The spirit of aviation is returning to John Brown University, marking the revival of a program that once helped train America’s wartime pilots. This fall, JBU launches a Bachelor of Science in professional flight — the first aviation program at the university since World War II ended the original flight training in 1943.
Aviation has deep historical ties to JBU. The university’s aviation story began at a pivotal moment in history. In 1938, the university built a small airstrip near campus and began training pilots. Within a year, JBU became Arkansas’ first school authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Authority to offer pilot training.
The timing proved providential. As U.S. involvement in the war loomed, JBU’s first class of 10 student pilots earned their civilian licenses in early 1940. Over the next two years, more than 100 additional students followed suit. When the attack on Pearl Harbor forced America into World War II, the War Department selected JBU to train military pilots, with approximately 175 Army Air Force reservists learning to fly using the university’s fleet of eight trainer planes.
The war eventually claimed JBU’s aircraft for military service, ending the program in late 1943. Now that legacy lives on through a meaningful partnership with Springdale-based flight school AIRO.
“Our partnership with AIRO is particularly meaningful because we share a Christian commitment that infuses both of our missions,” said JBU President Chip Pollard.
AIRO founder Camron McAhren established his school with a vision of “serving God and His kingdom by training the next generation of pilots” — a mission that resonates perfectly with JBU’s values.
The new degree program combines a business-focused liberal arts education through JBU with flight and ground instruction from AIRO at the Springdale Municipal Airport. As they progress through the professional flight program, students can earn their private pilot license, instrument flight rating, commercial pilot license and flight instructor certification after the completion of coursework and flight time and successfully passing required industry exams.
The new program addresses pressing industry needs. Boeing projects demand for more than 670,000 new pilots globally over the next 20 years, while the FAA estimates the U.S. alone will need 130,000 pilots by 2043. JBU graduates will be uniquely positioned for this market, combining technical flight skills with a business-focused liberal arts education.
But beyond commercial opportunities, this program aligns with JBU’s heart for Christian service. As Pollard noted, many graduates will likely “take their training into the mission field, flying medical supplies into remote villages and transporting missionaries to places otherwise unreachable.”
JBU now stands as the only Christian college in Arkansas offering aviation training — a distinction that honors both its historical legacy and future calling.
Julie Gumm ’95
Julie Gumm ’95 is the Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at John Brown University