Expert: David A. NewMyer - 4/30/2010

Question
Hello,

Our son is 17 and will be a senior in high school next year.  He wants to go to school for aviation.  I have read through a good many of the questions and answers on this forum and appreciate all the info.  I do have a few questions that I could not find asked previously but if I have missed it I do apologize for asking again.  Thanks for all the feedback you can offer.

1)  I have noticed there are 2 accreditations for universities - CAA and UAA.  Those schools accredited with CAA are very limited.  Could you please explain to me the differences in the accreditations and why there are a very limited number of schools with CAA accreditations?  Is it better to obtain a degree from a school with CAA versus UAA?

2)  We have taken a tour of Embry-Riddle in Daytona already but plan to tour several other universities before our son applies anywhere.  My question is with such a swing in tuition prices at the different universities if two people come from a high end school and a low end school (tuition wise) with the same degree, flight hours, etc., and all other things being equal is there an advantage to coming from one school versus the other?  Is there a particular school held in higher esteem within the aviation community?

3)  When researching these programs what are we looking for specifically to be certain our son will be getting to be the most competitive when he finishes college and gets ready to enter the job force?  

4)  He is planning to participate in AF ROTC all 4 years.  Since he is not guaranteed a pilot slot just because he went to school for this what specifically does he need to make sure he has completed with his degree to be certain to be given a pilot slot once he goes active duty?  

Thanks again and I look forward to your advice.

Answer
Hi, Jennifer:

Thanks for your questions, I will try to assist!

1.  CAA is now AABI or Aviation Accreditation Board International.  UAA is the University Aviation Association.  Only the AABI group formally accredits university aviation degree programs.  The University Aviation Association is a professional association with about 100 member institutions---which are accredited regionally (via a regional accrediting body such as the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges or the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, but, not specifically for aviation).  Why the 70 or so institutions that are in UAA have not gone through AABI accreditation is hard to generalize other than, perhaps, the cost factor.  Accredited programs OF ALL KINDS do offer the consumer (the future student and their parents) the advantage of knowing that these programs have been reviewed by a national body through a peer process as to certain quality standards.  The difference between an AABI-accredited program and a non-AABI accredited program is that the non-AABI accredited programs have been reviewed to a more general standard and not an aviation-specific standard.

2.  Certainly, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is an excellent aviation-oriented university. There are many other excellent aviation university and collegiate aviation programs out there to choose from.  It really depends on what you want and what your student wants.  As far as what the aviation indsutry or aviation community wants, I believe that there are a number of programs out there held in nearly equally high esteem.  The last time I checked, there were about 80 aviation flight degree programs of some size (100 students or more) in the nation.....while not all equal, there are quite a few that have been around a while and are well-known in the industry, including:

Embry Riddle Daytona
Embry Riddle Prescott
Western Michigan University
University of North Dakota
Southern Illinois University Carbondale (where I work...)
The Ohio State University
Purdue University
Parks College of St. Louis University
Florida Tech or FIT
Arizona State
Middle Tennessee State University
SE Oklahoma State University
AND
MANY
MORE.....

Because the pilot supply is a bit thin right now, I do not believe that the aviation industry can afford to be too choosy...especially when hiring picks up in the next two years.  But, you will be able to tell which universities the airlines prefer to hire from based on which ones the airlines choose as flight operations internship partners or as direct hire/bridge partners and the like.  And, as long as the supply holds out, some airlines prefer to hire primarily from AABI accredited universities.....but, they will hire from anyone once the supply dwindles.  (as it did in 2006-2008).

3.  What I recommend to those who are looking at aviation universities is to create a Spread Sheet format that is common for each institution that you visit so that you can collect a common set of data from each school that you can then examine and compare later once your visits are complete.

Things to look for when visiting are:

A.  The fleet of aircraft used, by type and the overall number (aircraft per student ratio---the higher number of students per aircraft, the less availability there might be for use of the aircraft, etc).

B.  Faculty qualifications and numbers (again, faculty-student ratios, etc).  How about faculty awards---are some of the faculty award winners?

C.  Classroom and laboratory facilties, especially simulators and flight training devices--latest technology, etc?

D.  Airport facilities, type, age, condition, location vis-a-vis campus, etc.

E.  Cost of tutiion, room and board, books, aviation flight fees, etc???  Cost for four years?  Ask about extra costs, some schools have fees for things not posted as "regular" fees.

F.  Type of campus, campus life, variety of things to do, etc.  All aviation campus?  General university campus with aviation as a component?  (which does the student prefer???).

G.  Job Placement--availability of flight internships, bridge programs and the like.  Also, is an aviation career/job fair offered at least once a year?  Guest Speakers from industy, etc.?  How does placement work?

H.  Multi Engine time building opportunities?  Turbine transition coursework?

I.  Ability to work for the university as a CFI?

J.  Dorm life on campus--are there aviation oriented dorm floors, etc?

K.  What questions do YOU have that are unique to your situation???

4.  Overall, there is NOTHING that he can do to be certain that he will be given a pilot slot in the USAF.  It all depends on "the needs of the service."  It may well be that the USAF will have lots of slots available when they are awarded in his junior or senior year and there are other years when NONE are available.  The key things to do to be sure of getting a pilot slot are:

A.  Do very well in school overall--great GPA, no behavior issues, etc.

B.  Do tops in ALL AFROTC activities, including trying to be a leader among those in your unit.  This includes getting along with the officer corps assigned to your AFROTC unit and learning about the USAF from them--traditions, knowledge, tactics, how to get through basic training, etc!

C.  Do well in aviation studies and earn at least your Private Pilot Certificate along the way (to learn as much about flying as possible and to make sure you like it!!!!).

D.  Also, learn from upper classmen in AFROTC and learn from their mistakes.  You will make some, too, but, just don't repeat theirs!!!

That is all I can think of for now.

Best wishes and please ask another question via AllExperts if you have another to ask!

Sincerely,

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