Began working at LETU in Fall 2011
Background
Laura Laster is an experienced manager and educator with a variety of passions: educating pilots and dispatchers, managing direct customer and student interaction, and supervising employees. Previously, she served as Director of Flight Operations, overseeing all aspects of flight training to anticipate and satisfy business requirements as part of LeTourneau University's College of Aviation. Mrs. Laster teaches several courses within the flight department at LeTourneau University, and also provides flight instruction to students to maintain pilot currency. She also serves as the Chief Dispatch Instructor in LeTourneau University's 14 CFR Part 65 Aircraft Dispatcher certification program, developing the course content and teaching students directly.
Mrs. Laster previously worked in System Operations Control as part of a challenging 14 CFR Part 121 Supplemental charter operations environment at Dynamic Airways, a division of Dynamic Aviation. In her role with Dynamic Airways, she was instrumental in the certification process of a new air carrier operating MD-88 and B-767 jetliners. She is adept at System Operations Control setup, FAA ATOS compliance, FAA SAI self-audits, and in training and checking 14 CFR Part 121 air carrier dispatchers.
Mrs. Laster received a Bachelor of Science degree (2004) from LeTourneau University in Aeronautical Science and holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate for multiengine aircraft, a Commercial Pilot certificate for single engine aircraft along with a Flight Instructor certificate for single and multi-engine aircraft and instrument. In addition, she is a certificated Aircraft Dispatcher and an Advanced Ground Instructor. Mrs. Laster is a 2018-19 AAUW Career Development Grantee. She obtained her Masters of Commercial Aviation degree at Delta State University in 2019. She is passionate about history and aviation and shares her research through her website, The Aviation Vault (www.theaviationvault.com). She operates a YouTube channel to share educational content related to flight training, airline regulations, and meteorology: https://www.youtube.com/c/LauraLaster747
Education
- Colson Fellow, Colson Center for Christian Worldview (2022)
- M.C.A. in Commercial Aviation, Delta State University (2019)
- B.S. in Aeronautical Science, LeTourneau University (2004)
Publications
- History of aircraft dispatchers in the United States: Improving safety. Collegiate Aviation Review International, 41(2), 119–144. Retrieved from https://ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/CARI/article/view/9649/8529
Courses Taught
- AVTC 1003 Fundamental Concepts of Aviation Studies
- AERF 2103 Flight Science II
- AEDP 4003 Aircraft Dispatch I
- AEDP 4013 Aircraft Dispatch II
- AERO 2203 Meteorology for Pilots
- AERO 3423 Aviation Human Factors
- AERO 4123 Commercial Flight Operations
- Instrument, Commercial, and Flight Instructor flight training
