Bill Text: HI HR132 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: University of Hawaii at West Oahu; Aviation Program; Exploratory Committee

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-16 - Referred to TRN, HED, FIN, referral sheet 33 [HR132 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2015-HR132-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	132
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the creation of an exploratory committee to consider the establishment of an international aviation training center at the Kalaeloa airport and an advanced aviation degree training program at the university of Hawaii at west oahu.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the mission of the University of Hawaii at West Oahu has evolved and expanded in recent years from principally an undergraduate teaching institution to one with a significant research focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State's economic-development goal of encouraging an innovation-based economy relies on workforce proficiencies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and requires that students have access to a wide range of opportunities to learn the advanced skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly complex society; and

 

     WHEREAS, Kalaeloa Airport is an ideal location for a world-class flight training center because of its location in one of the nation's ideal flight-training environments, which includes:

 

     (1)  Two runways;

 

     (2)  Air controller and radar facilities;

 

     (3)  Varied weather conditions throughout the year;

 

     (4)  Minimal commercial and military aircraft; and

 

     (5)  Ample space for the construction and expansion of facilities on the current airport property; and

 

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at West Oahu is located less than six miles from Kalaeloa Airport; and
     WHEREAS, an aviation program will assist in the diversification of the State's economy and provide Hawaii with an excellent opportunity to gain a reputation as a world-class training center that serves the Pacific Rim and beyond; and

 

     WHEREAS, a world-class aviation program will attract students from all over the world to train to become aircraft pilots, obtain an advanced technical education, and prepare for the aviation industry of the twenty-first century; and

 

     WHEREAS, a world-class aviation program will offer Hawaii's residents and students access to technical and professional career programs in aviation and will support existing airlines based in Hawaii by offering them the opportunity to hire pilots who are residents of, and have been trained in, Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, a world-class aviation program will complement existing aviation maintenance training activities by building a foundation for broader aviation education services and will enhance the State's economic development and growth by diversifying the State's business image; and

 

     WHEREAS, given the importance of aviation to Hawaii and the anticipated increase in aviation needs in the Pacific Rim during the next decade, the State and University of Hawaii at West Oahu have an opportunity to provide training to Hawaii's residents, which will prepare them for prestigious, high-paying careers as professional pilots; and

 

     WHEREAS, with the rapid growth in transpacific airline routes from Asia to Hawaii and the continuing development of trade and travel between Hawaii and China, the market potential for students and future pilots is growing exponentially, and being on the forefront of this surge is of paramount importance; and

 

     WHEREAS, the demand for pilots will be so great that the industry could ultimately face a shortage, sparking fierce competition among airlines across the globe as they vie for candidates qualified to fill cockpits; and
     WHEREAS, funding through public-private partnerships with well-known and established accredited programs such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Federal Aviation Administration grants, and support from the business and private sectors of the local and international community, in conjunction with resources available through the State and the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, offers the program the greatest chance for successful implementation; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, that the Governor is requested to convene a ten-member exploratory committee with two members each representing:

 

     (1)  The University of Hawaii at West Oahu;

 

     (2)  Honolulu Community College;

 

     (3)  Honolulu International Airport, from the Airports Division of the Department of Transportation;

 

     (4)  The Office of Economic Development of the City and County of Honolulu; and

 

     (5)  The Hawaii aviation community, who:

 

          (A)  Can provide technical expertise on aviation in the State and the implementation of the program; and

 

          (B)  Shall be selected from a list of Federal Aviation Administration-licensed Part 121 commercial aviation pilots who hold a current airline transport type rating, fly class one medical, and operate aircraft in Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the exploratory committee is requested to examine the feasibility of and resources necessary for establishing an international aviation training center at Kalaeloa Airport and an advanced aviation degree training program at the University of Hawaii at West Oahu; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the exploratory committee is requested to report its findings and recommendations, including any budget requests and proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2016; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, President of the University of Hawaii, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, Chancellor of Honolulu Community College, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Director of the Office of Economic Development of the City and County of Honolulu, Director of Transportation, and Airports District Office Manager of the Honolulu Airports District Office of the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

University of Hawaii at West Oahu; Aviation Program; Exploratory Committee