Securing the Flight Line
Posted 2008/08/25
By Rachel Gaffney
SECURING THE FLIGHT LINE
Tropical Storm Fay Tests Delta Connection Academy's Preparedness Plan
SANFORD, Fla. August 26, 2008 - - There is always one thing you can count on; Mother Nature is rarely predictable. As Tropical Storm Fay made her curve towards Florida, more than 350 miles inland Delta Connection Academy was preparing personnel and aircraft to weather whatever Fay had to offer.
Initially forecasted to come ashore around Tampa Bay, Fay decided to make an abrupt turn to the east coming in just south of Naples and making a direct beeline straight for central Florida.
"In the case of Fay, the decision was made quickly not to evacuate and focus on protecting the fleet" said John O'Brien, Chief Operating Officer for Delta Connection Academy. "In my nine years with the Academy, we have gone through this about eight times, evacuated three times, and never had an injury. Our emergency plan works well."
The Academy relocated approximately 60 aircraft inside four hangers, two of which were volunteered by the Orlando/Sanford International Airport. More than 250 students and CFI's were sent home and did not fly for five days as Fay stalled off the coast of Titusville, roughly 30 miles east of Sanford.
"Our first priority is safety of our students" said O'Brien. "With such an unpredictable storm we did not want to take any chances. As the famous saying goes- I would rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air rather than in the air wishing I was on the ground."
Hurricane season runs through November 1 and forecasters once again predict an active season.
Delta Connection Academy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, operates a fleet of more than 96 aircraft, including the latest in technically
advanced aircraft with its fleet of 34 new Cirrus SR-20 G2 aircraft and its Level 3 Advanced Aircraft Training Devices and Level 6 Flight Training Devices. The Academy has trained students from 90 different countries and has placed pilots with more than 30 airlines including, but not limited to, all Delta Connection carriers, American Eagle Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines and Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines. In addition to its main campus at the Orlando/Sanford International Airport, the Academy is the flight-training partner for three colleges and universities across the United States and has a total enrollment of more than 750 flight students. For more information about Delta Connection Academy, call 1.800.U.CAN.FLY or visit www.DeltaConnectionAcademy.com.
Brazil Roadshow
Posted 2008/08/11
By Rachel Gaffney
We will be holding two information sessions in Brazil during the month of October. Please join us to learn more about the Academy and hear from one of our Brazilian graduate students
Locations:
RSVP to: Rachel.Gaffney@DCA.EDU or call 001-407-330-7020
ACE Camp Jacksonville
Posted 2008/08/10
By Rachel Gaffney
DELTA CONNECTION ACADEMY OFFERS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DISCOVERY FLIGHTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A NATIONWIDE ACE CAMP PROGRAM
SANFORD, Fla. July 20, 2008 - - Learning to fly this summer was not one of the things ACE Camp student Hakan Ozdemir had on his to-do list but a partnership between Delta Connection Academy and the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP) summer ACE Camp program landed him in the left seat on a flight of his lifetime.
Ozdemir joined eleven other ACE Camp students in Jacksonville, Florida for a week long introduction to the theory of aviation. Based off 24 existing ACE Camp summer programs nationwide, Jacksonville is only the second city in Florida to host the camp and the first to partner with Delta Connection Academy (DCA) to provide students the opportunity to actually fly.
DCA Certified Flight Instructors Miki Prince, James Dugger, and James Johnson took each student on a one-hour discovery flight 3,000 feet above the city. For 11 of the students, this was their first time flying in a small airplane.
"It was great" said Ozdemir. "I look forward to coming back next year."
The Organization of Black Airline Pilots Summer ACE Camp is a nationally recognized program co-sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE).
The purpose of Aviation Career Education (ACE) is to offer first level exposure to the aviation industry by providing aviation career exploration for middle and high school students.
-more-
Delta Connection Academy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, operates a fleet of more than 96 aircraft, including the latest in technically
advanced aircraft with its fleet of 34 new Cirrus SR-20 G2 aircraft and its Level 3 Advanced Aircraft Training Devices and Level 6 Flight Training Devices.
The Academy has trained students from 90 different countries and has placed pilots with more than 30 airlines including, but not limited to, all Delta Connection carriers, American Eagle Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines and Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines. With headquarters at the Orlando/Sanford International Airport and an expanding flight training facility in Houston, Texas, the Academy is the flight-training partner for three colleges and universities across the United States and has a total enrollment of more than 750 flight students. For more information about Delta Connection Academy, call 1.800.U.CAN.FLY or visit www.DeltaConnectionAcademy.com.
New Website
Posted 2008/07/18
By Rachel Gaffney
DELTA CONNECTION ACADEMY INTRODUCES A REDESIGNED WEBSITE OFFERING NEW ONLINE FEATURES
SANFORD, Fla. July 1, 2008 - -Delta Connection Academy announced today the launch of a fully redesigned, re-branded website geared towards meeting the needs of enrolled students, engaging current alumni and recruiting future pilots.
New features of the redesigned website include 360-degree photo tours of the campus, a comprehensive calendar of events for all Academy sites, easy to navigate pages and live air traffic control from Sanford-Orlando International Airport.
"Delta Connection Academy continues to meet the demands of technological advancements both in the aviation industry and on the web," said Delta Connection Academy President Doug Blissit. "We are pleased to offer a new look and new features to a website frequented by people all around the world."
Delta Connection Academy contracted with the Orlando offices of Lightmaker to produce the new website. To see the newly redesigned website, visit http://www.deltaconnectionacademy.com/.
Delta Connection Academy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, operates a fleet of more than 96 aircraft, including the latest in technically
advanced aircraft with its fleet of 34 new Cirrus SR-20 G2 aircraft and its Level 3 Advanced Aircraft Training Devices and Level 6 Flight Training Devices.
-more-
The Academy has trained students from 90 different countries and has placed pilots with more than 30 airlines including, but not limited to, all Delta Connection carriers, American Eagle Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines and Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines. In addition to its main campus at the Orlando/Sanford International Airport, the Academy is the flight-training partner for three colleges and universities across the United States and has a total enrollment of more than 750 flight students. For more information about Delta Connection Academy, call 1.800.U.CAN.FLY or visit http://www.deltaconnectionacademy.com/.
Lightmaker is a premiere interactive agency creating award-winning experiences since 1997. We are a full service organization providing innovative and inspirational design, build, branding, analytics, ongoing maintenance, eCommerce, hosting, support and solutions. Lightmaker excels in custom content management systems, 3-D graphics, cutting-edge Flash development, and motion graphics which take the rich media experience to a new level. Our prestigious client list includes JK Rowling, BMW USA, Ripley's Entertainment, David Beckham, ESL Music, Adobe, and M. Night Shyamalan. At Lightmaker we are committed to establishing engaging and friendly client relationships to produce fine, accessible, and visually exciting online experiences for users.
DCA is Expanding - Houston Campus (Non-Degree Program)
Posted 2008/06/20 12:01
By Rachel
In June 2008, Delta Connection Academy will expand its flight training in Houston, Texas. In our current partnership with San Jacinto Community College, we have been able to offer students a degree program. Now, our non-degree track program will be available for students at our Houston base. Our operations are located at the Ellington Field Airport. This field hosts military, commercial, and NASA aircraft along with general aviation air services.
ELLINGTON FIELD
Located approximately 15 miles south of Houston, Ellington Field consists of three active runways used for both military and civil aviation. Ellington is the base for NASA’s administrative, cargo transport, and high-altitude aircraft. Included in NASA’s fleet are the T-38 Talon jets, the Shuttle Training Aircraft, and the NKC-135 aircraft, which is a zero-G trainer. Ellington Field also houses the only two WB-57F aircraft used for atmospheric research and reconnaissance still flying in the world today. Additionally, the Texas Air National Guard, Texas Army National Guard, and the U.S. Coast Guard also maintain a presence at the base. Ellington Field is home to the largest flying club in Texas and the annual “Wings Over Houston” air show.
FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM
At our Houston, Texas base, students can participate in our full program including Private/Instrument, Commercial Multi-Engine, Commercial Single-Engine Add On, and Certified Flight Instructor Rating. Once students have completed the program, we welcome them to interview for a full-time flight instructor position to build flight time and gain dual-given hours. As a Delta Connection Academy Certified Flight Instructor, students have the opportunity to earn their Certified Flight Instructor Instrument and Multi-Engine Instructor Ratings.
HOUSTON, TEXAS
Houston is an ideal location for flight training with comfortable temperatures and a high number of clear flying days throughout the year. In addition to your time in the sky, Houston offers many attractions. The Lone Star Flight Museum, Houston Zoo, Downtown Aquarium, Six Flags, Space Center Houston, and Galveston Beach are within close proximity to Delta Connection Academy’s Houston base. Houston itself spreads over three counties; however, Harris County, Houston’s county seat, is the nation’s third largest with 3.4 million citizens.
