JAMES WOOD

Staff Writer

Motlow State Community College (MSCC) has moved its state-of-the-art Aviation Simulation Lab equipment to the Shelbyville Municipal Airport, further increasing accessibility for those who desire to practice using equipment certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

As the aviation scene continues to grow in Bedford County, MSCC and Hawkins Flight Academy have teamed up to provide high quality and accessible education opportunities for prospective pilots, private and commercial.

MSCC Director of Aviation Jake Washburn commented on this move and the potential it will have for pilots wanting to learn.

“We provide these resources to flight school students to reduce cost and barrier of entry into the industry,” said Washburn.

The simulators, manufactured by Redbird Flight, can also be used to generate loggable hours required for pilot’s license training without the expense of fuel and maintenance of a real airplane.

They also have full-motion capability which allows for a more immersive experience that gives students a more accurate representation of flight in a real airplane while still maintaining the accessibility of a simulator.

“We’ve had a significant number of contact hours which is growing every year,” Washburn continued. “We want to support our industry partners to do what they do best.”

Hawkins Flight Academy has cooperated closely with MSCC to move the simulators to the airport and bring better educational opportunities to their students.

“We’ve been working with Motlow since the beginning and it’s been a fantastic relationship,” said Hawkins Flight Academy Co-founder Mike Harris. “We have been able to bring the flight training component to what they have with the simulation lab.”

The program was created over three years ago with MSCC in coordination between Executive Vice President for Workforce Development Tony Millican and former Assistant Vice President of Workforce Development Joy Rich who sought to work directly with flight schools to bring these offerings to more people.

“I joined Motlow State in September 2020. Since then, I’ve focused on expanding workforce-aligned training programs that connect education directly to regional industry needs,” said Millican.

Millican, who oversees drone training in addition to the aviation program, highlighted the need to provide high-quality education to pilots.

“Our aviation simulation labs are a key part of how we deliver hands-on, technology-driven training,” continued Millican. “They allow students to build foundational skills in a controlled environment, whether they’re pursuing traditional aviation pathways or emerging areas like unmanned systems.”

“Our goal is simple—create clear pathways into careers. It’s about building foundational skills that can lead into pilot training. Across both, it’s about access, safety, and employability.”