CEDAR CITY, Utah — Southern Utah University (SUU) has purchased 10 new SR20s from Cirrus Aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin in June.
“Globally, the aviation industry is expanding rapidly and the demand for qualified pilots is high,” said SUU President Scott L Wyatt. “The addition of the Cirrus aircraft will elevate our program by offering the most advanced and safest training available in the world.”
The SR20 offers a durable airframe designed to handle rigorous training programs and is the only single-engine plane to come equipped with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) as standard equipment. The SR20 also features the latest cockpit technologies, maximum cabin size and visibility, and instrument training systems designed to prepare students for flying more advanced aircraft, university officials noted.
According to SUU chief fixed-wing flight instructor Neal Donahue, the university’s aviation program is poised for growth. SUU’s fixed-wing program expects a 300% increase by fall semester 2017. The recent announcement of a partnership with SkyWest has vitalized enrollment, he said.
“With a SkyWest mentor specifically assigned to SUU students, we are beginning to see our students moving into professional pilot careers and it’s very exciting,” said Donahue.
The strategic partnership between SUU and SkyWest is designed to leverage the resources of each with the goal of creating industry-leading career options for prospective pilots. For SUU students entering the Pilot Pathway Program, SkyWest Airlines provides tuition reimbursement and other resources to guide students on their way to beginning careers as SkyWest Airlines first officers.
“Our agreement with SkyWest puts graduates immediately into the cockpit in a sought after, exciting career,” Wyatt said.
Due to arrive June 3 are the fleet’s first four planes, followed by three in July, and three in August.