SHELBYVILLE, TN - An Aerospace Campus is steadily taking shape along Highway 231 South in Shelbyville as the MTSU Aerospace Program moves forward with its major expansion. In 2021, MTSU announced plans to relocate its flight training program from the landlocked Murfreesboro airport to Shelbyville, where significantly more space was available for growth. The project officially broke ground in 2023 with a budget of $62.2 million.

Construction is progressing on the new facilities, which will include a 50,000-square-foot building featuring academic classrooms, a dispatch center, faculty and staff offices, and more. Additionally, a 28,000-square-foot hangar, visible from Shelbyville Highway, will house MTSU’s fleet of aircraft.

By the time the project is completed in the fall of 2027, MTSU's Aerospace Campus will span approximately 16 acres at the Shelbyville airport, marking a significant milestone for the university’s aviation program.

Founded in 1942, the Aerospace Department at MTSU has become one of the most respected programs in the nation. With 20 full-time faculty members, over 100 flight instructors, and more than 1,000 students, it ranks among the largest collegiate aviation programs in the country. Students from 32 states and 16 countries choose MTSU for their studies, and graduates hold key positions with aerospace companies both in the U.S. and internationally.

The program is very viable in the corporate world, which equals job opportunity for students. To highlight that pathway, an Aerospace Career Expo was held on the MTSU campus Wednesday (March 19, 2025) and featured Piedmont Airlines as a guest employer. Company recruiters met with students who are focusing on an aviation career path at companies like Piedmont.