By: Jacob De Luna
tlc278@txstate.edu
SAN MARCOS – With a national pilot shortage emerging in the United States, it has officially been one year since Texas State began offering its new aviation science degree, aiming to curb the deficit.
According to the Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook for 2025-2044 there will be a need of more than 660,000 commercial pilots over the next two decades. Leaving two main questions, why is there an impending shortage for pilots and who exactly will fill those needed roles over time?
Texas State aviation lecturer and assistant program coordinator, Bret Bryon, said a reason for the impending pilot shortage stems from age-retirement policies that will soon affect the United States.
“Currently the internationally agreed upon age that you have to retire as an air transport pilot is 65,” Bryon said. “Right now, almost 40% of the current commercial rated pilots are going to hit 65 in the next 10-15 years. That is a lot of air transport pilots retiring, it is a big dent.”
In fall 2024 Texas State launched a partnership with a local FAA-approved flight school, Coast Flight training, to offer the 120 hour Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree with Aviation Science Concentration. About 25 students are accepted into the new program every fall semester.
A majority of classes and trainings take place at the San Marcos Regional Airport, while some courses may be offered virtually for students to complete.
Bryon said there was a clear need for an aviation program located in central Texas offering in-state tuition.
“The only air science program in Texas, prior to Texas State’s, is Baylor’s. Except Baylor is a private school so on top of all the flight-school fees, the tuition is outrageous,” Bryon said. “It dawned on someone at Texas State Global that since we have the airport right over here, we could offer a similar program with in-state tuition.”
Donald Wimp, a faculty member of the Department of Organization, Workforce and Leadership Studies at Texas State involved with the aviation program, said students spend a lot of time in the cockpit learning during their first three years. Students are also working towards several pilot certifications during that time.
“Students will come in and during their first two semesters, they will get their private pilot license,” said Wimp. “In the second year they move into working for their instrument rating and hopefully by the end of the second year they are working halfway through the commercial rating.”
Wimp said junior year for students is all about completing flight logs and training. Senior year consists of projects and making sure all parts of students’ 120 hour degree will be checked off.
“Junior year you are getting your commercial rating done and getting all the flight instructor ratings. Theoretically once all of that is in place, you can finish most of your flying junior year and be done,” Wimp said. “Senior year there is the capstone project, a couple of upper-level aviation courses, then filling in the blanks on the 120 hour requirement.”
The aviation program sets up graduating students to quickly fulfill requirements needed to secure a job as a commercial pilot. Along with their Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree with Aviation Science Concentration, graduates will obtain their commercial license, instrument and multi-engine ratings, as well as a certification and rating for flight instruction.
Texas State 2025 graduate and current student for the aviation program through Coast Flight Training, Victor Giannella, describes the aviation program as demanding and intense, but most importantly enjoyable.
“I have been really liking it since I have been there. I like how it is pretty intensive with how they are scheduling you pretty often and the pace they want you to move at,” Giannella said. “It makes you push yourself but it is a lot of flying, which is fun.”
Giannella said there are several flight trainings the aviation program has in place for students, allowing them to gain early experience flying aircrafts.
“Sometimes we will just train maneuver flights, which is where we are just working on basic maneuvers required for certifications,” Giannella said. “Or we will also do what is called cross-country flights, which is leaving the area and flying in one direction for 50 miles and then making the trip back.”
Giannella said after graduation from the aviation program, his ultimate dream is being able to secure a job as an international pilot.
Although there is predicted to be an incoming pilot shortage for the United States over the next 10-20 years, Texas State’s new aviation science degree program is providing a new generation of pilots with the knowledge, experience, and skills needed to curb the assumed pilot shortage headed our nation’s way.
Source 1: Bret Bryon | TXST Aviation lecturer/assistant program coordinator | bjb237@txstate.edu | 512-245-2115 | Interview: 10/09/2025 in Pedernales 113 at 12:45 p.m.
Source 2: Donald Wimp | TXST lecturer/Dept. Of OWLS Faculty | evn28@txstate.edu | 512-245-2115 | 10/09/2025 in Pedernales 113 at 12:45 p.m.
Source 3: Victor Giannella | TXST graduate, Coast Flight Training/Aviation program student | connected through social media instagram @victorgiannella | Virtual interview via zoom on 10/08 at 5:45 p.m.
