Texas State University Partners with Flex Air to Launch Aviation Science Degree Pathway in 2027

California, USA – Texas State University (TXST), a US public research university, has partnered with FAA Part 141 flight training provider Flex Air to expand its Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (B.A.A.S.) in Aviation Science program to San Diego, California. Beginning in Spring 2027, students will be able to combine online university education with practical flight training at Flex Air's facility at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.

• Texas State University's published San Diego training schedule lists seven fixed-wing flight training courses with combined fees of US$132,824 through Spring 2027, excluding university tuition. The fees cover private pilot, instrument, commercial, flight instructor, instrument instructor and multi-engine training, including specified supplies and examination costs.
• The B.A.A.S. Aviation Science degree requires 120 semester credit hours, with students completing academic coursework through TXST's Accelerated Online Program (AOP) while undertaking in-person flight training with Flex Air. The program is delivered through the university's Department of Organization, Workforce and Leadership Studies (OWLS).
• The partnership is designed to accommodate working adults and nontraditional students through Flex Air's flexible flight training model. The training provider offers both full-time and part-time programs at its San Diego location, supporting students pursuing professional aviation qualifications alongside their academic studies.
• The partnership was formally presented at a signing event on 2 October 2026 at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, attended by representatives from Texas State University and Flex Air.
• AFM previously reported that Texas State University expanded its Aviation Science training network to nine locations across four US states for Fall 2026, incorporating fixed-wing and helicopter training pathways. The San Diego partnership extends the university's professional flight training network to California.
• Flex Air's training fleet includes Cessna 172 M/N/P and R/S/SP aircraft for private, instrument, commercial and instructor training, alongside Beech 95 Travel Air twin-engine aircraft for multi-engine qualifications.

Statements

• By partnering with Flex Air, TXST is adding to our efforts to reach students where they are while simultaneously making it easier for them to graduate with a pilot’s license. Through this program, graduates will be able to pursue high-paying jobs as professional pilots, helping address the nation’s growing pilot shortage,” said TXST President Kelly Damphousse, Ph.D.
• “This partnership brings together two complementary approaches to career flight training: the flexibility and mentorship-first model that helps working adults and nontraditional students enter aviation, and the academic rigor and resources of a university program. Texas State gives students a strong academic foundation; Flex Air helps them build a practical, supported path around the realities of their lives. Together, we are creating a transformational opportunity for people with the ability and discipline to succeed in aviation, but who may never have seen a traditional college-to-flight deck path as possible for them,” said Paul Wynns, President and CEO of Flex Air.

About Texas State University
Texas State University is a public research university founded in 1899 and headquartered in San Marcos, Texas. The institution operates campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock and offers more than 200 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs across nine academic colleges.

About Flex Air
Flex Air is a US professional flight training organisation established in 2016 and headquartered at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, California. The company operates FAA Part 61 and Part 141 flight training programs across California and Kansas, including professional pilot training, instructor qualifications and military-to-civilian aviation transition programs.

Source: Texas State University