Aviation Management
If you are interested in an aviation-related career involving flight operational support, then the Aviation Management degree is for you. This could involve working in a corporate flight department, or managing a flight school, or working in flight support operations at an airline or in the aircraft maintenance or manufacturing industry. This degree does not require flight training and is focused on providing you with a fundamental knowledge of flight concepts and terminology pertaining to meteorology, aircraft systems, airline operations, and flight safety practices.
If you already have a degree in another field but want some background in aviation and flight operations, then you can do one or both of the certificate options. Option A covers management principles, aircraft systems and basic flight operations. Option B covers aviation operations management, flight safety principles, air transportation industry specifics, supply chain management and aircraft structures.
Credentialing Options
Student Testimonials
Frequently Asked Questions
You will need to follow the general enrollment process for GTCC. During the advising process you will have the opportunity to indicate your desire to study within this curriculum. Your advisor will help you sign up for the specific courses you need.
Audrey Floyd, Director, Aviation Management/Career Pilot Programs
Brian Johnson, Instructor, Aviation Management/Career Pilot Programs
Phillip Fittante, Instructor, Aviation Management/Career Pilot Programs
Yes, Financial aid is available if you qualify. Please visit the Financial Aid web page or contact the Financial Aid office at 336-334-4822 Option 3.
Financial Aid, including Pell Grants, student loans, and scholarships can be used to help offset the costs of flight training.
If you are at least a high school graduate or are enrolled in the Career and College Promise program, you can qualify for the Aviation Management or Career Pilot programs. If you are a current high school student and would like to find out more about the Career and College Promise program, please contact Linda Whitlow at lswhitlow@gtcc.edu You will need to satisfy placement requirements in reading and math in order to register for courses in the program. You will need to test out of DRE 098 in reading and at least DMA 050 in math to start courses in the AER programs. To meet math requirements for the Career Pilot and Aviation Management degrees, you will need to test out of DMA 080. Prior flight training is not required to start the degree or certificate programs.
If you look at the catalog descriptions for the two programs, you will see that there are many classes that are common to both degrees. If you want to fly and have the financing available to complete the flight training in 2-3 years, then the Career Pilot degree awards you the most credit for your flight training and would be the most efficient way to the associate degree. If you are unsure about getting the financing for flight training or how quickly you can progress toward your commercial license, then we recommend enrolling in the Aviation Management degree. You can still do your flight training on the side, but it would allow you a way to attain a degree even if you don’t complete your commercial certificate in two years.
Flight training is required for the Career Pilot degree but not the Aviation Management degree. In order to graduate with the Career Pilot degree, you must obtain your FAA Commercial Pilot certificate. Depending on how and where you do your flight training, it requires 190-250 flight hours. Flight training is conducted with a third-party flight training provider. This could be an independent flight instructor or a flight school.
This depends on where you choose to do your flight training and which type of aircraft you fly. Flight training is charged by the hour. Most training aircraft costs are between $120-$170/hour. On top of that cost, you may also be flying with a flight instructor, and flight instructors usually charge between $30-$50/hour. Flight training costs to obtain your commercial certificate will average about $40,000. Flight training costs are in addition to tuition and fees charged by the college for the degree classes. The cost for tuition and books for the associate’s degree at GTCC will total approximately $7,500 - $8,000.
GI Bill® benefits can be used for flight training but cannot be used toward a Private Pilot certificate. These flight training benefits are paid directly to the flight school where you choose to do your training. The flight school must be Part 141 certificated and must be approved by the VA in order to use your GI Bill® benefits there. GI Bill® benefits can be used for classes in the Aviation Management program.
We have three: Redbird, FMX full-motion, and AATDs. These can be scheduled with a GTCC flight instructor. These are scheduled through continuing education and are available to curriculum students and individuals outside of GTCC who want to purchase simulator time to train for a new certificate, improve proficiency, or meet currency requirements.
GTCC does have a comprehensive articulation agreement with North Carolina public universities, but the aviation programs also have specific articulation agreements with Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Greensboro Campus) and Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina.
The outlook is great. The aviation industry is growing to satisfy demand generated by global economic expansion.
Use Indeed.com or JSFirm to search local and regional jobs for “Aviation Management” in Greensboro in Winston-Salem, and for North Carolina overall.