Future pilots take to the air during Sky Camp

More than six dozen first-year Central Washington University aviation students were cleared for takeoff this fall when they participated in Sky Camp, a two-week orientation at Bowers Field hosted by the department’s flight instructors and leadership team.

Two weeks before fall classes began, the department welcomed the incoming cohort of 76 students to the airfield about two miles north of campus, giving them and their families an overview of the program and what to expect this fall and beyond.

One of the highlights of the family portion of Sky Camp was a welcome barbecue on the first night, which served approximately 230 people.

“The event was a huge success,” said Jason Berthon-Koch, the longtime CWU Police chief who joined the College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS) last spring as the Executive Director of Strategic Operations. “We tried to be as transparent as we could be with the students’ families and share as much information as possible so that everyone was on the same page going into the school year. The feedback we got was very positive.”

Joining Berthon-Koch on the department’s new leadership team are Chief Pilot Chris Pratz and Assistant Chiefs Heather Armstrong and Buck Walling.

Berthon-Koch said the Department of Aviation has hosted similar orientation events in years past, but with four new administrators in place this fall, the team thought it would be a perfect opportunity to showcase the many exciting developments that are taking place within the program.

Among the anticipated upgrades are a new building at Bowers Field and the purchase of two new multi-engine flight simulators, both funded by the Washington State Legislature earlier this year. Work on the facility is expected to begin in 2026, while the simulators have been ordered and should be delivered by the end of fall quarter.

“It’s going to be nice to bring us all under one roof,” said Berthon-Koch, referring to the two-building setup the department currently has at the airfield. “It’s going to create an even better environment for everyone, and the best part is, it’s all predicated on student success, which is our ultimate goal.”

Sky Camp got underway September 8, with the students completing all of their required paperwork, learning about the endorsements they need, reviewing standard operating procedures, and taking their initial flight simulator lessons.

Armstrong, who joined the CWU Aviation team in July, explained that the first week was all about showing students the ropes.

“We laid out all of the expectations for them on day one so they would be prepared for when we started flying for real,” she said. “The first week was just ground courses and simulators — more of a classroom environment — but by the second week, they were all going up in the air with our instructors.”

After learning about the pre-flight procedures and safety check routines during the first week of Sky Camp, the future pilots each participated in four flight blocks alongside CWU flight instructors during the second week.

The 76 first-year Professional Pilot track students make up about a third of the Professional Pilot program’s total enrollment, which stands at about 200 this fall. There are upwards of 400 students enrolled in the Aviation program this fall.

The remaining 200-plus students are pursuing degrees in Aviation Management. The aviation program is one of the most popular draws for the university and features the only four-year aviation degree in the Northwest.

Armstrong noted that some of the incoming students will pursue careers in the commercial airline industry, while some might go into corporate aviation (i.e., UPS, FedEx). Others may choose to fly medical aircraft or military planes.

“There are a lot of aviation jobs out there that most people don’t even think about,” she said. “They might start out doing one thing and move to another area after a few years like I did. And there’s a whole other group at CWU that’s going into aviation management.”

Armstrong used to manage a flight school in California before moving to Ellensburg with her family three years ago, and she couldn’t be happier with how things have gone during her first few months on the job.

“It’s been a great experience so far, and I’m really looking forward to working with this group of students,” she said. “From what I’ve seen, they’re all engaged and eager to learn. They’re all excited to be here, and I think it’s going to be an amazing year for everyone involved.”