“I would 100% recommend the Kent State aviation program,” said 2023 graduate Jessica Miladinovich during a recent interview at her alma mater. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautics, Miladinovich is now an airship pilot for The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
That’s right. This Kent State alumna flies the iconic Goodyear Blimp.
She works alongside 2003 graduate Adam Basaran (pictured above), who serves as assistant chief pilot for Goodyear.
Both speak highly of the training they received at Kent State’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering and how it thoroughly prepared them for successful careers in aviation – whether that means piloting a fixed-wing airplane or one of America’s most beloved aircraft.
“Amongst the different pilots that I meet, when I run into a pilot who went through the Kent State flight program, often, there’s a high degree of consistency in how they develop as a professional pilot; [they are] somebody who is not just operating the machine but can work with the customers and the public. That has been really consistent over time,” Basaran said.
See how Kent State prepared Adam and Jessica to fly America’s most iconic aircraft.
Top image: The Goodyear Blimp is reflected in airship pilot and Kent State graduate Adam Basaran's sunglasses.