Leading Edge Aviation (LEA), a Bend, Oregon based helicopter flight school, has received approval to offer Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loans for helicopter flight training. Recent enhancements have enabled Sallie Mae to offer this loan program to a wider variety of students.
Galit Miller, Flight School Administrator for Leading Edge Aviation said, “This program provides students with effective funding for their helicopter training. In addition to our affiliation with Central Oregon Community College (COCC), students now have an opportunity to receive direct student loans for their helicopter training.”
Many students will use the Sallie Mae funding and attend COCC while in flight training. Students applying for the spring semester at COCC will need to plan ahead, as the school and the helicopter flight program enrollment through Leading Edge Aviation are both growing quickly. The last two semesters, COCC stopped enrollment prior to their standard deadline due to the increased enrollment. Spring semester registration starts March 19th, but students should contact the school as soon as possible to begin the application process. John Miller, Aviation Program Director at COCC said “Any interested student needs to contact us right away, especially with the new Sallie Mae program.”
Leading Edge Aviation operates a flight school in Bend, Oregon under FAA Part 141 and Part 61, and operates a fleet of Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters. Training offered by Leading Edge Aviation includes courses for Private, Commercial, Instrument, Certified Flight Instructor, Mountain and Long Line certifications. Upon completion of the program, pilots trained through Leading Edge Aviation are qualified for a variety of operations in the worldwide helicopter industry.
About Leading Edge Aviation
Leading Edge Aviation has been a part of the Bend community since 1989 and has 6 major business segments including helicopter charter, flight training, avionics, maintenance, Robinson Helicopter overhaul and wiring harness fabrication. LEA is a FAA Part 135 Air Carrier operating Robinson R22, R44, and Bell 206 helicopters. LEA is a certified Robinson Helicopter sales, service, maintenance and overhaul facility and authorized distributors for most major avionics manufacturers.