Professional Pilot - Associate of Applied Technology Degree / Associate in Applied Science – T Degree
A professional pilot possesses a commercial pilot certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Students graduating from this program usually begin their careers as flight instructors. After working as a flight instructor for one or two years, most progress into charter flight, corporate flying, and commuter or major commercial airlines.
Students pursuing an AAT or AAS-T degree must complete all college degree requirements prior to graduation. This includes courses that meet the capstone project, diversity, and computer literacy requirements.
Employability Requirements
To be employed as a professional pilot, at the minimum, one must possess a commercial pilot certificate. This certificate is obtained by passing a Federal Aviation Administration written test and flight test and obtaining a Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate.
Program Length
This certificate program is approximately eight quarters long, depending on the time students need to satisfactorily complete all graduation requirements.
Admission Dates
Summer, fall, winter, and spring quarters
*Professional Pilot Aircraft Rental Rates
Rates
| Plane |
Rate |
*Fuel Cost Per Gallon |
Fuel Consumption Rate |
Hourly Rate with Fuel |
| Non-Complex Aircraft |
$96.88 |
$5.68 |
9 GPH |
$148 |
| Complex Aircraft |
$157.66 |
$5.68 |
14 GPH |
$237.18 |
| Twin Aircraft |
$294.57 |
$5.68 |
9.5 GPH |
$348.53 |
*Aircraft costs are aligned with current fuel market prices.
Professional Pilot Flight Fees
*Private Pilot Certificate
|
Flight Hours |
Hourly Rate with Fuel |
Total |
| Aircraft Rental |
60 minimum hours |
$148 |
$8880 |
| Pre and Post Briefings |
60 hours |
$15 |
$900 |
| Dual Instruction |
47 hours |
$55 |
$2,585 |
| Total Flight Fee Costs |
$12,365 |
*Aircraft costs are aligned with current fuel market prices.
*Instrument Pilot Certificate
|
Flight Hours |
Hourly Rate with Fuel |
Total |
| Aircraft Rental |
60 minimum hours |
$148 |
$8880 |
| Pre and Post Briefings |
60 hours |
$15 |
$900 |
| Dual Instruction |
60 hours |
$55 |
$3,300 |
| Total Flight Fee Costs |
$13,080 |
*Aircraft costs are aligned with current fuel market prices.
*Commercial Pilot Certificate
|
Flight Hours |
Hourly Rate with Fuel |
Total |
Aircraft Rental
|
105 minimum flight hours |
$148 |
$15,540 |
| 15 minimum flight hours |
$237.18 |
$3,557.70 |
| Pre and Post Briefings |
120 hours |
$15 |
$1,800 |
| Dual Instruction |
55 hours |
$55 |
$3,025 |
| Total Flight Fee Costs |
$23,922.70 |
*Aircraft costs are aligned with current fuel market prices.
Other Exams
FAA Knowledge Test – 3 @ $175.00 each
Check for current cost with instructor. |
$525.00 |
FAA Medical Exam
Check with FAA examiner for current cost.
FAA medical and examiner fee paid to provider. |
$150.00 |
FAA Check Ride – 3 @ Examiner Fee
(Approximately $800.00 each) |
$2,400.00 |
FAA Check Ride – 3 @ Aircraft Rental Fee
(Approximately $222.00 each) |
$666.00
|
Program Outcomes
• Model aeronautical decision-making principles to identify and mitigate risk factors.
• Apply emergency operation procedures in a simulated situation.
• Integrate pilotage, dead reckoning, and radio navigation techniques with aircraft instruments and aeronautical charts during cross country flights.
• Consider crew resource management principles during scenario-based training.
• Apply applicable Federal Aviation Administration regulations to flight operations.
• Apply visual flight rules to flights under visual meteorological conditions.
• Apply instrument flight rules to flights under instrument meteorological conditions.
• Perform the tasks required to pass the Federal Aviation Administration practical tests for private, instrument, and commercial certificate per the FAA Airman Certification standards.
Completion Requirements
Prerequisite(s)
- A mandatory Information Session is required prior to admission to the program. See the college web site for information session dates.
- Must be at least 16 1/2 years of age.
- Must obtain a second-class FAA medical examination and comply with FAA licensing standards.
- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires that U.S. citizens prove citizenship status before beginning flight training by providing a current passport or birth certificate and driver’s license. Non-U.S. citizen students must submit to a background and fingerprint check from the TSA prior to beginning training.
Program Course List
AAT Degree Requirements
| Technical Course Requirements | 96 |
| AAT General Education Requirements | 18 |
| Computer Literacy Requirement | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 117 |
AAT Degree General Education Requirements: See list below
Computer Literacy Requirement: Complete an approved computer literacy course or successfully pass the computer literacy exam
AAS-T Degree Requirements
| Technical Course Requirements | 96 |
| AAS-T Degree General Education Requirements | 23 |
| Computer Literacy Requirement | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 122 |
AAS-T Degree General Education Requirements: See list below
Computer Literacy Requirement: Complete an approved computer literacy course or successfully pass the computer literacy exam
Note: Students complete the Professional Pilot Program requirements at different rates due to their own skills and abilities, availability of planes and weather conditions that can alter scheduled flying times. Thus, the number of quarters needed to satisfactorily complete all graduation requirements may exceed those listed above. Students must meet FAA flight time requirements prior to graduation.
Optional Training
| AVP 190 | Airline Multi-Engine CRM (Crew Resource Management) I | 3 |
| AVP 195 | Airline Multi-Engine CRM (Crew Resource Management) II | 3 |
| AVP 218 | Multi-Engine Instructor Certification MEI | 3 |
| AVP 260 | Certified Flight Instructor I | 4 |
| AVP 265 | Certified Flight Instructor II | 4 |
| AVP 268 | Certified Instrument Flight Instructor | 4 |
| AVP 271 | Multi-Engine Certification | 3 |
Optional Elective Courses
| AVP 118 | Private Pilot Practical Test Standards I | 4 |
| AVP 138 | Private Pilot Practical Test Standards II | 4 |
| AVP 152 | Instrument Pilot Practical Standards III | 4 |
| AVP 172 | Instrument Pilot Practical Standards IV | 4 |
| AVP 223 | Commercial Pilot Practical Standards V | 4 |
| AVP 257 | Commercial Pilot Practical Standards VI | 4 |
General Degree Requirements
In addition to the program course requirements, students must also complete the general education requirements for the degree they seek to obtain. The two degree options in this program are the Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) and the Associate in Applied Science – T (AAS-T). The different requirements for each degree are listed below.
AAT Degree General Education Requirements (18 credits)
NOTE: CMST& 220 or higher
PSYC& 100DIV: PSY 112DIV, SOC& 101DIV, or other humanities course that meets the diversity requirement
AAS-T Degree General Education Requirements (23 credits)
All AAS-T degrees must have a minimum of 20 credits of transferable general education. These credits replace the academic courses required for the AAT degree. Required credits include:
5 credits in communication:
5 credits in quantitative reasoning:
5 credits in a social science that meets the diversity requirement:
5 credits in social science, humanities, or science;
choose one from the following:
3 credits in College Success: