University Letter

UND's faculty and staff newsletter

UND announces plans for a phased restart of flight training

As the University launches its 2020 Summer Sessions, UND Interim President Joshua Wynne and incoming President Andy Armacost have announced a phased plan to resume student flight training.

UND and its John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace) had paused flight training on March 25, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to ensure the safety and wellbeing of student pilots.

The restart plan calls for some students to resume flight training as early as Tuesday, May 26. Because of the phased-nature of the restart, UND Aerospace urges students not to return to campus until notified by UND Flight Operations of their targeted start date.

Even with the restart, state directives concerning individuals traveling to North Dakota from other countries remain unchanged. Individuals returning from another country MUST self-quarantine for 14 days, upon arrival. Furthermore, individuals coming from another state, though not required, are encouraged to do likewise.

“The decision to restart flight training came after a lot of hard work and dedication by University administrators, staff and faculty on how to operate safely during this unprecedented time,” said UND Aerospace Dean Paul Lindseth.

In accordance with University goals for a COVID-19 resistant campus, UND Aerospace’s restart plan includes increased precautions and safety measures, such as:

  • Rearranged dispatch scheduling at the Grand Forks airport and Ryan Hall to accommodate social distancing.
  • Required completion of COVID-19 screening forms and temperature checks when entering UND Flight Operations or Ryan Hall.
  • Mandatory use of masks in aircraft and public areas at UND Flight Operations.
  • Increased sanitation procedures for aircraft, other training areas and public spaces.

UND Aerospace also conducted a safety risk assessment regarding its restart plan, per the Federal Aviation Administration’s Safety Management System. These mitigation techniques were developed based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the North Dakota Department of Health and with constant consultation with numerous other flight schools across the country.

As always, the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff of are of the utmost important to us, and we will continuously monitor the situation and modify as necessary. For the latest updates on UND’s COVID-19 response efforts, go to the Coronavirus Updates blog.