Following its initial announcement in Fall 2023, historically Black Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina has broken ground on a new academic aviation facility: the Currituck Flight Training Center.
Supported by $8.1 million in state funding, the new training center will feature a 4,800-square-foot classroom and office building, as well as a 6,600-square-foot hangar directly connected to the Currituck Regional Airport via a taxiway.
This year, ECSU’s aviation science program experienced a 48 percent increase in student enrollment, making it the HBCU’s largest major. The degree is the nation’s most affordable collegiate aviation program, with the NC Promise Program allowing students to study aviation for just $500 per semester. As the program continues to grow, advanced students will relocate their studies to the Currituck Flight Training Center, while beginning students receive training at the Elizabeth City airport. Going forward, ECSU plans to establish four additional aviation hubs across the state of North Carolina, as well as create new partnerships with independent flight schools.
“The opening of our Flight Training Center in Currituck County will be a major milestone in our commitment to expanding aviation education and workforce development in the region,” said Kuldeep Rawat, dean of ECSU’s School of Science, Aviation, Health, and Technology. “We are excited about the long-term impact this center will have on our students, the local economy, and the future of the aviation workforce. This expansion proves our dedication to positioning ECSU’s aviation program as a premier collegiate flight training provider.”
The Currituck Flight Training Center is expected to open in 2026.
