New State of the Art Delta Air Lines Aviation Education Facility Dedicated at Auburn University

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Auburn University is hoping to recruit the next generation of pilots with a new Delta Air Lines Aviation Education facility.

For Auburn University, this new state of the art Delta Aviation Education facility is a flight into the future.

“We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. it’s so surreal to finally be in here – state of the art equipment, brand new aircraft, innovative training techniques, it’s really an exciting time,” says student Quinton Dupper.

The 2 story, 23,000 square foot facility is equipped with everything aviation students need to pursue their careers.

“It’s got classrooms, it’s got pods for instructors, so for students who are flying it’s got areas where they can meet with their instructors and go through their briefings and go through their report. it’s got FAA examinations so as they are taking their tests, they can progress along with their flight training,” says Paul Jacobson, Delta Air Lines Chief Financial Officer.

The facility also includes an Airbus 320 commercial airline simulator.

“It’s a full simulator cock-pit, an A320 cockpit which flies in delta’s fleet, with a full visual system so even students here at Auburn can begin learning the ways of flying the big jets, not just learning on the small ones,” says Jacobson.

“We have a historical time in the industry where there’s a critical pilot shortage in commercial aviation, as well as in the military, and so again having the capacity and the bandwidth to essentially train pilots and educate pilots to go out-it’s a very global business at this point,” says James G. Birdsong, of the Auburn University Aviation Department.

The first of its kind aviation building for Auburn University will serve 350 students and some are already ready to experience everything it has to offer.

“Everything works so seamlessly together, it’s really going to allow our instructors and our students to maximize their potential and really work more diligently, more skillfully than what we ever would’ve thought possible in our facilities,” says Dupper.

The new facility was made possible by a $6.2  million grant provided by delta air lines, the delta air lines foundation and the Jacobson Family Foundation