Jacksonville, Fla. – The Davis Aviation Center in the Davis College of Business (DCOB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Daryl Hickman as associate director.
Hickman will serve as a full-time associate administrator of the Davis Aviation Center, primarily responsible for coordinating recruiting efforts and providing services to existing aviation students. The goals of this position are assisting with the growth of the program and supporting current students in their efforts to complete their degrees in an efficient manner.
“We are thrilled to welcome Daryl to JU as part of our aviation leadership team,” said Dr. Juan Merkt, director of the Davis Aviation Center. “He has an excellent record in collegiate teaching, recruiting and advising, an intimate knowledge of flight training and the aviation industry and a passion for aviation.”
His educational background includes degrees from Central Florida Community College, a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Education degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a focus in curriculum and instruction.
Hickman is the owner and chief flight instructor of Low and Slow Aviation, LLC, located at Cannon Creek Airpark in Lake City, Fla. He is a Certified FAA “Gold Seal” Flight Instructor. Hickman also holds Commercial Pilot Certificates in single-engine land and seaplanes with an instrument rating and Advanced Ground Instructor Certificates. He has issued numerous tail-wheel endorsements to students flying in his 1940 Piper J5A Cub Cruiser.
Prior to relocating his flight training business to Florida, Hickman taught for 11 years at Renton Technical College in Washington, where he received the Exceptional Faculty Award for teaching excellence. During his tenure at Renton, he taught at several national conventions, receiving many accolades for his student-focused instructional style.
Hickman is a member of the National Association of Flight Instructors, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Experimental Aircraft Association. He is also a past-President of the Green River Chapter of the Washington Pilots Association.
Hickman replaces Brent Knoblauch, who departed JU to pursue a career with the airlines earlier this year and Chad Kendall who served as interim associate director this summer. Kendall is returning this Fall as resource assistant professor of aeronautics.
“We are indebted to both Brent and Chad for their dedication and commitment to the program. Thanks to their recruiting initiatives we anticipate a two-fold increase in the number of new aviation students this Fall,” said Merkt.
JU’s Davis Aviation Center has been educating and training future professional pilots and aviation executives for more than 25 years. Our Aviation Management and Aviation Management & Flight Operations degree programs are accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). JU is one of 36 universities in the nation selected by the FAA to educate future air traffic controllers under the Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI). Our students also benefit from a one-of-a-kind partnership with Aerosim Flight Academy, offering airline-oriented flight training and a direct career path to the airlines.
For more information, please call (904) 256-7895.