Douglas-Coffee County 63rd Integrated Aviation School

Attitude for Altitude - Your Future Takes-Off Here!

The United States is home to about 80% of the world’s primary flight training schools. However, there is a critical shortage of aviation pilots and mechanics. Each year, tens of thousands of pilots and crew members are retiring and those positions need to be filled. An estimated 11,800 maintenance positions will need to be filled over the next 10 years.

During World War II, Douglas and Coffee County rose to the challenge and answered the call to the pilot and mechanic shortage. Seventy years later, on the same historic grounds, Douglas and Coffee County are going to do it again.

The Douglas-Coffee County community has embarked on a journey to bring aviation education to this community, region, and state. As with anything, it takes vision, dedication and building relationships. We want to augment the aviation education system while growing our community’s value in this area. We are focused on partnerships, integration, and uniqueness.

The concept is the Douglas–Coffee County 63^rd Integrated Aviation School and the Douglas-Coffee County 63^rd Corporate Aviation Park. Integration being the key word. Reusing existing buildings (located at the airport) and new buildings for the school. Based on the success of the school, buildings that no longer exist will be rebuilt. We want to honor the Past, operate in the Present, while impacting the Future. While integration is one of our key words—we are focused on forming partnerships and building off our uniqueness. The school would be a integration of Coffee County Board of Education, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, and South Georgia State College. We will work with existing aviation institutions that teach the flight, mechanical, and aviation relation courses. Douglas has the most fully intact WWII Army Air Force Pilot School in America. It was home to the 63rd Army Air Forces Pilot School.

We are approaching this initiative with a blank canvas, a CAN DO — WILL DO ATTITUDE for ALTITUDE!

The mission of the Douglas Area Aviation Education Collaborative is to develop and provide educational opportunities that emphasize the skills, knowledge and experience that will allow students to learn a skill that will last a lifetime while supporting the education, economical development and quality of life. We understand that education is vital in developing skills that is needed for today’s jobs and tomorrow’s future. Education is paramount in promoting the individual’s sense of worth, values, and high ethical standards. Our collaborative is committed to developing and offering quality education to our students and citizens. We understand that aviation education has a cost. Through partnerships with existing education institutions (CCBOE, Wiregrass, & SGSC), governments, private entities, creative thinking and pooling of resources, we can achieve this mission.

To ensure that our mission is achieved, our goals are as follows:

To offer an ever changing/growing academic curriculum in aviation science to meet today’s jobs and tomorrow future.
To provide the students with experience, knowledge, and job skills in which that will contribute to success in their careers and employment.
To provide a framework and atmosphere of learning
To strive for and maintain excellence in aviation and general education by continuously and systematically reviewing classroom facilities, equipment, curricula, faculty, and staff.
To maintain a communication with our students, our community, and employers to ensure that we are meeting everyone’s needs in the aviation industry.

WHY DOUGLAS, WHY NOW?

LOCATION

Situated between Hunter Army Airfield, Moody AFB, Warner Robins AFB
Conveniently located between Savannah, Albany, Jacksonville, and Atlanta
Sits between I-16 & 1-10 AND between I-75 & I-95. State Hwy. 441 and 221 run through Douglas.

HISTORY

Douglas and Coffee County is home of the 63rd Army Air Force Contract Pilot School which is the most intact WWII Army Air Force Pilot Schools in America.

GREAT RESOURCES

Coffee BOE’s Coffee County Career Academy (aviation flight and technical pathway)
South Georgia State College (potential expanded engineering degree to include aviation and use of dormitories)
Wiregrass Technical College (potential technical/mechanical certifications)
Local Aviation Restoration Companies
Progressive Economic Development Authority