High school students have the world at their fingertips. For enrollees at Burke High School’s Air and Space Academy in Omaha, Nebraska, in partnership with Jet Linx, this has never been more true.

Through the successful partnership with the Jet Linx National Operations Center (NOC), Burke students now have direct access to exciting opportunities such as internships, mentorships and pipelines to aviation careers. Formed in 2019, the partnership has already produced many positive outcomes for both Burke and Jet Linx.

The Burke Air and Space Academy opened its doors in 2011 and has assisted countless students in pursuing careers as airplane pilots, aviation mechanics and drone pilots. About 112 students are currently enrolled in the academy, with a total of 283 students in academy classes (some as elective courses). The academy also offers opportunities to dual enroll with partner institutions, allowing students to earn college credit before enrolling at a university. Seniors can also take a class that allows for completion of the testing portion of their private pilot’s licenses, and a separate pathway allows students to gain Part 107 certification for careers as commercial drone pilots.

The facilities at the Burke Air and Space Academy are impressive, as access to industry-standard training technology comes at no cost to those enrolled. Students can access stationary flight simulators, Phantom 3 Drones, and a full-motion Redbird FMX flight simulator (an $80 per hour value).