Expert: David A. NewMyer - 4/12/2009

Question
Hello,
My son is interested in becoming a professional pilot and we are wondering where we might find info. about how the different aviation programs are ranked in the country.  Are there 1 or 2 colleges that have excellent reputations with the major airlines?
Thank you for your help.
Kathy

Answer
Hi, Kathy:

Nice to hear from you.  There are over 100 member institutions of the University Aviation Association and most of them offer flight related degreess of some sort.  If you wish a complete listing of these programs, go to the University Aviation Association webiste at www.uaa.aero and order their COLLEGIATE AVIATION GUIDE.

There is no ranking of flight programs in the USA, but, two ways to look at them would be to check the following:

1.  Who is accredited by the Aviation Accrediation Board International or ABBI in the "flight education" area?....go to their website at www.aabi.aero and click on "programs" to see who is accredited.....; and,

2.  Go to the National Intercollegiate Flying Association Website and see who the top finishers were by college or university....in the 2008 national results, the top ten finishers were, in order:

Embry-Riddle (Prescott); University of North Dakota; Embry Riddle (Daytona); Western Michigan; Ohio State; Air Force Academy; LeTourneau; Southern Illinois Univ.; Central Texas College; and, Kent State University.

Once you start investigating individual schools, ask them each to delineate which airlines they work most closely with on internships, job placement, etc.  The university I work for, for example, (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) has several formal flight operations internships with major airlines and we have two major airline-sponsored "aviation career days" where the airline flies an airline aircraft to our local airport with up to 100 or so student prospects.  Other schools, such as Kent State, have formal hiring arrangements/partnerships with regional airlines.  So, check for that sort of thing to help you in the choice of schools to visit.

I hope that this helps you in your choice.  Let me know if you have other questions.

Sincerely,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu