The Southwest Michigan Regional Airport is exploring a new partnership with Countryside Academy to help students interested in aviation better prepare themselves for possible careers.
Airport Director Shannon Christy tells us the idea is to set aside a hangar and the pilot’s lounge as learning spaces for Countryside students. He says having aviation students physically at the airport on a regular basis would benefit them.
“They can just know they have a certain spot at the airport, and so then they can start getting more familiar with the airport, taxiways, stop and hold short lines,” Christy said. “Just kind of being near the facility, you learn through almost osmosis, your radios, having a radio on in the background, etc.”
Christy says the airport has been talking with Congressman Bill Huizenga’s office about securing a grant through the bipartisan infrastructure package to renovate a hangar for the school.
“Once we get that in the process, we can look into how much it would take to get a classroom dedicated for Countryside Academy in there. They would only use it as part of the time, but we could use it for other things when it’s not being used for them.”
Christy says the academy already has an airplane that’s housed at the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport. He and Countryside’s Fred Frazee, who leads the academy’s aviation program, are also talking with state Representative Joey Andrews about securing state support.
Frazee will discuss the collaboration with his advisors on May 28.
