MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College and Inland Helicopters of Spokane have partnered to train a new generation of helicopter pilots.

The new pilot training program, which began in January, allows prospective helicopter pilots to enroll as Big Bend students, said Big Bend Flight Instructor John Swedburg. "Inland Helicopters will recruit for us, and they have Veteran's Administration and federal financial aid funding options to help students," he said. Students can graduate with an

Associate of Applied Science Degree and FAA certificates including Private, Instrument, Commercial, and Certified Flight Instructor.

Flight instruction and two helicopters are provided by Inland Helicopters at Grant County International Airport. The operating costs for helicopters are more than the school's airplanes, said Doug Sly, Big Bend's public information officer.

"That's one of the reasons it's hard for us to get into it on our own, so it's a great partnership," he said. Big Bend will provide instruction in ground school, meteorology, technical

writing and math - the same classes taken by students enrolled in Big Bend's Commercial Pilot Program, which Big Bend has had since 1965.

Inland Helicopters will develop additional classroom instruction to teach curriculum specific to helicopters, said David Valenti of Inland Helicopters. "Aerodynamics and weight and balance

are different for helicopters than for airplanes, for instance," he said.

"Big Bend was very receptive and enthusiastic in working with us," Valenti added.

"Their instructors measure their flight time experience in the thousands of hours, so they know what they are doing." National statistics show an improving job market for helicopter pilots as current pilots retire in coming years and create a job shortage." said Valenti.