Page 10 - 2018AnnualReport

Economic Impact

Aviation Expansion

As home to the only four-year public school of aviation in Georgia, Middle Georgia State is uniquely positioned to contribute to the
aerospace industry, the second largest industry in the state and Georgia’s largest export. Not only is the industry a key driver of the
state’s economy, but employment in aerospace — where average salaries are well above the state median and often into the six figures
— is transformative for our students and our communities.
In 2018, we continued our outward expansion from our aviation hub in Eastman to continue building toward a statewide footprint. Having
added flight training in Downtown Macon in 2017, this past year we expanded south to Cook County. As we set our sights on expansion into
the metro Atlanta area, we were pleased to be one of only eight universities nationwide selected for the Delta Propel program, a defined
accelerated pathway for college students to become Delta pilots.
With out-of-state tuition waivers for students from Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee, the growth in footprint and career
opportunities has resulted in an aviation enrollment boom. Given the thousands of pilots and airline technicians set to retire in the next
decade and the fast-paced growth in the industry, we are primed to continue to meet the demand of aerospace employers.