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����ֱ�� Aeronautical Studies

The Aeronautical Studies (AEST) major:

• Is AABI Accredited;

• Will allow students the same access to all pilot-specific professional development opportunities as their professional pilot major counterparts at ����ֱ�� State. This means the same academic courses (less flight), the same opportunities to interact with the airlines, the same pilot-focused career fairs, the same opportunities to explore professional pilot careers outside of the airlines (corporate, cargo etc), the same focus on developing professional pilot leadership skills.

• May allow you to earn academic credit for flight training completed elsewhere!

Career Connection

Our dedicated aeronautics career fairs and constant exposure to professionals in the aviation industry provide you with early access to career and networking opportunities!

Eligible, Employed, & Earning

As a student in the Aeronautical Studies program, you are not required to take the Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFI-I) courses (both theory and flight practicum).

The advantage to earning your CFI and CFI-I ratings are you can serve as a flight instructor and earn flight hours while working as a flight instructor.

If you choose not to earn CFI and CFI-I ratings, you will earn your required flight time by working as a pilot, but not a flight instructor. The options here are endless: any and all types of flight are eligible.

There are two pathway options under the Aeronautical Studies program, Pilot Career Focus:

Option 1: Complete the Non-Accelerated Aeronautical Studies, Pilot Career Focus academic plan.

• This plan can be completed in a standard 4-year, 8-semester, fall/spring format (summer is not included).
• This plan includes all of the academic courses the Professional Pilot student takes.
• The only academic difference in this plan and the Professional Pilot academic plan is the lack of flight
  courses.
• Students can fly in the summers or during the academic year at a location of their choice.

Option 2: Complete the Accelerated Aeronautical Studies, Pilot Career Focus academic plan.

• This plan can be completed in 3 years, utilizing fall, spring and summer semesters.
• This plan includes all of the academic courses the Professional Pilot student takes.
• The only academic difference in this plan and the Professional Pilot academic plan is the lack of flight
  courses.
• Students can use the “saved” year to earn their required certificates and ratings at a location of their choice

No pathway option allows a student to earn the Restricted-Airline Transport Pilot certification (R-ATP), which enables them to be hired with 1000 hours of flight time, vice 1500 hours of flight time. Students will need to earn 1500 hours of flight time on their own before being hired by the airlines.

Advantage of AEST over PROP

• Ability to complete your training anywhere; you can take your hours and your experience with you from school to school, if you wish and need to. For example, you could start training in the ����ֱ�� State area during the academic year, but finish with a school local to your home during the summer.
• Ability to fly at your own pace and on your own schedule, not tied to an academic schedule. You have complete flexibility and personal control over your flight training.
• Not required to complete CFI and CFII, which is an overall cost savings.
• Sometimes student loans are not certified in time for students to appropriately register for the following semester; if a student can’t register, they may be locked out of classes that fill up before they’re able to generate their academic schedule.
• Because of the higher cost of flight fees, this can have a larger impact on settling bursar bills. A student in AEST who is flying outside of ����ֱ�� State won’t have these fees attached to their semester schedule and may reach bursar resolution more quickly, thereby scheduling their classes and progression through their degree is a timelier fashion.
• Flexibility of schedule and flight school location allow AEST students to pursue work and part-time employment.

Advantage of PROP over AEST, PROP focus

• Structure is provided; because of this our average time to completion in any given flight course is often below the national average, which takes into account all flight schools, not just Part 141 (of which ����ֱ�� State University is one). For example, ����ֱ�� State University’s average time to completion of the Private Pilot Course is 58 hours; the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports the national average to be 75 hours.
• Earning one’s CFI has been shown via several academic studies to enhance the training performance of regional airline pilots by means of fewer extra training events and fewer non-completion events. Earning one’s CFII allows a person to instruct not only private pilot students, but also instrument students, thereby enhancing their own instrument experience which is a benefit during the hiring process. CFIIs can also train and educate more students, thereby reaching their 1000- hour threshold sooner.
• Graduates are eligible for the Restricted-Airline Transport Pilot certificate (R-ATP) which allows a person to be hired with 500 fewer flight hours than someone without the R-ATP.

Local Flight Schools

This is informational only. ����ֱ�� State University does not endorse any flight school.