Expert: David A. NewMyer - 9/7/2004

Question
hi,
i am a 19 year old college sophmore. i will be graduating with an AS in aviaiton bussiness management this spring. i have my private license, and am currently working on my instrument. i hope to have my commercial by the time i graduate. i am looking for an internship arround my area, to better help me gain some experience in the aviation field, but there just seems to be nothing. i know i do not have much experience in aviaiton, and i am young, i am just looking for a way to network and gain some experience in some aspect of the aviation business. any help u can give would be great.. thanks a bunch...

oh ya i live in winston-salem, NC (but i go to school in greensboro NC)

Answer
Hi, Meghan:

Nice to hear from you.  I will try to assist.

An Associate of Science (AS) degree is a good start, as is earning your FAA Private and Commercial Certificates (the latter with an Instrument Rating).  But, it is only a start.  A bachelor's degree is, in the end, going to be a requirement for you to grow within an aviation career. In addition, it will be important for you to earn a Multi Engine Land Rating as well as a Certified Flight Instructor (Airplane) Certificate.  The first to allow you to eventually fly twin engine aircraft for hire and the second to allow you to build flight time, which is an all important commodity in the flight business.  The bachelor's degree is required long term since, if you wish to work at a large airline or a corporate flight department, about 90% of those hired in such jobs in the last 5 years had a BS or BA degree.

As far as looking for an internship, make sure that you try all types of aviation businesses including such companies as Piedmont-Hawthorne Aviation (a large general aviation service company in your area) as well as local airport authorities, smaller fixed base operations, flight training companies and the like.  Think of all of the key segments of the aviation industry when looking for internships and see if they are all represented in your area (meaning, aviation/aerospace manufacturing; airlines, general aviation and government aviation other than the military).  Good sources for looking up company names include the World Aviation Directory (probably located in larger university libraries), the internet (do a search for the Aviation Yellow Pages and look up aviation businesses located at each airport in your area) and check the websites of local airports to see what links that they provide to local aviation businesses.  I agree that an internship is a great alternative to finding some experience and gaining some networking connections.

I would think that the school that is providing your aviation business management AS degree might have some internship contacts for you....do they?

I hope that the information and advice noted above is of assistance to you.

Best wishes,

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