The Bowling Green State University aviation program and Bowling Green Flight Center started the next
expansion phase Thursday with the official groundbreaking for a 16,800 square-foot facility.
BGSU 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 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.