INDIAN HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Indian Hills Community College's Aviation Professional Pilot program is one of Iowa's leading community college aviation programs, based at the North Campus in Ottumwa, Iowa adjacent to Ottumwa Regional Airport (KOTM). The program holds FAA Part 141 certification and trains students from their first flight through the full range of professional pilot certificates, including Private Pilot, Instrument, Commercial, Multi-Engine, and Certified Flight Instructor ratings.

Students in the program combine classroom instruction with hands-on flight time, benefiting from Redbird flight simulator training for instrument procedures and emergency maneuver practice before applying skills in actual aircraft. The North Campus provides modern aviation facilities integrated with the airport environment, giving students daily exposure to real airport operations throughout their training.

Indian Hills Community College also offers Aviation Maintenance Technology and Avionics Electronic Technician programs alongside the pilot training pathway, making it one of the few community colleges in Iowa where students can pursue multiple aviation career tracks under one roof. Graduates from the Professional Pilot program are prepared for careers in regional and commercial aviation, corporate flight departments, and flight instruction, and many continue to four-year degree programs to complete their professional aviation education.