Soami Ellis earned her certified flight instructor rating this fall, becoming the first graduate of the University of Oklahoma's helicopter pilot program to reach that milestone.

Ellis, who graduated from OU last spring, has joined Norman-based Semper Fly Helicopters as an instructor. She is now working toward her certified flight instructor-instrument (CFII) certification at the same school where she trained as a student.

The achievement marks a tangible return on a partnership the OU School of Aviation launched in fall 2024 with Semper Fly, an FAA Part 141 flight school in Norman. Ellis was in the inaugural class. OU is the only Southeastern Conference school with a rotary-wing program, according to the university.

"I'm enjoying every minute of it," Ellis said in a university statement published Tuesday, Sept. 8. "I want to keep building here … One day maybe I'd look into firefighting and search and rescue, but it's a far-off thing."

Ellis is the first in her family to pursue a career in aviation. She completed her private pilot, instrument, commercial and CFI certifications after entering the program in 2024.

The program opens career pathways in air medical transport, search and rescue and firefighting. Semper Fly CEO Brandi Rector, a Marine Corps veteran who co-owns the school with Michael Sanford, said the focus starts with training quality.

Rector said in the same university statement that the school must find pathways for students to build flight time and move into long-term careers. Some graduates, she said, discover they love instructing and stay with it.

When the program launched two years ago, OU School of Aviation Director Eric Wydra pointed to strong student interest. "There is a demand out there," Wydra told Sooner Magazine in September 2024. "We're already seeing interest in students wanting to enroll in the helicopter program."

Training began on three helicopters. Semper Fly also works with law enforcement agencies and conducts outreach to high school students. The school and OU are working to eventually train veterans through the program.

Three days before the university announced Ellis's milestone, Semper Fly pilots conducted a helicopter flyover of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium before OU football's Sept. 5 season home opener. Ellis handled ground communications during the flyover. Semper Fly staff were welcomed to the field alongside OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. and Regent Rick Nagel.

Ellis said teaching has already changed how she thinks about flying. Her next step is the CFII certification, which would allow her to train students in instrument flight.