GEORGETOWN, Del.- Taking to the sky one flight at a time.
Ocean Aviation is bringing a training academy to Delaware Coastal Airport.
"We have a sizable amount of students that are coming from Sussex County to Ocean City to attend our school," Ocean Aviation President & Founder Michael Freed said. "We have students from across the country that come in and internationally because we are an international flight school. But we have a growing number of students coming from this area."
The new facility will allow Ocean Aviation to teach students in a classroom setting and through hands on training one-on one inside of its planes.
Airport Manager Robert Bryant says it's a big win for Delaware Coastal.
"What we wanted was a school that had an FAA approved curriculum for flight training who could provide flight training under the requirements of federal aviation regulations," Bryant said.
Ocean Aviation is just a piece of the puzzle to what will be an expanding airport.
ALOFT AeroArchitects says planned expansion to the runways will help bring in big planes...And therefore, big business.
"We need to look at runway improvements so we can bring the jobs and the growth and the economic influence here in Sussex County that those clients represent for us," President & CEO Scott Meyer said.
Bryant says the expansion is part of a 20-year master plan but there are short term priorities in place including the runways.
"Runway extension is critical and of course preserving you know pavements and buildings that we have around here right now," Bryant said. "That's all going to be incorporated into that master plan."
Taking the Delaware Coastal Airport to new heights flight by flight.