Moravian University aviation program’s first pilots train at Queen City Airport

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Moravian University launched its inaugural aviation program in fall 2026, enrolling 22 students in two degree programs: Bachelor of Science in professional pilot and Bachelor of Science in aviation management. The first cohort includes 14 professional pilot students and eight aviation management students.

Moravian University’s director of aviation programs, Rachel Hall, said, “One of our priorities with both programs is to make the experience much larger than simply completing a degree. We want our students interacting with the industry, developing professional relationships, gaining leadership and safety experience, and discovering just how many different career paths exist within aviation.”

Professional pilot students complete their coursework through Moravian while completing FAA Part 141 flight training through the flight-training partner, flyGATEWAY Aviation Institute, at Queen City Airport in Allentown. Their flight training progresses from private pilot through instrument, commercial, certified flight instructor and multiengine training.

For professional pilot students, aviation becomes a very real part of their lives almost immediately. Students balance their Moravian academic courses with regular flight and ground-training sessions at Queen City Airport. Hands-on experience pairs with academic work in aviation fundamentals, aerodynamics, safety, human factors, regulations and, eventually, more advanced professional flight topics.

Students have access to aviation professionals through the Aviation Advisory Board and other industry relationships. The program is developing internship and career pathways for both majors, integrating career development throughout the four-year experience rather than introducing it in students’ senior year.

The aviation management program provides a broader pathway into the business and operational side of aviation, preparing students for careers in areas such as airline and airport operations, safety, management, analytics and other aviation leadership roles.

Hall said, “Ultimately, we want our students to leave Moravian with much more than a transcript and, for our pilots, FAA certificates. They should graduate with experience, professional connections, an understanding of the industry and a clear pathway toward their careers.”

Hall describes her own journey into aviation as nontraditional. Hall said, “My own path into aviation was not necessarily a traditional one. My academic and professional background includes both aviation and healthcare, and I think those experiences have strongly influenced how I approach aviation education, particularly my interest in safety, human factors, decision-making and how people perform in complex environments.”

Hall holds a master’s degree in aeronautics, specializing in aviation safety, and a bachelor’s degree in aviation. She is also a commercial multiengine, instrument-rated pilot; Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor; and Advanced Ground Instructor. She continues to fly professionally in corporate aviation, including the Falcon 900EX, Falcon 50EX and King Air 350, and also instructs and teaches at Moravian.

As an instructor, Hall enjoys most watching the transformation that occurs when someone begins to think like a pilot. Hall said, “One message I want our students to understand very early is that aviation is an enormous industry. You can spend an entire career in aviation without ever sitting in an airline cockpit, and part of our responsibility is exposing students to opportunities they may not even know exist when they arrive.”

Gavin Pysher and Tyrone Handy are among the 14 students enrolled in the professional pilot program. Both students intend to become airline pilots. During their first semester, they have trained in both the classroom and the cockpit.

Pysher, a professional pilot student from Bangor, Pennsylvania, said his interest in aviation began at a young age when his grandmother took him, his brother and his cousins to Braden Airpark to watch the airplanes. He didn’t seriously consider becoming a pilot until his senior year of high school, when a teacher suggested the career. Pysher said, “I thought to myself, why did I never think of this? That’s when I knew I wanted to become a pilot and started doing more research. Since then, my love for aviation has grown even more.”

One experience that has stood out to Pysher is “backseating,” or riding along on his classmates’ flights when he is not flying himself. He said observing his classmates and instructors lets him learn without the pressure of operating the airplane.

Pysher said, “The program has definitely further influenced my aviation goal of becoming an airline pilot. Being able to operate such big airplanes and having the privilege of bringing people to their families or vacation safely is so cool to me.”

The airplanes at Queen City have “glass cockpits,” meaning they use digital display screens instead of older mechanical dials and gauges. Pysher said the technology helps prepare students for the equipment they may encounter in professional aviation, including commercial and private aviation.

Tyrone Handy, a professional pilot student from Lincoln, Delaware, said he knew Moravian’s program was for him once he got to campus. Handy said, “I really knew this was somewhere I could see myself being for the next four years. The community here is something that I needed to be a part of.”

Hall said, “We have already accepted applicants for fall 2027 while our first cohort is only beginning its experience, which has been exciting to see.”

The program is continuing to expand. Moravian plans to further develop its Aviation Simulation, Safety, and Analytics Center, which is scheduled to open in 2027. The center will expand opportunities for simulation, flight planning, aviation data analytics, safety education, operational decision-making and collaborative learning. The program is also continuing to develop partnerships with aviation employers, internships, professional mentoring and career pathways for students in both majors.

For prospective students, Hall said, “I think one of the most important things to know is that you do not need to arrive at Moravian already knowing how to fly or having grown up around aviation. We can teach you to fly. What we are looking for is curiosity, work ethic, professionalism and a willingness to learn.”