09/01/2026
✈️ MAKING AVIATION HISTORY IN WV✈️
We are incredibly excited to announce the next chapter of aviation education at Spring Valley High School!
Through the continued partnership between SVHS CTE and Appalachian Flight Services, Spring Valley students will now have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive aviation pilot training program — bringing professional flight training directly into the high school experience.
🏆 This program will make Spring Valley High School the first high school in West Virginia to offer students the opportunity to complete Private Pilot flight training as part of their high school education.
And this program is about much more than simply learning how to fly.
One selected student this year will receive structured aviation ground instruction, hands-on flight training, and unmanned aircraft systems training while working toward two FAA credentials:
✈️ FAA Private Pilot Certificate
✈️ FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (sUAS/Drone)
These are real, industry-recognized FAA credentials that students can carry directly into college, professional flight training, military aviation, commercial drone operations, and careers throughout the aviation industry.
The new pilot program builds upon the success of the SVHS Aviation Maintenance CTE pathway, continuing our mission of giving students access to aviation education that extends far beyond the traditional classroom.
Students aren’t just learning about aviation.
They’re maintaining aircraft. They’re flying aircraft. They’re earning FAA certificates. And they’re beginning aviation careers before they ever graduate from high school.
The pilot program will be competitive. Applicants must meet academic, attendance, age, and FAA medical requirements before advancing to a discovery flight and selection interview conducted as part of the final selection process.
This partnership represents what can happen when public education and local industry work together to create opportunities for students that previously didn’t exist in our region.
For Appalachian Flight Services, we’re proud to continue investing in the next generation of aviators and helping create a pathway from a high school classroom to the cockpit.
For SVHS CTE, this represents another major step toward building one of the most comprehensive high school aviation education opportunities in West Virginia.
📢 Applications for the inaugural class are now open through September 18, 2026.
For more information on how to apply please see SVHS CTE or give us a call anytime.
The future of aviation in West Virginia is being built right here at Spring Valley High School!✈️
