WE BUILT THE PROGRAM THAT PROPELS PILOTS TO THE TOP OF THEIR FIELD.
The Institute of Aviation was founded at the University of Illinois in 1946. It was the first aviation school in the US to be certified by the FAA to conduct all tests leading to the issuance of civilian pilot certificates.
In September 2013, the university entered an agreement to transfer ownership to Parkland College for continued flight training. Leasing the university’s aircraft and facilities at Willard Airport, the Institute officially opened for the Fall 2014 academic semester.
Institute alumni fly for all major US airlines and for military, corporate, cargo, and charter organizations worldwide. More than 3,000 Institute of Aviation graduates have gone on to train other pilots as instructors.
We’re proud to uphold a longstanding tradition of aviation excellence.