University of Dubuque Plans Significant Investment in the Edward Babka Aviation Learning Center to Support Exponential Growth in Aviation Enrollment

DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque plans to invest in a significant expansion of the Edward Babka Aviation Learning Center to support exponential growth in enrollment in the aviation program.

"The aviation expansion demonstrates a firm commitment by the University of Dubuque and the Board of Trustees to provide our students with the best resources and facilities to achieve a top-tier aviation education," said Randy Warm, MS, director of aviation programs and associate professor of aviation. "We enjoy an excellent reputation in the aviation industry due to the success of our alumni. With this expansion, our students will continue to train with the best in one of the most modern facilities in the country. This expansion takes into consideration the planned growth and expected trends for the next 20 years that will keep the University of Dubuque's aviation program at the top."

Double in size of the former flight center, the Babka Aviation Learning Center opened fall 2019. The UD aviation program has grown since then from around 250 to over 400 students spurred, in large part, by a nationwide pilot shortage. The aviation expansion will impact multiple areas, from the learning center to parking lot and the flight ramp to hangars.

"Fifty years ago, the University of Dubuque started its aviation program with just two airplanes and 35 students. That was an exciting time in our history," said Travis Frampton, PhD, president of the University of Dubuque. "Fast forward to the present, today marks an exciting time in the history of aviation. As the demand for pilots has grown, so has our enrollment. And as a university, we remain committed to our students who eagerly come to us with their dreams and their love for flight. UD provides students with excellent faculty and flight instruction at one of the most technologically advanced facilities in the higher-education landscape. Aviation is an expanding industry that needs pilots who are well-trained, and we are excited that our graduates will be ready and able to respond to those needs."

A planned 15,000-square-foot addition to the east side of the learning center is anticipated to include a dividable classroom, additional certified flight instructor debriefing rooms and workstations, and more office spaces. The addition is also expected to include space to house around 20 new flight simulators.

The learning center's parking lot is also slated for an expansion to the east, growing from approximately 50 to around 275 parking spots to allow for faculty, staff, student, and visitor parking near the building.

Expansion efforts will also extend to the aviation program's flight ramp, which is expected to increase by approximately 59,000-square-feet and include an additional entrance/exit. The increase in space would allow every aircraft in the UD aviation program's fleet to be parked on the flight ramp if so needed.

Last, but not least, two hangars are planned to be constructed adjacent to the learning center on the opposite end of the building expansion. The hangars will be located between the building and a leased hangar recently built by the Dubuque Regional Airport.

"Everything we own will be able to be housed in those three hangars," Warm said. "We can move all of our operations from the north end of the Dubuque Regional Airport to near the Babka Aviation Learning Center so we'll be contained on one campus."

Construction will begin once expansion plans are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Dubuque Regional Airport Commission. The expansion will be accomplished through multiple funding sources, and the overall project is anticipated to be completed December 2026.

Abby Nie, a senior flight operations and aviation management double major from New Hampton, Iowa, who also works full-time at the Babka Aviation Learning Center as an aviation dispatch and operations assistant, is excited about the planned expansion.

"We just have limited space here given the influx of students. I think it would be fantastic to have more space for the students and to conduct our flight debriefings," she said.

The UD aviation program is celebrating 50 years of fostering academic and professional skills that have enabled its over 1,300 aviation graduates for success in all segments of the aviation industry. It launched in 1974 with two fixed-wing aircraft and 35 students. By January 2025, the flight training fleet will have grown to 31 Cessna Skyhawks, three Piper Seminoles, and two Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopters.

"It's a whole different world when you're flying," Nie said. "I love it. There's been times it hasn't been easy, but I've enjoyed the training. There's new things you're learning all the time."

The mission of UD's Department of Aviation is to provide students with the academic and professional skills that allow for success in all segments of the aviation industry while enhancing their critical thinking and decision-making skills. Students may choose from three majors/minors: applied aviation technology, aviation management, and flight operations.

The original Babka Aviation Learning Center was funded, in large part, through a portion of a $60 million estate investment from Edward "Ed" Babka (DHL'98) and wife, Shirley. Ed faithfully served on the Board of Trustees for over 40 years and was a passionate aviator. He passed away June 2016. Shirley passed away February 2023.

To learn more about the UD aviation program, visit www.dbq.edu/Aviation.