Aviation Technologies - Aircraft Maintenance

Overview

Aircraft Maintenance

Optional paths within the major provide a great deal of flexibility in preparing for a career in the aviation industry. Students may pursue the FAA approved airframe and powerplant certificate in a five or seven semester sequence of coursework or they may include the airframe and powerplant certificate, with additional coursework, as part of their four-year bachelor’s degree in Aviation Technologies.

The Aviation Technologies - Aircraft Maintenance program at Southern Illinois University is designed to enhance technical training students have received in aviation maintenance, aviation flight, or electronics. This technical training may be acquired through SIU, at other post-secondary institutions, in the military, or in the case of aviation maintenance, at other FAA approved maintenance or flight schools

Aviation Technologies has signed a number of Program Articulation Agreements with aviation-related community college degree programs to facilitate the transfer of these particular community college aviation students to SIU. The community colleges with which SIU has signed such an agreement include: Southwestern Illinois College (IL), Rock Valley College (IL), and Indian Hills Community College (IA).

Many students entering the Aviation Technologies program are encouraged to have completed an appropriate associate degree or its equivalent under the provisions of the Capstone Option (See Capstone Option section). The Capstone Option allows qualified students to fulfill their degree requirements by completing no more than 60 semester hours of coursework beyond their associate degree. Students may choose from four specializations: Aircraft Maintenance, Helicopter Maintenance, Aviation Electronics, and Aircraft Maintenance Management.

Courses in each of these areas have been selected and designed to provide the student with optimum exposure to theory in the classroom and develop practical, hands-on skills both in the hangar and in specially-designed, task-dedicated laboratories. The Aviation Technologies facilities, located at Southern Illinois Airport between Carbondale and Murphysboro, Illinois, provides students with more than 14 million dollars of the best available equipment including fixed and rotary wing aircraft, airline-type cockpit procedure trainers (CPT’s), an advanced composite structures laboratory and computer laboratory. Students should expect to spend $500 to $1,000 for a tool kit. In addition to university tuition and fees, lab fees are assessed for the lab portions of appropriate courses.