Ohio State University Reestablishes Department of Aviation, Relaunching 1 July 2026 After 109 Years of Aviation Education

Ohio, USA – The Ohio State University Board of Trustees has approved the reestablishment of the Center for Aviation Studies as the Department of Aviation, effective 1 July 2026, positioning the university's 109-year-old aviation program for expanded educational opportunities, industry engagement, and research.

• The board approval on 21 May 2026 coincided with the anniversary of the university's original School of Aeronautics opening on 21 May 1917, when the first squadron of 16 cadets reported for instruction as part of a US War Department program establishing Schools of Aeronautics at eight universities to address the need for qualified military pilots.
• Ohio State is the only institution among the original eight 1917 War Department aviation schools to have maintained continuous aviation education operations over the subsequent 109 years.
• The department currently teaches hundreds of students across three majors spanning the College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences, and Fisher College of Business, supported by a team of educators with over 250 years of combined industry experience.
• More than 2,000 living aviation alumni are working across the industry as airline pilots, airport operations directors, flight dispatchers, air traffic flow managers, and other aviation roles.
• The elevation from center to department status provides a structural platform for further growth in educational programs, research activities, and industry partnerships, reflecting the university's commitment to expanding its aviation mission.

Statements

• "Reinstating the center as the Department of Aviation will position us for further growth, creating expanded educational opportunities for students and engagement points for industry, such as research. The board's approval is the culmination of the manifold efforts of faculty, staff and leadership from throughout the university," said Professor Blake Stringer, Director of the Center for Aviation Studies.
• "The U.S. War Department established Schools of Aeronautics at eight universities in 1917 to address the need for qualified pilots. Ohio State is the only institution of those to have withstood the test of time," said Professor Blake Stringer.

Source: The Ohio State University