Edward Babka Aviation Learning Center Expansion and Hangar Addition Support Growing Aviation Program at UD

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Hannah Husnick has personally witnessed the difference the University of Dubuque's Edward Babka Aviation Learning Center expansion and hangar addition has had on students, faculty, and staff within the Division of Aviation and Flight.

A senior flight operations and aviation management student from Schaumburg, Illinois, Husnick said the resources available to aviation students are unparalleled. The recently completed renovations - from a dedicated study space to additional debriefing rooms - allow students the opportunity to spend more time learning and developing as aviators at the aviation learning center, also known as the flight center.

"I feel so blessed that the flight center renovations have happened," Husnick said. "I was taught well because of the extraordinary facilities and resources provided to instructors and students during their time here. I'm incredibly proud of the flight school and instructors that took me from a beginner to a safe, competent, and confident pilot. I hope to pay that forward as an instructor at UD one day and wherever my career takes me thereafter."

During Homecoming Week, UD will hold the Edward Babka Aviation Learning Center Expansion and Hangar Addition Ribbon Cutting and Open House at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the flight center. The public is invited to attend. Registration is encouraged at https://brushfire.com/universityofdubuquealumni/homecoming/636714.

From 35 students in 1974 to 230 students in 2019 when the newly expanded flight center opened, aviation at UD has experienced exponential growth with nearly 500 students this fall. Renovations provide support now and into the future as UD remains committed to students pursuing their dreams in aviation.

Randy Warm, MS, interim dean of the School of Aviation and associate professor of aviation, said even with growth in enrollment, he still knows students by their names. That personal touch as well as a commitment to ensuring every student has a chance to fly in their first year is critical.

"At UD, we believe you get to fly right away," Warm said. "Now we have the facilities to make sure it's all in one spot."

The expansion included a 15,000-square-foot addition to the east side of the flight center that expanded classroom space, increased the number of certified flight instructor debriefing rooms to 48, allowed for dedicated student and faculty/staff spaces, and more. With the extra classroom space, more classes can now be held at the aviation learning center such as World View Seminar I. Additionally, simulators that were once located in hangars have been moved back to the flight center.

The facility's parking lot was also increased almost three times the original size to approximately 250 spots, and the aviation program's flight ramp was expanded by approximately 59,000 square feet so all aircraft can be parked on the ramp.

"It is a game changer to be able to park our cars right at the flight center, walk in to dispatch to check out a plane, and go straight down the stairs to the Nagel Apron that can now accommodate all our planes to fly. It saves time for students and instructors alike in the same way the new parking lot does. Having everything in the same place is such a blessing and makes the flight center run much smoother, cutting out those few minutes going back and forth that add up over time," Husnick said.

Another component to the renovations was a 48,000-square-foot hangar with a firewall that separates the hangar. In the past, UD housed aircraft and maintenance in five separate hangars, many of which were located about a mile down the road from the flight center and required students to be shuttled back and forth. The new hangar, Hangar No. 106, that houses 28 aircraft and maintenance as well as a second hangar, Hangar No. 105, that houses six additional aircraft are located adjacent to the flight center. 

'In aviation, when you get a little wind under your wings all you want to do is soar. As the University of Dubuque's aviation enrollment continues to grow, it's fitting that the facilities grow with it, bringing the program to new heights," said Joshua Elmshaeuser, MBA, assistant professor of aviation. "Previously, we were utilizing every available space at the flight center for office space and instruction, while our aircraft were spaced among different hangars across the airfield. With this expansion we now have offices for current and future faculty, individual desks for every full-time CFI (certified flight instructor), an abundance of briefing rooms, and hangars that put our aircraft close and convenient for our students. When students spend 15 minutes just to get to the airport, upgrades such as having a place to park, being able to walk out to their aircraft, additional classrooms, and new simulators is more than a bright and shiny overhaul. It is safety, efficiency, and modernization that positions us among the leading programs in our field."

The mission of UD's Division of Aviation and Flight is to provide students with the academic and professional skills that allow for success in all segments of the aviation industry while enhancing their critical thinking and decision-making skills. Students may choose from applied aviation technology, aviation management, flight operations, and flight operations rotary - professional aeronautics.

To learn more about the UD aviation program, visit www.dbq.edu/aviation.