A new program at the University of North Dakota is helping military veterans earn their wings.
In October 2022, the university was awarded $2.5 million in a cooperative agreement from the FAA to assist U.S. military veterans with paying for flight training and providing extra support to ensure a successful transition to an airline career.
Through the Vets 2 Wings program (V2W) students who are veterans and have already earned a private pilot’s certificate can apply for funding assistance to cover the cost of advanced flight training.
There are 38 students enrolled in the program, with that expected to grow to 62 in the fall, according to university officials.
Since its launch in November, students in the Vets 2 Wings program have earned 25 new pilot certifications or ratings while flying more than 1,050 flight hours, reported Jason Evans, program administrator and an assistant professor of aviation at UND.
While the program is exclusive to UND so far, it is expected to expand.
In March 2023 U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, (R-ND) — who was instrumental in securing the program’s initial $2.5 million funding — introduced the bipartisan American Aviator Act of 2023, which would expand flight training services for veterans nationwide.
The mission is to help veterans transition to civilian life, while also tackling the pilot shortage facing the aviation industry.
“This is a win-win,” Hoeven said. “Our nation is facing a severe pilot shortage, and we need a new generation of qualified pilots to help ensure continued access to safe and reliable air service, which is vital to our economy and quality of life. It only makes sense to leverage our world-class flight school at UND and offer this opportunity to veterans. Through the funding we secured, we are establishing a pipeline from UND to commercial airlines to help meet the demand for new pilots, while better supporting veterans who want to pursue this career.”
Find out more about the program at UND.edu.
Our nation is $32T in debt. We do not have the money to provide free flying lessons.
Veterans are paid a very good salary while in uniform, have all kinds of benefits most could only dream of, and generous additional benefits to help them “transition” out of the military. I know of one flight school here in North Carolina that caters mostly to such “transitioning” military personnel. The cost for their lessons is either free or heavily subsidized by the government. The flight school is owned by veterans who are able to hire mechanics from the military and they receive some kind of subsidy for this, too. I am sure it is all quite legal, but the fact is, the cost for flying lessons there is so high that only military personnel can afford them, since they are not paying them entirely out-of-pocket. That is always what happens when government confiscates money from people who earn it in the private sector and give it away to special groups. It distorts what should be free markets and makes it harder for private companies to compete.