LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – SOWELA has received final approval to build a new $5.5 million flight school next to the school’s main campus. The school is hailing this development as a new breakthrough in addressing the significant national pilot shortage and its continuing efforts to place students in high-demand, high-wage jobs.
The flight school will be built by the Lake Charles firm Champeaux Evans Hotard Architects.
“The Flight Training School project is a great addition to SOWELA’s already thriving Aviation Maintenance Technology program. This project is truly a collaborative effort made possible by dedicated partners,” said SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall. “The City of Lake Charles and Mayor Nic Hunter made funding a priority for this project through the successful LC Rebound tax referendum passed in November 2023. The Chennault International Airport, through the leadership of the Executive Director Kevin Melton, is providing the property where the Flight Training School will be constructed. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) through the submission and successful award of an EDA grant provided the remaining funding needed to bring the project to fruition. We are excited to move aviation training to the next level at SOWELA.”
The 16,000-square-foot flight school will provide aspiring pilots with comprehensive training programs leading to a Private Pilot’s License (PPL) and commercial flight training.
A $3.5 million U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant and $2 million from the City of Lake Charles will fund the project. It will include a new hangar of 12,000 square feet and an associated classroom building of 4,000 square feet. The classroom building will house a flight simulator lab and classroom and office space. The flight school will be adjacent to SOWELA’s Main Campus on the Chennault Airport Property, directly connecting to an existing taxiway.
“News of the flight school moving to the next phase is very welcome and we are excited to learn that a stellar local architecture firm will be working on the design of this game-changing project,” said City of Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter. “This project represents an elevation of this community to a whole new level, bringing economic diversity and workforce training. Our administration is so proud to be partnering with SOWELA to make this a reality.”
Industry collaboration for the SOWELA Flight Training School includes industry advisors from Chennault International Airport, Lake Charles Regional Airport, Planet Air, and Noble Development, among others. The school estimates that this collaboration will ultimately create around 170 jobs.
According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Commercial Pilots are five-star jobs due to occupational outlook, educational requirements and salary. The typical salary for a commercial pilot with experience is $81,000 or more.
SOWELA anticipates breaking ground on the flight school in Fall 2025.
Copyright 2025 KPLC. All rights reserved.