Spartan Names VP of Flight Operations
NEW APPOINTMENT: John Fitzpatrick, left, has been named Vice President of Flight Operations for Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology’s pilot program. With him are Spartan consultant Dave Blankenship and Spartan CEO Dan Peterson, right.
GTR Newspapers Photo
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology recently hired John Fitzpatrick as Vice President of Flight Operations for its pilot program.
Fitzpatrick is charged with implementing Spartan’s competitive recruitment effort for certified flight instructors. Having spent over two decades in corporate management, Fitzpatrick served most recently as chief operating officer for ISACO Flight Training in Redding, California.
Fitzpatrick is a 1978 graduate of the University of Tulsa’s Electrical Engineering College and served 12 years as a fighter pilot with Tulsa’s 125th Tactical Fighter Squadron, graduating Top Gun from the Fighter Weapons Instructor School in 1985.
He has over 35 years of executive management experience in companies including Hewlett-Packard, Harley-Davidson, and Indian Motorcycles.
Fitzpatrick holds certificates in Commercial Pilot, Multiengine Land, Certified Flight Instrument Instructor, Certified Flight Instructor, and Advanced Ground Instructor.
“Spartan College has a critical role to play in the future of airline services nationwide,” says Fitzpatrick. “I look forward to utilizing my experience in aviation training to assist with Spartan’s exponential growth in the coming years.”
Fitzpatrick will receive his Masters in Criminal Justice (specializing in Cyber Security) from Boston College this May and holds a B.A. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tulsa.
He served as 2nd Lt., Reserve Officer in the Air National Guard and valedictorian of his class for the Tulsa Police Reserve.
Currently, Spartan College has 30 certified flight instructors with 265 students enrolled in the pilot program. Through a series of incentives, such as a pay increase, a signing bonus, and free housing with paid utilities, Spartan hopes to increase the number of flight instructors to 75 in 2018.
“John is a tremendous addition to our leadership team and is a great asset for Spartan’s long- term, strategic growth plan,” says Spartan Dan Peterson. “His management experience, coupled with his flight background, fits perfectly with Spartan’s needs as we focus on recruiting more certified flight instructors and building a sustainable pipeline of trained pilots ready to meet the demand in the aviation industry.”
Spartan is an aviation technology college offering student diplomas, associates programs in the areas of Aviation Flight, Aviation Maintenance (Airframe and Powerplant), Aviation Electronics Technology, Nondestructive Testing, and Quality Control as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree completion program in Aviation Technology Management.
Since 1928, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology has provided training to more than 90,000 pilots and technicians throughout the United States and 62 foreign countries.
It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and has Federal Aviation Administration () approval for both the Flight and Aviation Maintenance programs. Spartan Education Group, is the parent company of Spartan College with six campuses among Denver, Los Angeles and Tulsa.
Updated 02-21-2018
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