Elizabeth City, N.C. — Some grand openings call for a ribbon and oversized scissors. But Elizabeth City State University’s (ECSU) new flight training center got the arrival that matched its mission: three aircraft flown in by the same students the facility is built to serve. Making more room for its growing aviation program, the university cut the ribbon on its $8.1 million Currituck Flight Training Center, expanding flight training capacity, creating more hands-on learning opportunities and preparing more Vikings for careers in aviation.
University leaders, elected officials, faculty, staff, students, and community partners gathered Oct. 23 at Currituck Regional Airport to celebrate the new facility’s opening, with ECSU’s executive director of the School of Aviation, Titus Sanders, hosting.
“Today, we are celebrating more than the opening of a new facility,” Chancellor S. Keith Hargrove said. “We are celebrating what is possible when a university and its community come together around a shared vision for opportunity, growth and economic development.”
The North Carolina General Assembly funded the Currituck Flight Training Center, which features about 4,800 square feet of classroom and office space and two 6,600-square-foot aircraft hangars. A taxiway connects the hangars directly to Currituck Regional Airport, providing students with access to additional space and resources for flight training.
For Currituck Regional Airport Director William Nelson, the occasion was personal.
“For me, this occasion is especially meaningful. I am a proud graduate of Elizabeth City State University, and aviation has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I earned my private pilot certificate before graduating high school, and I have been fortunate enough to turn that passion into a career,” said Nelson.
The university plans to relocate a portion of its 21-aircraft fleet to the Currituck location. The university also purchased two additional Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved advanced aviation training devices to support student training at the new facility.
The center opens at a time of significant growth for ECSU’s Aviation Science program, which saw enrollment increase 31% this year, increasing the need for training space and hands-on learning opportunities. The new location will accommodate that growth while giving students more opportunities to develop the skills needed for careers in commercial piloting, aviation management, flight education and air traffic control.
Rep. Bill Ward of the North Carolina General Assembly District 5, said, “I’ve seen the university grow from a teachers’ college to what it is today. This is the future. This is the future of aviation, the future of North Carolina and the future of this country.”
The facility is ECSU’s second aviation training hub outside Elizabeth City, extending the university’s presence across northeastern North Carolina.
“It’s a great day for what I like to talk about—regionalism. When something good happens in Currituck County, it’s good for Pasquotank County. It’s good for Camden County and Perquimans County. For those of us with a low population, we really have to work together and pull together. You either pull together or you pull apart,” said Paul O’Neal, chairman of the Currituck County Board of Commissioners.
The project was made possible through a partnership with Currituck County, which donated the land for the center. ECSU also recognized Muter Construction, CMR, and LS3P Associates, Designer of Record, for helping bring the project to fruition.
Looking around the newly constructed building, John Muter, president of Muter Construction, said, “We appreciate the faith you put in our company. There’s something about this place that touches my heart and it starts with the students. This facility without a doubt is one of the highest quality facilities we’ve built, and it is because the students deserve that.”
For Chancellor Hargrove, the center reflects the university’s commitment to investing in the communities it serves and building partnerships that expand the impact of higher education beyond campus.
“We often speak of ECSU as a Community University,” he said. “That means we recognize that our success is connected to the success of the communities we serve.”
Hargrove continued, “We are not simply located in this region; we are invested in its future.”
The new center puts that commitment into action by supporting the region’s workforce and economic development. With additional training space and equipment, ECSU can close the gap between classroom instruction and the practical experience students need to pursue aviation careers.
“Currituck County has brought more than land to this partnership,” Hargrove said. “You have helped create an opportunity that will prepare students, strengthen our workforce, and contribute to the economic vitality of this region for years to come.”
The project also supports ECSU’s ASCEND 2030 strategic plan, which guides the university’s efforts to grow academic programs for the students it serves.
“As we continue to advance our ASCEND 2030 strategic plan, partnerships like this demonstrate how we can build on ECSU’s legacy while expanding our reach, strengthening our academic programs, and creating new opportunities for the next generation of aviation professionals,” Hargrove said.
ECSU’s Aviation Science program prepares students for a range of professional pathways in an industry that depends on skilled and well-trained personnel.
“I was talking with someone who said a student came from Washington state to Elizabeth City State University for the aviation program. You think about all the country between there and Elizabeth City. That really speaks of the wonders and greatness of the programs we have at ECSU,” said O’Neal.
As the ceremony marked the opening of a new facility, Rep. Don Davis, North Carolina’s First Congressional District, looked ahead to the opportunities it will create for students.
“This is magic taking place in a different type of classroom. This is a testament to the strength of our region,” Rep. Davis said.
Davis then addressed the aviation students looking on.
“This empowers you now to take advantage of an aviation career and all the careers associated with it.”
ECSU aviation student Terendius David, president of the ECSU chapter of the Organization for Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), told the crowd about his plan when he first came to ECSU. “As a freshman, I had three major goals. The first one was to fly. The second, make a meaningful impact. And the third was to find a family away from home.”
For David, the mission is accomplished.
For ECSU, the Currituck Flight Training Center is an investment in student opportunity and the next generation of aviation professionals, giving a growing program more room to fly.
In his remarks, Sanders said today’s goal was simple: “Make ECSU a national aviation brand.”
Sanders reflected on his career and how it relates to his current role at ECSU.
“I’ve spent more than 20 years on the flight deck, first in the Army, then at United [Airlines]. I’ve seen what doors can do when they are open. Today, we open a door.”
For more information about ECSU’s Aviation Science program and flight training opportunities, visit www.ecsu.edu.
