U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper visited the Aims Flight Training Center at the Northern Colorado Regional Airport on Tuesday. The tour gave him an up-close view of the college’s aircraft and flight simulators and the opportunity to meet with aviation students and faculty.
“We were honored to welcome Senator John Hickenlooper to the Aims Flight Training Center,” said Marilyn Schock, chair of the Aims Board of Trustees. “This was an opportunity to demonstrate the education our students receive and the critical need for skilled professionals in the aviation industry.”
Hickenlooper visited Aims to learn how Colorado colleges recruit and train the next generation of pilots. In the next 20 years, airlines in North America alone will need around 130,000 new pilots.
“In the past few years, we’ve been hearing a lot about the shortage of pilots at the major airlines and have been expanding,” Hickenlooper said. “It’s hard for them to keep enough pilots eligible and have a mandatory retirement at 65. We’ve got a push to get more pilots trained and ready to make sure we don’t have bottlenecks in our transportation system.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024 was signed into law in May. The bipartisan legislation enhances training programs, improves facilities, and ensures that the next generation is well-prepared to handle the demands of modern aviation. This investment is critical for maintaining the safety and efficiency of the U.S. airspace. “The FAA hadn’t been reauthorized since 2018,” Hickenlooper said. “We finally got reauthorized this year, but that means there’s a backlog, and some of the challenges weren’t getting addressed. “
Aviation at Aims
The mission of the Aims Aviation Department is to empower students to become successful aviation professionals. Currently, Aims offers programs in pilot flight training, unmanned aircraft systems (drone piloting) and air traffic control. With the addition of an Aircraft Maintenance pathway, Aims will make all the main components within the aviation industry available. In spring 2026, Aims will offer an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic degree housed in a new Aircraft Maintenance Training Center.
To learn more about Aims Aviation programs, visit aims.co/aviation.
