February 28, 2024
Media Advisory: U.S. Army Chinook helicopter to be part of SIU Aviation Career Fair
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A U.S. Army Boeing Chinook CH-47 tandem rotor helicopter will be part of a career fair for students during Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Aviation Career Fair on Friday, March 1.
The Chinook Helicopter, with two pilots and two crew members, is expected to land at Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro at about 9 a.m.
The career fair runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center’s multipurpose room. Sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho, one of the many aviation-related registered student organizations on campus, the event is for students who are in the university’s nationally recognized aviation flight, aviation management and aviation technologies programs. Nearly 20 companies, including representatives from regional airlines, are expected to attend and discuss careers with students.
The Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook for 2023-2042 projects that during the next 20 years there will be a need for 2.3 million new commercial aviation industry personnel, including 649,000 pilots, 690,000 maintenance technicians and 938,000 cabin crew members, as worldwide fleets are expected to nearly double.
For more information about the career fair or to arrange interviews that day, contact Troy Reynolds, a senior in aviation management and flight and Alpha Eta Rho historian, at troy.reynolds@siu.edu or 815-216-3989. The on-site contact for the U.S. Army is Staff Sgt. Jarek McCray at jared.d.mccray.mil@army.mil or 618-737-4617.