{"id":164044,"date":"2025-09-23T16:16:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T20:16:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.nmc.edu\/?p=164044"},"modified":"2026-03-27T20:37:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T00:37:34","slug":"success-story-expanded-hangar-means-a-shorter-waitlist-and-more-pilots-for-the-airline-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nmc.edu\/?p=164044","title":{"rendered":"Success story: Expanded hangar means a shorter waitlist and more pilots for the airline industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

September 17, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"A
When the elbow room gets tight inside a 33,000-square-foot building, it’s definitely a monumental moment.<\/p>\n

That was the scene at Monday’s ribbon cutting for NMC’s newly-expanded aviation hangar. The crowd of community leaders, legislators, students and alumni was there to celebrate a milestone that illustrates NMC’s commitment to meeting the growing needs of the Grand Traverse region and the aviation industry.<\/p>\n

The hangar was expanded by 16,500 square feet, which enabled NMC to add eight new planes to its fleet of 19 total aircraft, including a sea plane and an aerobatics plane. It is now 33,530 square feet and includes areas for maintenance, storage and offices.<\/p>\n

\"NMCI was just in awe the entire time I was standing there. It was so exciting,” said aviation student Meigan Lanning<\/strong> (at right, between Aviation Director Alex Bloye<\/strong>, left, and chief flight instructor Frank Jabour<\/strong>, right), who cut the ribbon. She’s the president of NMC’s Aviation Society.<\/p>\n

“It’s very impressive. It’ll look very good to new, prospective students,” said alumna Susan Waters<\/strong>. A 1992 aviation graduate who is now a captain with Southwest Airlines, Waters flew in from Houston for the event.<\/p>\n

By expanding the college’s aviation facilities, the hangar increases NMC’s capacity to train pilots significantly. This fall, 50 new students started, a 66% increase over typical fall enrollment.<\/p>\n

Aviation students take to the skies in their first semester and can earn private, instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and flight instructor ratings, preparing them for successful careers<\/a>. In her 30-year career, Waters has been a commercial, charter, corporate and cargo pilot.<\/p>\n

“I walked out with a wonderful experience,” she said of NMC, where she also served as a flight instructor from 1994–95.<\/p>\n

That’s one thing that hasn’t changed.<\/p>\n

“There’s a lot of passion for this program,” said Lanning, 19, who will graduate next year. She hopes to become a flight instructor at NMC while she finishes her bachelor’s in business administration-aviation from Ferris State University and then become a commercial airline pilot.<\/p>\n

NMC is the only Michigan two-year college to offer a flight training program. Until this year, it typically enrolled 30 new students each fall, and had up to a two-year waitlist.<\/p>\n

“There’s never been a better time to launch your aviation career — with rising salaries, signing and retention bonuses, travel perks, and a pilot shortage projected to last another 10 to 15 years,” said Aviation Director Alex Bloye<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Total project cost for the hangar was $7 million. NMC matched a $3.75 million state grant. The project also received $550,000 in federal funding. The hangar is also the first project in NMC’s 10-year campus master plan, NMC Thrive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our state and federal legislators, donors, and community partners who have made this project possible,” said NMC President Nick Nissley<\/strong>. “This expansion demonstrates NMC’s responsiveness to the needs of our region and our ability to deliver results.”<\/p>\n

NMC Aviation has a proven track record of success, with exceptional job placement rates for graduates. The college is also a leader in the growing field of uncrewed aerial systems<\/a>.<\/p>\n