WHEELING — It seems that the new aviation program at West Liberty University is taking flight.

West Liberty University’s Bachelor of Science in Aviation Commercial Pilot: Fixed Wing Program is affiliated with the Bill Noe Flight School at Marshall University. The flight instruction at WLU started last fall and presently has about 13 students, according to James B. Smith, director of aviation maintenance technology education at Marshall University.

He reports there are 25 students already enrolled at WLU for fall 2025 classes in aviation.

“It’s going very well. The response from the community has been amazing. The goal is to get the word out there and help people understand it’s an industry where there are a lot of educational options,” Smith said. “(WLU) has been amazing to work with.”

WLU offers classes to those interested in being a commercial airline pilot, corporate pilot, cargo pilot, flight instructor or aerospace operations manager.

Kevin Price, chief development officer for aviation at the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport, explained during a recent meeting with U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., that Marshall University has taken an “all of us” approach to West Virginia.

“Marshall has thrown their arms around the whole state — they have opened a satellite facility in Martinsburg, they have the facility in Huntington, the facility in Charleston and our partnership in Wheeling,” he said. “And they just announced they are building a facility in Greenbrier County at Lewisburg Airport.”

But the Marshall-West Liberty University partnership is the only aviation partnership that exists between two schools, Price continued. Those who graduate from the aviation program at WLU will hold credentials from both schools.

“And Marshall will be bringing their entire suite of aviation classes to the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport in the coming years,” he said. “We’re just starting with professional flight.”

He credited Ohio County officials for making “an enormous investment in the airport facility itself” and building aviation classrooms there.

“These are programs that get a lot of attention when site selectors look at us, and the airport here in Wheeling has an extraordinary opportunity — not only the education piece, but with the property we have here for development.”

An air traffic controller training school could be coming to the airport in the future, and maybe a cargo company, he added.

Marshall University and the Bill Noe Flight School also have introduced two new exciting financial aid options for aspiring pilots.

The new options are available immediately and apply to the Charleston, West Virginia, Bill Noe Flight School, as well as the satellite locations at Wheeling, Lewisburg and Martinsburg.

First, Sallie Mae, the company that offers private student loans across the country, has approved loan options for non-degree-seeking students, making it easier for individuals to pursue pilot training without the need for a traditional degree. The option is particularly appealing to those looking to change careers or earn pilot licensing as a micro-credential, providing a flexible runway to entering the aviation field.

Additionally, Marshall’s professional pilot program has been accepted into the Academic Common Market, a partnership through the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). This means that students from 16 states — where a flight training degree is not offered and there are no restrictions by the individual state — will now have the option of enrolling in Marshall’s program and pay in-state tuition.

“Marshall is pleased that we can now offer these important options to our students,” said Nancy Ritter, chief aviation operations officer at Marshall. “The expanded access helps lower the financial barriers for students all around, offering them an affordable and high-quality aviation education.”

For more information on Marshall’s Aviation Programs, visit www.marshall.edu/aviation.