Purdue News Roundup
Purdue News Roundup
The new arrangement with Chautauqua Airlines, a US Airways Express operator based in Indianapolis, guarantees Purdue aviation students a job after graduation. In return for qualified pilots, Chautauqua is providing $60,000 in funding and class materials that will allow Purdue to integrate the airlines' orientation and training programs into its aviation technology curriculum.
"We believe this arrangement is the first of its kind in the country, because the company's training and Federal Aviation Administration requirements are actually becoming a part of our curriculum," said Bernard Wulle, professor of aviation technology. "This makes Chautauqua Airlines a partner in the educational process."
Students who choose the special commuter airline track will begin taking the Chautauqua-related courses at the end of their junior year. Upon successful completion of the program, they will have fulfilled the flight training requirement to become first officers for the airline.
Chautauqua spokesman Mike Suckow said it's a win-win situation for all parties involved.
"University aviation training programs such as Purdue's School of Technology will be a major source of qualified pilot candidates in the future," Suckow said. "This partnership allows us to assist with the training needs of the school with a goal of providing flight positions for graduates."
At a recent meeting of the Regional Airlines Association in Reno, Nev., executives estimated that nearly 10,000 pilots will be needed for regional airline operations by the year 2000. This is largely because of retirements at the major airlines, which hire their new pilots from the commuter ranks.
"Chautauqua could expect to lose an average of 10 percent of its pilots to the majors every year, but in the last two years that number has jumped to about 25 percent," Wulle explained.
The typical career path for a professional pilot is to spend two to four years as a flight instructor or charter pilot after graduating from college. This allows the new pilot to accumulate the flight time necessary to fly for a regional airline -- an average of 1,500 hours. The Purdue-Chautauqua program will put Purdue graduates in Chautauqua cockpits immediately after graduation.
While the new arrangement will result in younger pilots flying commuter planes, Wulle says they will be better trained.
"We're going to produce even safer pilots through a more concentrated training program that has students working on the exact type of equipment they will eventually be flying," he said.
Wulle said he hopes the new agreement with Chautauqua Airlines is the first of many partnerships between the aviation technology department and the airline industry.
"We would eventually like to see Purdue develop into a regional airline training center that will focus on not only pilot training but also aircraft maintenance, airline management and aviation administration," he said.
CONTACTS: Wulle, (765) 494-9974; e-mail, wulleb@purdue.edu
The biennial solar car race begins at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 19 and finishes June 28 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Up to 40 college teams will make the 10-day, 1,240-mile trek. The Purdue team placed 19th during qualifications at the General Motors Milford Proving Grounds in Milford, Mich., on May 4.
The team with the lowest cumulative time to Colorado Springs wins the event. Daily winners also will be honored, and various other awards will be presented for sportsmanship and teamwork, emphasizing excellence on and off the road.
Purdue team members from Indiana are Brett Bymaster of Brownsburg , Charles Bartlett and Matt Wood, Carmel , Brent Van Zandt, Evansville , Andrea Junk and Pete Brubaker, Fort Wayne , team leader Patrick Thomas of Mount Vernon , and Bret Nufer of Winamac . Other team members are David Brandyberry of Canton , Ohio ; Brian Grems, Detroit , Mich. ; Tim Paprocki, Moline , Ill.; and Keith Glover, Pekin , Ill .
In 1995, Purdue finished 17th out of 38 entries. The average speed of the winning car was 37.23 miles per hour.
The 1997 race is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors Corp. and Electronic Data Systems. General Motors maintains an official SunRayce Web site at http://sunrayce.gmr.com/sunrayce/sunrayce.html
CONTACT: Jeffrey Gray, associate professor of electrical engineering and faculty adviser to the Solar Racing Club, (765) 494-3478; e-mail, grayj@ecn.purdue.edu
This year's presenters include NASA education specialist Marge Lehky, Wright Patterson Air Force Base spokeswoman Alice Noble, and numerous Purdue faculty from the disciplines of aeronautics, earth science and education.
Participants also will tour the Imagination Station, an interactive museum in downtown Lafayette that focuses on space, science, engineering and technology.
The registration fee for the workshop is $25, and participation is limited to the first 25 teachers registered by Wednesday, June 11. For registration information, contact Sueann Smith in the Office of Continuing Education, (765) 494-7225; e-mail, slsmith@cea.purdue.edu
CONTACT: Diane Schafer, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, (765) 494-5874; e-mail, dianes@ecn.purdue.edu
This program is sponsored by the National Technological University. Purdue is a contributing member of NTU, a consortium of 47 top engineering universities that offer classes via satellite.
This course is designed to introduce all areas of data communication networks. It is for professionals whose daily activities involve data communications such as network administrators, administrative personnel, and sales, marketing and technical staff. The cost is $1,300 per person. Deadline for registration is July 1.
CONTACT: Marsha Nance, noncredit program coordinator, (765) 494-7018.
Compiled by J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; e-mail, mike_willis@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
