In late July, Semper Fly Helicopters officially opened its new headquarters at Max Westheimer Airport (OUN), based in Norman, Oklahoma. The helicopter training facility will be used as the main pilot training facility for students at the University of Oklahoma, which is also based in Norman, Oklahoma, who are training to be helicopter pilots. Currently, the University of Oklahoma has one of the top aviation schools in the nation, and this new expansion will further expand the college's offerings.

New helicopter training facility

According to World Aviation, a study conducted by Boeing, one of the largest helicopter manufacturers in the world, estimated that by 2038, there will be a shortage of approximately 61,000 helicopter pilots worldwide, mostly due to much of the workforce expected to retire. The study also found that between 2022 and 2029, the industry will grow by about 6% annually.

However, Semper Fly Helicopters, which is based in Norman, Oklahoma, will look to help close this gap. The company was initially founded in 2022 but recently moved to Max Westheimer Airport in Norman. The Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Brandi Rector, who is also a Marine Veteran, spoke about the decision to base Semper Fly Helicopters in Norman. She stated,

"Although SkyHunter Outfitters, Heli Hog’n, and True Zero have been serving Texahoma for several years, when we started Semper Fly just two years ago, we couldn’t have imagined a more welcoming community than Norman. At every turn, we’ve received assistance and support from friends, investors, the University of Oklahoma School of Aviation, the University Administration, the Startup 405 incubator services, and the Norman Chamber of Commerce, to name a few."

Cleveland even mentioned that the county is designating August 18 as Semper Fly Helicopter Day, as it is already designated World Helicopter Day. Overall, Oklahoma, in general, has over 1,000 aerospace entities, over 120,000 employees in the aerospace industry, and numerous aerospace-focused assets, such as the Oklahoma Air & Spaceport. The addition of Semper Fly Helicopter continues to strengthen the state's focus on aviation and aerospace.

Another reason that Rector chose to base Semper Fly Helicopters in Norman was the close access to the University of Oklahoma aviation school. The company recently contracted with the school to serve the needs of students who need training to become helicopter pilots. The addition of access to the Semper Fly Helicopters facility makes the University of Oklahoma the first school in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to offer a helicopter flight school.

Currently, the University of Oklahoma is already listed as the number one aviation school in the nation. The school also plans to break ground on the Oklahoma Aviation Academy, which will be the state's only aviation-focused high school.