(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – KC Copters, a Johnny Rowlands company based in Olathe, Kan., will provide private helicopter flight training at the University of Central Missouri’s Max B. Swisher Skyhaven Airport.
Rowlands and University President Charles Ambrose announced the opportunity Thursday at the airport, located west of Warrensburg on U.S. Highway 50, as they signed a memorandum of understanding between KC Copters and the university.
KC Copters, an FAA approved flight training school, will offer private flight training programs to the public leading to the helicopter private pilot, instrument, commercial pilot, certified flight instructor or certified flight instructor instrument licensing. KC Copters already offers the training through a facility located at the Johnson County Executive Airport, Olathe, Kan. Plans call for the private instruction to be available Max B. Swisher Skyhaven Airport during the summer of 2013.
“KC Copters is honored to be part of the beginning of this new venture for UCM,” Rowlands said. “For KC Copters and UCM to be able to forge a relationship like this is important for all of us. In working with the UCM aviation program, we realized that we both share the same core values when it comes to safety and providing quality training. UCM has a reputation for excellence, and KC Copters always wants to work with the best. It’s a great opportunity inspire young men and women as they pursue a career in aviation.”
Ambrose noted that the addition of rotary blade training at the UCM-owned airport has heightened the enthusiasm for an already popular university program.
“We know of the successes of our aviation alumni,” he said. “We also know there is a demand for trained pilots, and we couldn’t do what we do well without the dedication and expertise of people like Johnny Rowlands.”
Tony Monetti, assistant dean of aviation at UCM, said the partnership with KC Copters is the latest opportunity for UCM to improve its aviation program.
“We looked at ways we could improve our programs, and we knew we wanted to add rotary training opportunities,” Monetti said. “Our program shares the same core values of integrity, excellence and safety with KC Copters.”
KC Copters was founded by Rowlands, a veteran helicopter pilot and reporter for KMBC-TV in Kansas City. Applying what he has learned in his 20,000-plus hours of incident-free flight, Rowlands has crafted a flying and learning environment that emphasizes risk management and enhanced safety margins under the acronym of “S.M.A.R.T” flying, which stands for “Scenario-Based Management of Airborne Risk Training.”
Learn more about KC Copters and its training programs at kccopters.com.