The History

In December 1960 SIU purchased the physical facilities of the Midwest Aero Services, Inc., and took over its lease to operate the Southern Illinois Airport north of Carbondale. The main reason for this purchase was to provide facilities for the new program of aircraft maintenance to be started by SIU's Vocational Technical Institute (V.T.I.) then located on the Carterville, IL, campus.

Picture of Southern Illinois Airport when purchased by Southern Illinois University.

The Southern Illinois Airport Authority (SIAA) retained ownership of the land and buildings, while the lease permitted SIU to operate the airport. The Airport Authority was to pay Southern a monthly fee to operate the facility, and the public service features of the airport were to be maintained. In addition to aircraft (two Cessna four-seaters, a Cessna two-seater, and a Piper three-seater), physical properties acquired in the sale included a large hangar, an administration building, a 60 x 20 foot service "lean-to," and 20 t-hangars.

Preparations were made to get an Aviation Technician Program set up and in operation by winter quarter of the 1963-1964 academic year. In January 1964 a short-range plan was instituted to make immediate use of some of the surplus equipment and to gain experience for the long-range certificated program. Plans for two courses for the winter quarter were drawn up, two faculty were hired, and temporary space was provided for airframe and other exhibits in the Vocational Technical Institute's facilities at Carterville, IL. Four-thousand square feet of floor space was occupied in a building on the V.T.I. campus for the Aviation Technology program. Thirteen automotive students enrolled in a class entitled Aircraft Power Plant and Accessories as an elective. This group of students formed the first Aviation Technologies class.

As the Aviation Technician Program continued to evolve into a two-year, FAA-approved program, a Quonset hut near the current site of Southern Illinois Airport was acquired as a temporary facility and a director, E. A. DaRosa, and additional faculty hired. Simultaneous with the hiring of faculty, an Advisory Board was formed of individuals involved in the aviation maintenance industry. This board, the University, and the Federal Aviation Administration reviewed and developed the curriculum which met the accreditation standards of the program. As planning continued, equipment was procured through federal surplus, donations from industry, and by direct purchase.

Pre-registration of students for the nascent program began in 1964. Later in that same year, it was proposed that the Airport Authority construct, at their expense, a combined hangar and aviation technician building at the airport.

Proposed Aviation Technologies building to be located at the Airport.

This space would be leased to SIU and used for the Aviation Technician program under the direction of Technical and Adult Education and by Air Institute and Service. Of the 25,000 square feet, approximately 18,000 square feet would be used for hangar storage and approximately 6,000 square feet would be assigned to the maintenance school. SIU president, Delyte Morris, reported Reasonable and Moderate Extensions (RMEs) on March 18, 1965, for the period January 1, 1965, to June 30, 1965, for courses offered in aviation technology.

The groundbreaking for the new AVT Building at the Southern Illinois Airport was held in March 1965.

On April 23, 1965, the SIU Board of Trustees approved a request to submit to the IBHE a new program in Aviation Technology leading to the degree of Associate in Technology offered by the Vocational-Technical Institute.

New Aviation Technologies building under construction at the Airport.

The Aviation Technology program opened at the Airport with 26 students in September 1965 as the newest of 27 major programs offered by VTI.

First Aviation Technology class at the airport.

On January 25, 1966, Mr. Kenneth Gray, a U.S. Representative from this area, personally purchased a flag to fly over the new AVT building. Mr. Gray could not attend the dedication, so he had the flag flown over the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. at the time of the dedication and then presented the flag to the Aviation Technology Department at a later date.

On January 26, 1966, the two-year aviation technology school at SIU was accredited by the Federal Aviation Agency. The new program received full accreditation as an airframe and power plant aviation technical school following a two-day final inspection by the FAA. It was one of only eight university-connected aviation technical schools in the nation, and had an enrollment of 41 students in its first year.

At that time, graduates received the Associate in Technology degree from SIU and were prepared to take the FAA airframe and powerplant (A&P) license exams. Although the program was designed primarily to train aviation maintenance personnel for airlines, general aviation, repair stations, and corporation aircraft, other options included coursework in aviation electronics (avionics) and pilot training.

The Associate in Technology degree was subsequently replaced by Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in Avionics Technology and Aviation Maintenance Technology, which, in turn, were phased out during the middle to late nineties being replaced by the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Aviation Technologies. Today, Aviation Technologies offers the BS degree in three areas of specialization: Aircraft Maintenance, Avionics, and Helicopter Maintenance. Additionally, a minor in Aerospace Product Support is offered jointly with Aviation Management.

In 1968 SIU acquired 11 acres south of Southern Illinois Airport to allow for future expansion of the SIU Aviation Technology instructional program. This was indeed a foresighted purchase, as it would not be until thirty years later when two significant events occurred that would figure prominently into the expansion of the AvTech program: (1) SIU traded a portion of this land for another parcel owned by SIAA with the intention of constructing upon the newly acquired land the Technical Education Center (TEC). The TEC will be a "state-of-the-art" training/education facility intended to co-locate the Automotive and Aviation Management and Flight programs with that of Aviation Technologies. (2) The construction of the Joseph A. Schafer Helicopter Laboratory, dedicated in 1999, which provided SIUC's Aviation Technologies with a facility unique in the United States.

Ribbon cutting ceremonies for the new helicopter facility at the Airport.

Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held at Southern Illinois Airport to officially open the new facility on November 4, 1999. The 10,000 square foot facility houses 13 helicopters providing students enrolled in AVT program hands-on experience. Not only does this facility house the Helicopter specialization of the Aviation Technologies bachelor of science degree, but also provides the means by which to deliver factory authorized training for three Bell Helicopter models: the Bell 47, 205, and 214B. SIU is the only university in the world to provide such training.

New helicopter facility at the airport.

Since the inception of the Aviation Technologies program, many changes have been made to include constant revision of the curriculum to meet technological changes, additions of modernized equipment of the industry, and continual expansion of the program due to the high demand. Present plans are to continue and intensify our relations with the industry, make changes and revisions as required in keeping abreast of technology, and continue to meet the demand of the field of aviation into the next decade.

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