Who We Are.
A Diverse History
Purdue Pilots, Inc. (PPI) came to life in 1956 when the Gold and Black Flite Club (associated with Amelia Earhart and the Flying Boilermakers (founded by Neil Armstrong) merged.
According to the 1958 Purdue Yearbook, upon its formation, Purdue Pilots was recognized as the largest collegiate flying club of its kind.
For most of PPI history, all aircraft were located at the now closed Aretz Airport.
Purdue Pilots would often compete in intercollegiate flying competitions, with their most recent appearance in the 2019 Air Race Classic.
The highest-ranking Purdue official to earn a flight rating through PPI was a former Purdue University President.
Since its founding, thousands of students, faculty, and staff have graced the skies in PPI Aircraft.
A Purdue Student Organization
OPEN TO ALL MAJORS
Purdue Pilots, Inc is a registered student organization at Purdue University that is open for membership to students, faculty, and staff.
All aspects of the organization are managed by students, including determining fleet upgrades and pricing. An elected executive board consisting of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Maintenance Officer, and Public Relations Officer oversees day-to-day operations.
Members attend bi-weekly meetings regarding the status of the club and receive voting rights in all club decisions.
Where Are We?
Both of our aircraft, and all of our operations are out of Purdue University Airport (KLAF) at Purdue Aviation LLC. We are proud to partner with Purdue Aviation for Flight Training, Aircraft Maintenance, Dispatching, and Aircraft Storage.
Executive Board Office Hours are held in Krach Leadership Center, Desk 8, on the 2nd floor.
