Aviation Technology

Want to learn to fly? Want to start now on a career in aviation, a growth industry with very high salary ranges? This course, taught at only four high schools in the state of Virginia, teaches students how to fly and prepares them to pass the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Private Pilot written exam. All fees for flight time and the FAA exam are covered by the Career Center.

The Career Center Aviation Program uses Jeppesen’s Guided Flight Discovery Private Pilot Manual, considered one of the best in the industry.

Students learn to fly by operating both computer simulators and a Singer/Link Flight Trainer, located at the Career Center. Students also get two opportunities to pilot a real single-engine airplane — an orientation flight at the beginning of the year and an end-of-year cross country flight, where students apply the skills they have learned in class.

The FAA Private Pilot exam is given at the end of the year. Those students passing the exam with a score of 70% or better receive a verified credit towards graduation, and will be one-third of the way toward earning their private pilot license.

Graduates of the program who want to become licensed pilots pursue four year colleges and universities (see colleges attended by our graduates), but numerous opportunities in the field of aviation exist for those with high school diplomas and two-year degrees.

Students completing this one-year, two-period course can receive / qualify for:

• SKILLS– according to the Virginia State Competency list Aircraft Pilot Training I, II (8731, 8732).
• CREDIT– Students passing the FAA Private Pilot written exam receive one high school verified credit. In addition, passing the exam can qualify for course exemptions at post-secondary aviation programs.
• CERTIFICATION–FAA Private Pilot written exam.
• EXPERIENCE– fly a real plane twice!!!

DID YOU KNOW?

The Career Center is one of only four high schools in the state of Virginia to offer flight training. We also have a real flight simulator, and an experienced pilot with over 5,000 hours in the air to teach you how to fly. So in our one-year, two-period course, you can: 1) learn how to fly; 2) pilot a real plane twice; and, 3) pass your FAA Private Pilot written exam. To find out more, contact instructor Tony Frazier.