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AVOCA — Aviation Technologies received certification Thursday from the Federal Aviation Administration to begin offering college credits to students at Lackawanna College.
Jim and Mike Gallagher, co-owners of the business, said they hope to begin enrolling student this summer and to eventually offer it to students at other regional colleges.
Gene McCoy, an FAA aviation safety manager, presented the certificate to the Gallaghers. He said a similar program in Allentown has been successful, offering students the opportunity to get a better understanding of aviation.
“This program will help students learn all aspects of the aviation system,” McCoy said. “And they will learn about the national airspace system.”
McCoy said the FAA certification comes with a lot of responsibilities. He said with the program located at an international airport, students will learn all aspects of the aviation industry and the career opportunities that are possible.
Jim Gallagher said he and his brother saw a need for offering quality educational training in the aviation business. He said the airport and his business offer a safe environment at an economical cost.
McCoy said students who go through the program tend to go on to a career in aviation.
Jill Murray, PH.D., executive vice president and chief academic officer at Lackawanna College in Scranton, said the school will begin offering a 2-year aviation management degree in fall 2015 semester. She said students will begin serving internships this summer.
“We helped the Gallaghers design the program specifically to train aviators,” Murray said. “The internships will be specifically related to the aviation industry — logistics, business operations, basically all aspects of operating an airport.”
Murray said the program will help develop employees in aviation, an industry she said is facing a shortage of trained aviators.
“This is not not necessarily about training pilots, although that is the next phase of the degree,” Murray said. “The industry right now is basically looking for airport operations personnel.”
Gallagher and Murray said they hope to enroll 25 students per year in the program.
“We have a tremendous amount of interest from students inters-ted in the program,” Murray said. “And we are welcoming more. Students will serve internships while in school and in the summer.”
Murray said students that complete the 2-year program will earn an aviation management degree. She said the students can then go on to a 4-year program at another college.
Mike Gallagher said Aviation technologies has been at the airport since 1995. In December, the airport board approved an airport office lease agreement with Aviation Technologies, the airport’s fixed base operator.
Aviation Technologies runs day-to-day operations at the airport, offering fueling services, aircraft repair and rental, flying lessons and charter flights. Under the one-year lease, which went into effect Jan. 1, Aviation Technologies will pay the airport $1,004 per month.