Kansas State University

SALINA -- Zach Martin's internship will prepare his career for takeoff.

Martin, junior in professional pilot, Ramer, Tenn., at Kansas State University Salina, will spend the next two summers and one semester with SeaPort Airlines in its Memphis, Tenn., office. At the end of the internship he will be qualified as a first officer at the airline in both the Cessna Caravan series of aircraft and the Pilatus PC-12 series of aircraft.

During the internship, Martin will receive a comprehensive overview of the company's flight operations, focusing part time on line flying and part time on administrative work.

"The line flying provides the full in depth experience as a member of our flight crew from loading bags and briefing passengers to flying the aircraft," said Noel McDermott, chief pilot at SeaPort. "The administrative portion of the internship focuses on scheduling, training and all the paperwork that it takes to keep the airline in operation."

In addition to a monthly stipend, Martin will receive college credits for his experiences and the ability to ride in the jump seat -- when available -- with all of SeaPorts' reciprocal carriers. He also will receive a seniority number in ground school, which allows him up to a year to finish his degree and then return to the airline with no loss in seniority. That means in the event of layoff, furloughs, etc., he would rank higher than any pilot hired by the airline after he starts his internship.

SeaPort Airlines is based in Portland, Ore., and operates daily scheduled flights in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas.