Updates from the School of Aviation

August 27, 2025

Welcome Back, Auburn School of Aviation Community!

Welcome back, Auburn School of Aviation community!

As a new academic year begins, we celebrate our recent summer graduates, now part of an expanding group of aviation professionals shaping the future of flight! To our returning students, welcome back. We’re excited for you to continue your journey with us. To our new freshmen, welcome! Last year, we made a strategic decision to reduce our flight program enrollment, admitting just over 100 new students (more than 50% fewer than before). Your acceptance into this competitive program is impressive!

This summer, we enhanced our organization and resources to better serve our students. In July, David “Rock” Bottomlee joined as our new Director of Flight Education, a key leadership role overseeing flight and maintenance operations. Rock brings 30 years of distinguished Air Force experience, including leadership in fighter and flight training organizations. To increase aircraft availability, we expanded our fleet to 63 aircraft with the addition of five new Cessna 172s and three more Piper Seminoles expected this fall.

We also strengthened our academic team by welcoming four new adjunct instructors from different sectors of the aviation industry: Jay Heppner (airline and corporate aviation), Ben Bryant and Erik Bowring (air traffic control), and Joe Beal (military cargo). Their expertise offers valuable real-world insights to our students.

Our students and faculty were highly engaged this summer, representing Auburn Aviation across the country. We celebrated our eighth consecutive year competing in the Air Race Classic, where our teams earned multiple awards for their cross-country race from Fairhope, Alabama, to Spokane, Washington. We hosted over 50 high school students in our aviation camps, inspiring and preparing future aviation professionals. Additionally, we attended EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, where our team connected with many alumni and future students.

On August 19, 2025, we marked the first anniversary of contract tower operations at Auburn University Regional Airport, showcasing the university’s commitment to aviation safety and excellence. Looking ahead, construction will begin on a new permanent control tower at the airport starting September 12, 2025, with full operation expected by the end of 2026.

We continue to build on a proud heritage and prepare for an even brighter future. Wishing everyone a safe, successful, and inspiring year ahead!

War Eagle!

James “Birdy” Birdsong, PhD

Delta Air Lines Endowed Associate Professor

Interim Director, School of Aviation

Striped Wings Aviation Ambassadors: OshKosh 2025

Student Recruitment Events

Six of our Striped Wing Ambassadors recently came back from their week-long recruiting event at EAA Airventure OshKosh last month. This year Airventure — a fly-in convention in Wisconsin — saw over 700,000 attendees and over 10,000 aircraft present. People from all around the world attended this event, and it provided the perfect opportunity for our ambassadors to recruit for Auburn's School of Aviation.

"Attending Oshkosh was an unforgettable experience in my aviation career. When I joined the Striped Wings, I looked forward to representing Auburn Aviation—but I never imagined how impactful an opportunity like this could be. From connecting with passionate aviation enthusiasts and industry leaders to sharing stories with fellow Auburn students and alumni, the experience was both inspiring and energizing. It reminded me why I chose this path in the first place. The atmosphere at EAA AirVenture sparked a renewed excitement for what lies ahead in my aviation career, and I left Oshkosh with a stronger sense of purpose and pride in being part of the Auburn Aviation community."

- Aspen Hood

Senior, Professional Flight

Over the week-long event, the Striped Wings were able to meet with hundreds of prospective students as well as network within the industry. We would like to extend a very gracious thank you to all of our industry partners who were able to stop by the booth.

This upcoming semester, the Striped Wings are planning to conduct their largest volume of tours to date, continuing their mission to recruit the best students for our Professional Flight and Aviation Management degrees.

Congratulations, Summer 2025 Grads!

A graphic congratulating the Summer Class of 2025

A job well done and a big WAR EAGLE to our Summer 2025 School of Aviation graduates! We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors!

The 2025 War Eagle Women stand in front of a plane looking confident.

Six Auburn Aviators raced in this year's Air Race Classic

Auburn University has had a presence in the Air Race Classic for the last eight years. The Air Race Classic (ARC) is an annual transcontinental air race for female pilots, and is a multi-day competition spanning over 10 legs and 2,400 statute miles. The route this year took teams from Fairhope, Alabama, to Spokane, Washington.

The Auburn School of Aviation was able to send two teams to compete. The route took a total of four days to complete, and all of our teams finished in Washington on June 20th. They were greeted by their Auburn coaches Daphne Walker and Dr. Rebecca "Coyote" Baughman. The awards banquet was held the weekend following the race to recognize the top teams and award recipients. The School of Aviation is very proud of how well our two teams performed. Their top prizes are as follows:

3rd place Intercollegiate Overall - Team 63, Campbell Glasgow, Emily Brutko & Maggie Peacock
11th place Intercollegiate Overall - Team 64 - Aspen Hood, Bailey Wells & Page Zuccaro
3rd place Intercollegiate - Leg 3 - Team 64 - Aspen Hood, Bailey Wells & Page Zuccaro
1st place Intercollegiate - Leg 4 - Team 64 - Aspen Hood, Bailey Wells & Page Zuccaro

Congratulations to the 2025 War Eagle Women for their fantastic efforts and successes and be on the lookout for more Auburn Aviators competing in future races!

The two war eagle women teams are standing in front of a plane on display and smiling.

The war eagle women teams are hugging after a race well done.

The Air Race Classic Map demonstrating the stops between Fairhope Alabama and Spokane Wa.

Auburn Aviation Summer Camps

The School of Aviation hosted numerous future aviators over the summer, thanks to the efforts of Dr. James Birdsong, Dr. Daniel Siao, and the Auburn Youth Programs. The Auburn Youth Programs hosted two camps, available to rising 9th to 12th graders, one in June and one in July, where students could stay on the Auburn Plains for the week. During their stay, they were able to experience numerous lectures from aviation professionals, discovery flights over Auburn, simulators, an overview and demo flight of unmanned aircraft systems, and discussions on aerospace engineering.

We want to extend our thanks to all the industry partners who hosted our future aviators. We are excited to see what's in store for this next generation of pilots!

A teenage girl is flying the Auburn Plane Simulator

A young boy is taking pictures of Auburn Campus while sitting in the cockpit of a discovery flight.

Two boys sit in the cockpit of an AirBus simulator while smiling.

2025 Welcome Back Lunch

This past week, the School of Aviation hosted the sixth annual Welcome Back Lunch alongside long-time sponsor United Aviate. This event was open to all students and offered a great atmosphere and delicious food!

Not only could students network with peers and recap their summer experiences, but they were also able to discuss potential career opportunities with recruiters from United Aviate. Events like these not only bring our students together but also strengthen the professional relationships that support their future success in the aviation industry.

The Welcome Back Lunch marked an exciting start to another promising academic year, and we look forward to all that flies ahead!