation Center (CPC) has a long and successful history of preparing area students for careers in manufacturing, technology, health sciences and more,” said Dr. Sean Williams, Eaton RESA superintendent. “We are thrilled to add aviation to our roster of course offerings and, like all of our career prep programs, engage with industry partners to ensure students are receiving applicable education and making connections to grow our talent pipeline in the Lansing area”.

Matt and Andrea Dahline, owners of Crosswinds Aviation, will join Eaton RESA as the flight training partner. School districts are not permitted to provide flight lessons and must engage an external partner to provide pilot training and flight school. Flight time and flying lessons are not part of the ACI curriculum nor are they a requirement of this course.

“Crosswinds trains young pilots across Michigan and as our industry faces a huge shortage of pilots and other aviation professionals, now is the time to engage high school students and offer them an inside look at the opportunities available to them,” said Dahline.

In order to give students a first-hand look at the industry in action, ACI courses will be housed at the Capital Region International Airport.

“We are excited about this opportunity to create more awareness to an industry that is in need and is experiencing a major labor shortage,” said Nicole Noll-Williams, president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority. “We want to thank Eaton RESA for taking the lead on creating this program and advancing educational opportunities for students right here in the mid-Michigan community.”

While students do not pay tuition to attend the ACI, those who wish to earn a pilot’s license must pay for flight time and training. Students are not required to take part in pilot training or flight time as part of the ACI program.

To assist students interested in earning a pilot’s license, MSUFCU is offering the Student Success Loan, a specialized program that will allow ACI students to borrow funds to pay for flight time and training. 

“We are pleased to partner with Eaton RESA and the Capital Region International Airport to provide loans, scholarships and financial education to help make flight time more accessible and affordable for local students, said MSUFCU president and CEO, April Clobes. “Our goal is to ensure all students have a safe and low cost way to let their dreams take flight through this important career development program.”

The Eaton RESA CPC currently offers 16 career training programs with more than 350 students enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year. Students interested in applying for the ACI can complete a short information form on the Eaton RESA website (www.eatonresa.org) and will receive additional information and updates about the program, including upcoming Open House events.