Louis Nagy Jr. enjoys helping UAA aviation maintenance students succeed
CIRI Board member Louis Nagy Jr. was recently promoted to full professorship at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). Nagy is a professor of Aviation Maintenance Technology, teaching mostly aviation electronics and avionics.
An instructor must become tenured to teach beyond seven years at UAA. Their promotion levels begin at an assistant professor. After five years, they can be promoted to associate professor. After five years as an associate, they can apply to be a full professor.
A clause allows an associate, if they’re an exemplary instructor and demonstrate leadership in service, to apply for full professorship early. Nagy earned his promotion after four years at the associate professor level.
“My service to CIRI has been a wonderful demonstration of leadership to my colleagues,” said Nagy. “I am very grateful to my CIRI family for all the support they’ve given me.”
Nagy worked as an aircraft mechanic for years before turning to teaching. He worked for Troy Air, an air charter that hauled perishables to the North Slope and contracted with the Bureau of Land Management to support smokejumpers. He also worked at Aero Twin Inc., an aircraft facility, and became a service representative for Hawker Beechcraft Corp., an aircraft manufacturer.
“Growing up in Seldovia, it was a fishing village. I tried fishing and got seasick, so I changed my mind. I thought it would be fun to fly as an air taxi pilot,” said Nagy. “I took flying lessons, and discovered I get airsick. So then I decided to become a mechanic.”
Nagy became interested in teaching almost by accident.
“One of my friends asked me to substitute teach his UAA class, because he got a new job at the school district,” said Nagy. “It was two months of substituting, and I never left. This was what I wanted to do. I just never knew it.”
What Nagy enjoys the most about teaching is helping his students, giving them the tools they need to succeed in the aviation career field.
“It’s not just helping them to understand what a mechanic does, but also giving them the tools to operate in a highly regulated environment,” said Nagy. “I really enjoy helping the graduates find a job with an operator that is a great fit for them.”
