Oklahoma’s aviation and aerospace sector continues to soar with a current statewide workforce of more than 120,000 and an economic impact of $44 billion. The Greater Oklahoma City region alone boasts about 43,000 aviation and aerospace workers, led by Tinker Air Force Base, the state’s largest single-site employer, and the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, as well as almost 300 other entities, such as Boeing, AAR, Field Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and others.

With the industry’s economic trajectory expected to reach even loftier heights in the years and decades to come, having an available pipeline of workers is critical to the industry’s long-term growth and viability. To that end, Norman Public Schools launched the Oklahoma Aviation Academy this fall as a way to expose more high school students from across the state and metro to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and to encourage them to consider aviation as a career choice.

The idea for establishing an “aviation high school” in Norman was the brainchild of University of Oklahoma Regent Rick Nagel, who also is managing partner of Acorn Growth Companies. After visiting with NPS board members and school superintendent Dr. Nick Migliorino last fall, the idea quickly gained steam and within less than a year, the Oklahoma Aviation Academy was born. It is currently housed in North Campus Building 210 at OU’s Max Westheimer Airport and sports an initial class of 107 students, which includes about 90 high school freshmen.

“When we opened up the applications, between 150 and 160 kids applied. We accepted an initial class of 84 students and then decided to open up another zero-hour class for those who did not make that first round or were upperclassmen, as the academy was limited to ninth graders only,” said Aviation Academy Director Terry Adams.

Adams, who has spent the last 25 years in public education as a teacher, coach and school administrator in various Oklahoma public schools, including Bixby High School where he was recognized as the 2022 High School Principal of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals, said the aviation academy is designed to be a comprehensive STEM school. All students attending the academy take an aviation class in addition to other courses as part of their designated pathway, he said, whether it's pursuing a private pilot’s license or certificate in commercial drone piloting, or some other career path.

“We’re exploring offering pathways like meteorology, airport management and air traffic control, just trying to provide a well-rounded STEM experience that prepares students for careers after high school,” Adams said. “Moore Norman Technology Center is going to open an A&P – airframe and powerplant