King reappointed to AABI Board of Trustees

Natalie Blair

SALINA — Bernard “Barney” King, has been re-elected to a three-year term as an educator trustee of the Aviation Accreditation Board International. King has served on the board of trustees since 2006.

King became interested in flying while at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated as a second lieutenant in the infantry in 1969. He served as an Army aviator for more than 20 years. After retiring in 1992, he worked as a flight instructor and government contractor before joining the K-State Salina faculty in 1998.

In 2001 he was designated a Master Certified Flight Instructor, becoming the first from K-State Salina and the sixth Kansan to earn the honor. He has renewed this designation biannually since his original designation.

King received his master’s degree in secondary education from Georgia State University in 1975 and a master’s degree in computer resource and information management from Webster University, Kansas City, Mo., in 1996. He attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in 1983 and the U.S. Air Force’s Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in 2000. He completed the Kansas State University graduate certificate in advising in 2009.

Among King’s many awards are a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Valor, two Purple Hearts and the Meritorious Service Medal 3rd Award. He was named Academic Adviser of the Year for 1999-2000 and 2002-2003. He received K-State Salina’s McArthur Family Faculty Fellow Award in 2011.

King currently is a volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol where he was the Kansas wing commander from 2004-2008.

Kansas State University’s professional pilot program is accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International. The nonprofit organization sets standards for all aerospace programs taught in colleges and universities around the United States and the world. Programs that meet the organization’s standards are accredited for a five-year period. Members are educators, customers, employees, regulators, manufacturers, research firms and advocates.

K-State is a top aviation university. Located on the Salina campus adjacent to Salina Regional Airport’s 12,300-foot runway, the program has a modern fleet of more than 40 learning aircraft and more Master Certified Flight Instructors than any other college or university in the country. K-State Salina offers affordable bachelor’s degrees in aircraft maintenance, airport management, avionics, professional pilot, unmanned aircraft systems, technology management and engineering technology. An airframe and powerplant certificate program is also available. More information on K-State aviation programs is available atwww.salina.k-state.edu/aviation.