Aviation Operations Technology

Proposed Academic Program Inventory Title: 

A.A.S. Degree in Aviation Operations Technology

CIP Code:   49.0101

• Aviation Administration - 49.0104
• Flight Dispatcher - 49.0199
• Professional Pilot - 49.0102

SOC Code:   53-2000

• Aviation Administration - 53-2011
• Flight Dispatcher - 53-2022
• Professional Pilot - 53-2022

Program Description:   The Aviation Operations Technology program will focus on preparing students to enter the workforce as professional commercial pilots, flight dispatchers, and aviation administrators.  The course work will utilize and integrate existing general education courses at Southwest with existing professional pilot flight and ground training courses, equipment and space at Air Venture Flight Academy in Olive Branch, Mississippi. This minimizes the need to increase faculty and expand facilities while offering another new, exciting cost-effective dimension to Southwest and the Mid-South academic community.  Professional courses include aviation weather, aviation safety, regulations and legal issues, instrument flight, commercial flight I and II, instrument pilot simulator, commercial pilot simulator I and II, private pilot ground school, instrument rating ground school, commercial pilot ground school, certified flight instructor ground school, environment of air traffic controller, aircraft engines, structures and systems, advanced aircraft  operations, flight dispatcher, international flight  planning and ETOPS, aviation management, airport management, unmanned aerial vehicles and systems, aviation and airport security, air cargo operations, flight operations management, and Aviation Operations Internship.

Program Outcomes: To graduate aviation professionals who can immediately be employed into commercial aviation positions:

• having satisfactorily completed the FAA Instrument and Commercial Pilot Ratings, and/or
• having satisfactorily completed the FAA Flight Dispatcher written examination, and/or
• having satisfactorily completed the AOTP internship within the professional aviation community, and
• having satisfactorily completed the specific and general academic requirements of the concentration

CIP Code:    49.0101

• Aviation Administration - 49.0104
• Flight Dispatcher - 49.0199
• Professional Pilot - 49.0102

SOC Code:   53-2000

• Aviation Administration - 53-2011
• Flight Dispatcher - 53-2022
• Professional Pilot - 53-2022

Professional Accrediting Body: Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI)

State Agency/Entity Oversight: Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR)

Applicable Certification/License or Industry-recognized Certificates to Be Awarded: if applicable

Articulation with Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT):  Currently, there are no courses within TCAT that articulate with the aviation operations technology program.