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Taking Flight at Purdue University
Heroes, scientists, record-breakers — see the rich history of Purdue aviation
Boilermakers have never been afraid to go first: Legends, like Amelia Earhart and Sully Sullenberger (MS industrial psychology ’73), and pioneers, like Cliff Turpin (BS engineering 1908), the first Purdue graduate to become a pilot.
As an institution, Purdue has always gone first, too. We were the first U.S. university to offer college credit for flight training (1930), and we opened the first college-owned airport in the nation (1934).
Boilermakers in flight
Purdue aviation history unfolds in small steps and giant leaps, in quiet moments of learning and reflection, and in heroic efforts with lives on the line.
See where we have been and discover where we are going. Together, we will continue to propel the world forward.
Purdue aviation history comes to life on this interactive map
Explore the path of Purdue aviators across the U.S. and discover how previous generations of Boilermaker pilots and innovators charted the course for our next giant leaps in flight.
The pilots you’ll meet are heroes, scientists, educators and record-breakers. Get ready to soar through Purdue aviation history.
Boilermakers in flight: A pictorial journey through Purdue aviation
Some of the most compelling aspects of aviation at Purdue are captured in images.
Scroll through the gallery of photos below to see where our steps in flight started and discover where we are taking our next giant leaps.
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