| | Small colleges offer many affordable aviation education choices |
There is no chance that Northwest Michigan College will ever challenge Oregon's Lane Community College in the Rose Bowl. Houston's San Jacinto College won't take on Broward Community College in next year's NCAA March Madness. The Mankato State cheerleading squad may never compete with the University of Nebraska at Omaha on ESPN. But, all of these institutions are bound by a common goal: the cultivation of tomorrow's aviation practitioners, whether they become pilots, mechanics, or administrators.
You may not recognize the schools that we've mentioned. Names like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of North Dakota, Florida Institute of Technology, and Purdue can be counted on to surface in almost any discussion about aviation colleges and universities--and rightfully so. These mega-schools have sprawling campuses, outstanding resources, and student populations in the thousands. But for many, the old adage that "big things come in small packages" has special meaning. A petite college may be able to offer a more intimate learning environment; a lower-key lifestyle, and, perhaps most important, a manageable price tag.
Here is a sample of what some smaller academic entities throughout the country are offering. The objective is simply to provide insights into opportunities in education and flight training that lie beyond the bigger schools.
Baker College
Michigan's Baker College has both heritage and history. Founded in 1911, Baker College is the largest independent college in the state. Like all institutions of higher learning, Baker offers the typical liberal arts fare. But the focus at each of Baker's 13 campuses and online programs is career education for its 30,000 students.
In 1990, Baker College launched its aviation program by popular demand--literally. Baker's aviation program, based at Muskegon County Airport, features five full-time instructors and a readily available fleet consisting of a Cessna 152, four nearly new Piper Warrior IIs equipped with Garmin 430s, a Piper Arrow IV, and a Piper Seneca II. Although the school does not own the aircraft, its relationship with Executive Air Transport--the local fixed-base operator that provides the equipment--means that the machinery is well-maintained.
The airport has a laundry list of instrument approaches available, and it's a good thing--nearby Lake Michigan spawns lots of IFR weather, which means Baker students are immersed in actual instrument meteorological conditions as part of their training.
Of the 5,000 students attending class at the Muskegon campus, only 80 are enrolled in the flight program. According to Mark Lindquist, aviation department chair and chief instructor, the small aviation student body is a real plus. "Because of the small enrollment, Baker offers a more personal educational experience. Not only do students have ready access to the key administrator, true bonds of friendship develop. We are able to coach and mentor in a way that just cannot be achieved on a large campus."
Cost: Approximately $42,000 for the two-year degree program and all certificates and ratings through multiengine instructor (MEI), not including room and board. Should a student decide to earn a four-year degree, Baker features the "2 plus 2" program where an additional two years of schooling will lead to a bachelor of science degree in aviation management. For more information: www.baker.edu
Hesston College
Tucked away in rural Kansas just a short Cessna flight from Wichita is the town of Hesston. For students and their parents searching for a small college with personalized, one-on-one education in a climate of traditional values and mores, an institution like Hesston College--with its total enrollment of 446 students--could be the answer.
Founded in the late 1960s, Hesston College Aviation offers a two-year associate's degree in applied science with a professional pilot track. Some 42 students are pursuing both a liberal arts education and pilot certification at nearby Newton City-County Airport, where three Cessna 172s, a Cessna 172RG, and a Piper Twin Comanche are based. Other hardware includes an AST Hawk flight training device (FTD) plus two personal computer-based aviation training devices (PCADTs). Flight students are well-served by four full-time faculty instructors and three CFI intern specialists who are graduates of the Hesston flight program.
Hesston College's special campus life sets it apart from other schools, says Aviation Director Dan Miller. "As a small college, we have a truly personal relationship with all of our students. All courses are taught by our faculty: no teaching assistants as such. We are there not only to provide an education, but to nurture these young adults on a spiritual and personal level. We aim not only to produce good pilots, but good citizens."
Cost: approximately $67,000 to $71,000 for the entire package, including a two-year degree, room, board, and flight training. For more information: http://www.hesston.edu/aviation/index.htm
Dowling College
The slick, modern building that houses the School of Aviation looks like a high-tech institution. And as you examine the school's offerings, that image is confirmed.
Take Dowling's fleet of 11 airplanes, including a Piper Seminole with autopilot, HSI, and dual Garmins; a similarly equipped Piper Arrow; and nine Piper Warriors--two of which are equipped with all-glass Avidyne Entegra instrument panels.
The four-year aviation program is based at Dowling's Brookhaven campus, located just a short walk from the dorms on Brookhaven Airport in Shirley, New York. Although nontowered, the airport has an ILS and is within the shadow of the New York Class B airspace, so students work regularly with air traffic controllers.
Dowling College has about 6,000 students; 300 of them are enrolled in one of several aeronautics tracks leading to a bachelor of science degree in aeronautics/professional pilot, aviation management, or aeronautics. About half of them are in the flight program. Dowling also features a master's of business administration in aviation management--a rare offering in aviation academia.
For 30 years, the aviation program at Dowling College pretty much had existed in the shadows. In 2001, Martin M. Holley, an academic with a steep background in marketing, came on board to step up the institution's presence. Holley is proud of the school's accomplishments. "Not only do we have an excellent flight and academic program overall, we are one of the few colleges participating in the [FAA's] Air Traffic College Training Initiative. Any student who completes any of our undergraduate tracks will be qualified to take the FAA examination leading to a career as an air traffic controller. That, of course, is an option, but it is a bonus available to all, including our MBA graduates."
Cost: Tuition runs about $60,000 for the four-year academics, plus $40,000 in flight fees and $20,000 or so for campus housing. The tuition can be reduced dramatically through merit scholarships available to academically gifted incoming freshmen and transfer students. For more information: www.dowling.edu/school-aviation/index.shtm
Miami Dade College
In South Florida, in the midst of one of the nation's largest colleges in terms of enrollment, there is an aviation program that still offers an economical, personal training experience. That program is Miami Dade College's School of Aviation.
The School of Aviation has been in the business of developing aeronautical talent for more than four decades. Its nearly 300 aviation students are engaged in three basic associate of science degrees: aviation maintenance management, aviation administration, and professional pilot technology. The 30 or so students receiving their first flight training hours this semester have joined other flight students at the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport campus. The core flight training track will take the student through a commercial pilot certificate with instrument rating. Then, the student can opt for either the CFI training path or switch to air traffic control training.
Kendall-Tamiami's ADF Airways is the current aircraft training provider and features a fleet of Cessnas ranging from the venerable 152 right through a glass-cockpit Cessna 172. The 182RG is the complex workhorse in the airplane stable. Twelve flight instructors, mostly Miami Dade graduates, keep things moving toward FAA certification. Add two King Air C90 FTDs for advanced systems and airline operations learning.
Cost: Approximately $31,000 for Florida residents, which includes tuition and fees through CFI/ASE. Room and board are not included. For more information: www.mdc.edu/homestead/aviation
Aims Community College
Greeley, Colorado, is a 45-minute drive north of Denver, with its Broncos, night life, and cultural outlets. This typical college town is home to Northern Colorado University as well as Aims Community College.
The flight program was launched in 1967, but Aims took a giant leap forward when it entered into an agreement to train pilots for Eastern Air Lines in an ab initio program. Although the Eastern connection eventually faded as the carrier drifted into bankruptcy, the flight program continued to grow. Today, 75 pilots train in a fleet of 10 airplanes: seven Cessna 172s, a Cessna 182RG, a Piper Seminole, and a Citabria. Three full-time and two adjunct faculty, along with eight flight instructors, provide ground and flight training.
The aviation department offers two-year degrees in aviation technology and professional piloting. Students fly the very first week of class and eventually earn all certificates and ratings through multiengine instructor.
Greg Gaiser, operations manager of the Aims Flight Training Center, discussed several benefits for students. "We feature quality, personalized instruction since our class sizes are small. The Greeley-Weld County Airport where we are based generally has great weather but also offers the occasional IMC for real-weather flying experience. We have all the instrument approaches--ILS, NDB, VOR, and GPS--right here," he said. "We are proud of our Beech 1900D full-motion Level C simulator, and all students receive training in the machine."
Cost: Tuition for a two-year associate's degree and flight training ranges from $44,588 to $67,375 depending on whether the student resides in district, out of district, or out of state. (Aims does not have dormitories, so room and board are additional.) For more information: www.aims.edu/academics/aviation/index.php
Big Bend Community College
If someone thinks of flight training in Washington state, thoughts of endless IFR and rain-soaked preflights come to mind. That's in Seattle. But, just a little way east on I-90 in what is known as the Columbia Basin, pilots can find a blue-sky Mecca where severe VFR is the rule for 350 days a year. There, in a place called Moses Lake, Big Bend Community College is busily shaping tomorrow's aviation pros at Grant County International Airport--a former military base with five runways and 13 approaches.
Joe MacDougall, who serves as both assistant chief flight instructor and division chairman, guides the two-year associate in applied science professional/technical program with commercial pilot emphasis, as well associates in arts and science transfer option. Today, 85 people are working their way to a flight deck career in a fleet of 23 aircraft.
Big Bend has an unusual collection of Beechcraft airplanes, including 17 fully IFR Sports and Sundowners, three Bonanzas, and one twin-engine Beech Travelair. The college also features a Citabria for an optional tailwheel endorsement and a Cessna 180 amphibian for those who covet a seaplane rating. MacDougall is quick to point out that, although the venerable Beech equipment has served the program well, the college is in upgrade mode for the next two years and already has two all-glass-panel single-engine aircraft on order.
For those who like to eat, sleep, and breathe flying, Big Bend is worth considering. The college is located next to the airport, and the dorms are just minutes away from the flight line.
MacDougall says, "We feel that we offer so many benefits: great climate, superb student-faculty relationships, affordable pricing, and a great CFI staff. Of our 14 full-time instructors, six are senior with combined experience of 50,000 hours of flight training. These highly seasoned instructors teach aviation courses and serve as assistant chief instructors. And, we don't charge for ground time. In this way, the student can feel free to ask questions, do some real bonding, and not feel that he or she is running up the tab."
Cost: About $45,000 for the two-year program, which includes tuition, flight fees through commercial ASEL/IFR, and campus housing. For more information: www.bigbend.edu/aviation
Community College of Beaver County
Call it CCBC for short. Chances are, unless you are training to be an air traffic controller, CCBC in Monaca, Pennsylvania, is an unknown quantity. But, for anyone looking to cash in on the upcoming controller exodus, CCBC has an industry reputation for developing air traffic talent. Its ATC students don't just toil in simulators and labs; they work in a real nonfederal tower cab at Beaver County Airport for up to six months, under the watchful eye of tower supervisors, on their way to a control tower operator certificate with a Beaver County Airport facility rating.
And just who are these student controllers controlling? For the most part, their CCBC Aviation Department peers in pursuit of FAA pilot certificates and ratings.
CCBC Director of Aviation Mark Cox guides the aviation program, which started back in the 1960s. "Our two-year associate's degree program features three distinct paths: professional pilot, air traffic, and maintenance management. The bulk of our training is at our Aviation Sciences Center, located right at the Beaver County Airport. Just a few courses are presented at the CCBC main campus about 20 minutes away."
There are about 200 students in the entire department; half are enrolled in the air traffic program. For those 85 or so flight students, CCBC has brought in folks who have extensive experience in primary training: Pan Am International Flight Academy (PAIFA). Under contract, PAIFA has imported a fleet of about 20 Piper aircraft including Archers, Arrows, and Seminoles. Virtually all sport the Garmin 430. Twenty CFIs, mostly CCBC grads, man the equipment.
Not only do CCBC pilots earn the commercial ASEL/IFR/AMEL as part of the core program, but they also spend the final two semesters receiving a heavy dose of systems theory and airline operations based on the Beech King Air 200, the Canadair Regional Jet 200, and the Boeing 737.
Although the school has relationships with Chautauqua and Piedmont, where CCBC grads enjoy special considerations, they can also participate in PAIFA's ACE program in Arizona and earn interviews with other regional airlines affiliated with the academy.
Cost: Tuition and flight training is just under $30,000 (includes about 231 hours of flight time) for Beaver County residents; nearly $35,000 for Pennsylvania residents who live out of county; and about $50,000 for out-of-state students. Housing is not included. For more information: www.ccbc.edu
Cochise College
Arizona is said to be "The Land of the Sun," and those who opt to conduct their flight training there cannot relate to the statement, "Your lesson is cancelled due to bad weather." Belinda Burnett, a campus flight instructor and assistant chief of the Part 141 school at Cochise College for nearly two decades, figures that her students have about 350 days a year of good flying weather.
To locate Cochise College, go south of Phoenix to Douglas, a quaint burg just this side of the Mexican border: The town and its airport have hosted the Cochise College flight program for 37 years. The college is known for its back-to-basics orientation and has earned a keen reputation as an outstanding producer of aviation maintenance and avionics technicians.
Like many colleges its size, Cochise offers a two-year associate's degree in professional flight technology. Graduates of the program can transfer directly into most four-year institutions to complete a bachelor's degree. Cochise College, which also provides flight training services to Pima Community College near Tucson, features a fleet consisting of seven Piper Warriors, five Cessna 182RGs, and a Beech Baron.
Asked about the benefits of attending Cochise College, Burnett says, "Location! Size! Fundamentals! Cost! Arizona's weather is almost legendary. With only 85 flight students, the relationship between staff and student is excellent. Our emphasis is totally on cultivating fundamental skills."
Cost: Arizona residents will pay about $47,000 for the two-year degree, all certificates and ratings, and room and board. An out-of-state student will invest about $60,000. Prospective aviators who simply want to earn certificates and ratings at low cost and in short time without the traditional academics are welcomed at Chochise College. For more information: www.cochise.edu/deptsdirs/aviation/index.asp
Surprised? Like what you see? Shocked that you might be able to earn a degree and launch a flying career at an investment level far below the six-figure mark? Take a look at schools like those mentioned above. Scour the Internet, check search engines, and you will find other colleges that, despite their small size, offer a big education.
Wayne Phillips is an airline transport pilot with a Boeing 737 type rating. He is a B-737 instructor and operates the Airline Training Orientation Program in association with Continental Airlines. He is an aviation safety consultant in Michigan and speaker for the AOPA Air Safety Foundation.
Want to know more?
Are you shopping for an aviation college? Look for these tools and other resources at AOPA Flight Training Online:
- A college checklist to help you evaluate schools of interest
- AOPA's College Directory Online
- AOPA's aviation subject report on aviation colleges and universities
- AOPA's aviation subject report on scholarships, loans, and grants
If you are considering other paths to an aviation career, see the Links page at AOPA Flight Training Online for:
- Articles from the archives of AOPA Flight Training and AOPA Pilot
- AOPA's searchable flight school database
- Information on AOPA's Flight Training Funds program.
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