Alumni Flyer: Shawn Barr
Flight Operations: Class of 1995
Thanks for That World War II Trainer Ride
by Krista Deangelis
Shawn Barr has always loved airplanes, but it wasn’t until he flipped through a college catalogue that he realized he could take flying lessons for college credit. After a ride in a World War II trainer airplane, he was hooked. After graduating from Westminster, Barr was directly hired with Barken International, where he flew AirMed and small private jets. He was later hired by SkyWest and, eventually, Delta. “Some of my classmates went the military route through ROTC, but I, like most others, went the civilian route because it seemed the most direct route to a job at the airlines,” he said. Barr is now flying for Delta Air Lines as a first officer on a Boeing 767; he highly recommends aviation to students who are interested.
“With the numerous future pilot retirements coming, there are going to be a lot of opportunities for pilot jobs. But I would also add that being a professional pilot is not the only career in aviation. There are countless other exciting areas and aviation career paths that one could embark on.”
About the Westminster Review
The Westminster Review is Westminster University’s bi-annual alumni magazine that is distributed to alumni and community members. Each issue aims to keep alumni updated on campus current events and highlights the accomplishments of current students, professors, and Westminster alum.
GET THE REVIEW IN PRINT STAY IN TOUCH SUBMIT YOUR STORY IDEA READ MORE WESTMINSTER STORIES