KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney will celebrate the launch of its new Loper Flight Academy with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Thursday at Kearney Regional Airport.
The public event is scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. at 4845 Airport Road, inside the corporate hangar located south of the terminal. Guests can meet UNK aviation instructors, check out the new aircraft and enjoy light refreshments.
The celebration will get off the ground shortly before 3 p.m., when UNK Chancellor Neal Schnoor participates in a fly-in aboard one of the academy’s new planes. Schnoor, who has a private pilot license, will land at approximately 2:55 p.m. before opening the program with remarks at 3 p.m.
Other speakers are Brooke Envick, dean of UNK’s College of Business and Technology; Dan Smith, assistant professor of practice in aviation; and Clara Rios, a 2026 UNK graduate and flight program coordinator for the Loper Flight Academy.
Owned and operated entirely by UNK, the Loper Flight Academy represents a major expansion of the university’s aviation program. It will provide flight training for UNK students and community members, using a fleet of seven new Tecnam aircraft. Bringing flight operations in-house will also give UNK greater control over instruction, safety, scheduling and costs while allowing the university to reinvest resources directly into students.
The academy will operate in partnership with the Nebraska Safety Center and offer both Part 61 and Part 141 flight training, expanding access to aviation education and professional training in central and western Nebraska.
UNK’s aviation program currently serves approximately 80 students.
