Aviation and Aerospace Science

The mission of the Aviation and Aerospace Science Department (AVS) is to provide students seeking careers in aviation and aerospace with a high quality education through excellence in teaching, such that our graduates are well prepared to compete in their chosen professions. Ongoing close contacts with the many aviation and aerospace businesses and entities in Colorado provide employment, cooperative education, and internship opportunities for students and graduates. The Department is dedicated to developing graduates with the intellectual and practical skills needed to succeed. Colorado is a center for innovation in aviation and aerospace, in particular, the development of new types of aircraft and in the development of commercial space applications.

The Department fulfills this mission by offering Bachelor of Science degrees with concentrations in Aviation Management and Aviation Technology:

Two Aviation Management concentrations are offered:

Aerospace Management,* for those interested in the management of aviation businesses, e.g., fixed base operators (FBOs), airports, airlines, etc.
Aerospace Maintenance Management, specifically for those interested in the management of aviation maintenance programs, e.g., Fixed Based Operators (FBOs), specialty maintenance businesses, airlines, etc.

Four Aviation Technology concentrations are also offered:

Professional Flight Officer, for students wishing to pursue an airline pilot flight career,
Corporate and General Aviation,* for those interested in flight careers, not necessarily with an airline,
Aerospace Operations,* for those interested in a career in aviation or aerospace operations which may not require a commercial pilot certificate, or those planning on pursuing military careers,
Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) for those interested in careers as FAA air traffic controllers.

*A 12 semester-hour Space Commercialization emphasis is available for these concentrations. This emphasis will provide graduates the opportunity of employment in an important and expanding part of the Colorado and national economy.

There are four minors: Aviation Management, Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics, Private Pilot, and Aviation Technology. Certificate programs in Airport Management and Space Commercialization are also offered.

Students holding an FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) or an FAA Aircraft Dispatcher certificate may be awarded transfer credit toward the Bachelor of Science degree; 25 semester hours for the A&P certificate and 12 semester hours for the Aircraft Dispatcher certificate. Any student seeking such credit must provide a copy of the appropriate FAA certificate with the application for credit to the Aviation and Aerospace Science Department. (Note: Courses leading to Airframe and Powerplant certification are not offered by MSCD.)

The Aviation and Aerospace Science Department includes a unique flight simulation laboratory known as the World Indoor Airport (WIA). This is an integrated flight and air traffic control simulator lab featuring a variety of FAA-approved flight training devices. A crew resource management laboratory, flight planning station, and student computer tutorial laboratory are included in the WIA.

Please note that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires that all AVS students enrolled in flight simulator courses present evidence of US citizenship, in the form of a US passport, naturalization certificate, original birth certificate and a government photo ID or other documentation or, if not a US citizen, register with TSA. See the Department for more information.

Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI)

MSCD’s Aviation and Aerospace Science Department is an FAA-designated AT-CTI Program - part of the FAA Collegiate Training Initiative which provides a pathway to a career as an FAA air traffic controller. Students successfully completing an AT-CTI program and who are recommended to the FAA by the AT-CTI school receive preferential hiring consideration, as do those with military air traffic control experience.

FAA hiring requirements under the AT-CTI program include:

completing an FAA-approved AT-CTI Program
receiving a degree from an FAA-approved AT-CTI school
a recommendation from an authorized AT-CTI school official
US citizenship
a score of 70% or above on the FAA Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) test battery
being less that 31 years of age when starting duty in an FAA terminal or enroute facility
meeting FAA medical, security, and suitability requirements
successfully completing an interview to determine whether the candidate possesses the personal characteristics needed for air traffic control work
being able to speak English clearly enough to be understood over radios, intercoms, and similar communications equipment

Neither completing MSCD’s AT-CTI Program, receiving a recommendation to the FAA from MSCD, nor passing the AT-SAT test battery, guarantees an employment offer from the FAA.

FAA FAR Part 141-Approved Ground School

MSCD’s Aviation and Aerospace Science Department is an FAA FAR Part 141-approved ground school for the Private, Instrument, Commercial, and Flight and Ground Instructor FAA certificates and ratings. AVS has FAA examining authority for the Private, Commercial, and Instrument knowledge examinations.

FAA FAR Part 142

Full-time Aviation and Aerospace Science faculty are qualified under FAA FAR Part 142 to conduct approved ground training for the Beech 1900D Turbo-Propeller airliner. The instruction affords a student an opportunity to combine this curriculum with simulator training provided by a local private corporation leading toward a Beech 1900 type rating. Costs for using the simulator are separate from normal college tuition and fees. Private corporation training costs are subject to change and additional training requirements may also increase total cost.

Flight Training

Flight training is arranged by the student independent of the AVS Department. Aviation Technology students may obtain their FAA flight certificates and ratings from any FAA training program under FAR Part 61, 141, or 142, and submit the certificates to the AVS Department before graduation. The cost of flight training is in addition to regular tuition and other college fees. This cost varies depending upon how frequently a student is able to fly and the time required to become proficient.

Flight Courses and Financial Aid

Students who wish to obtain additional financial aid for flight training should consult with the Financial Aid office and AVS for permission to enroll in any flight course (AES 1500, AES 2500, AES 3520, AES 4500, AES 4510, AES 4520, AES 4530, and AES 4550). Flight courses are graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory and cannot be used as electives for any concentration.

Credit for FAA Certificates and Ratings and/or Prior Aviation Experience

Students enrolling in AVS programs who already have flight certificates and ratings and/or other aviation experience have several options:

Those with FAA certificates and ratings, but without significant aviation-related work experience, may substitute, with the approval of the AVS Department, more advanced AVS courses for the basic required courses pertaining to the certificates or ratings held.
Those with a record of aviation-related employment may apply for credit for college-level learning gained through experience by submitting a prior learning portfolio to the Center for Individualized Learning. In the portfolio the student describes and documents learning equivalent to specific AVS courses listed in the Catalog. The portfolio is evaluated and assessed by the AVS Department and credit is awarded on the basis of this evaluation.
The charge for each credit hour requested is one-half the in-state tuition for one credit hour (see Alternative Credit Options in the catalog).
Complete an Individualized Degree Program through the Center for Individualized Learning. This provides an opportunity to design a major or minor program to meet specific educational goals not met by existing AVS programs (see Special Academic Programs.)

Neither completing MSCD’s AT-CTI Program, receiving a recommendation to the FAA from MSCD, nor passing the AT-SAT test battery, guarantees an employment offer from the FAA.

Minors

These are designed to afford majors in other disciplines the opportunity to develop an understanding of the aviation and aerospace industries. AVS majors may not elect the Aviation Management or Aviation Technology minors, with the exception that Aviation Technology majors may minor in Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics.

Certificate Programs

Students must complete each course in certificate programs with a grade of “C” or better.