BGSU, BG Flight Center break ground on new facility

Breaking ground on the new BGSU aviation facility are (left to right) student Kara Clifford, BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey, BGSU Board of Trustees Chair Fran Voll and North Star Aviation CEO Mark Smith.

BOWLING GREEN, O.— The Bowling Green State University aviation program and Bowling Green Flight Center started the next expansion phase this morning (June 26) with the official groundbreaking for a 16,800 square-foot facility.

Bowling Green State University President Mary Ellen Mazey and Mark Smith, CEO of North Star Aviation, the parent company of Bowling Green Flight Center, led local officials in the time-honored ceremony of tossing shovels of soil at the site of the new facility. 

The facility, which will include an 8,000 square-foot hangar and 8,800 square-foot training complex for classrooms and offices, will be built near East Poe Road and Tarragon Drive, on the southwest side of the current airport complex. The additional classroom space will include a full-motion flight simulator, all designed to expand the opportunities for the aviation students at BGSU.

The project is being funded by Bowling Green Flight Center.  It will replace the current building that was built in 1945. Completion is expected by the end of 2014. 

“We are happy to enhance the program with the construction of this new complex,” Smith said. “This is another demonstration of our commitment to the partnership with BGSU and its aviation program.”

Earlier this year BG Flight Center was awarded the contract to provide flight instruction for the BGSU aviation program. As part of the agreement, BG Flight Center has upgraded its entire fleet of aircraft in the training fleet.

“This project will enhance the flight education opportunities for its students and provide state of the art, safe equipment for the next generation of trained pilots and employees with aviation industry skills,” Smith said.

"We are fortunate to have the BG Flight Center as a University partner for our aviation program,” Mazey said. “Our students will benefit from the new facility, and the global aviation industry will benefit from the graduates who received outstanding training at BGSU.”