Bachelor of Science in Management with a concentration in Aviation Management Concentration

Westfield State College offers a concentration in Aviation Management leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science. The program is designed to provide a foundation of liberal arts, combined with a major in Management and a Concentration in Flight or Aviation Management. Flight courses are taken at Five Star Flight Academy, located at Westfield-Barnes Airport. Five Star Flight Academy is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 61 approved flight school.

The Aviation Management program prepares students for a variety of aviation related careers by combining liberal arts, management pedagogy, and flight proficiency. Students will be qualified for careers in general management as well as aviation management.

Who is Five Star Flight Academy?

Five Star Flight Academy is an FAA approved Part 61 Flight School providing Flight Instruction (from Private to Airline Transport Pilot (ATP), Single and Multiengine Aircraft, Biennial Flight Reviews, Wings Program, and CATS testing. You're always welcome to stop in and view their facilities, meet their staff of qualified flight instructors and certified mechanics, or just enjoy the airport environment! You are invited to contact Robert Frye at Charis Air or the coordinator of aviation at Westfield State College to arrange a visit and introductory flight.

Academic Credit for Flight Training

Once a student matriculates at Westfield State College, all flying associated with the degree program must be done at a currently approved flight school associated with the college.

Students applying to the program are eligible for transfer credit as outlined in FAR Part 141 regulations. Students seeking transfer credit should contact the Aviation Coordinator in the Management Department at Westfield State College.

Ground School Training

The amount of ground school training accepted by the College is determined solely by the Aviation Coordinator.

Generally, recent FAA Part 141 Ground Schools, conducted at recognized colleges, and showing on a student college transcript, will be granted full credit. Other training may be partially acceptable depending on many factors, including, but not limited to, hour content, date of study, formal classroom content, and student's ability to document their studies. Ground school training that does not meet college standards will require completion of the college ground school.

What happens if you decide Aviation is not the career you want?

The program at Westfield State College consists of a strong liberal arts core foundation, with a Major in Business Management. Consequently, if you enter the college and then decide not to pursue a career in aviation you can complete the Major in Business Management with one of our other concentrations: Accounting, Finance, Marketing, or Management.

You want to fly, what benefit is it to have a degree in Business Management?

The degree in Business Management with a concentration in flight prepares the individual for many alternative career paths. This flexibility means security and opportunity in a future that is difficult to forecast.

A few things to consider before pursuing a program that is more narrowly focused than ours, such as an Aviation Science degree:

• All commercial pilots must pass a Class A physical every six months. If at some time in the future an individual is unable to meet this requirement an alternative career might become a necessity.
• The aviation industry, particularly the commercial airline industry, is cyclical. It expands and contracts with economic cycles. In addition, the industry is vulnerable to terrorism.

All occupations and industries have negative as well as positive aspects. The aviation industry is not an exception and we would like to inform prospective students and parents of the potential long-term issues concerning a career path in aviation. However, we believe that the aviation industry will recover from the difficult times it has experienced in the past several years and emerge stronger than ever. Further, we recommend that in any career, maintaining options is prudent.

Transportation to Flight School

Students are responsible for travel to and from flight school. This may be accomplished by private transportation, participating in car pouls, or using public transportation. Freshmen enrulled in flight courses need to contact the aviation coordinator to receive parking permits for the freshmen year.

Tuition and Fees

All students are required to pay usual tuition and fees established by the governing boards of Westfield State College. In addition, students enrulled in flight courses are responsible for the flight fees related to the cost of aircraft rental and flight instructor. The additional fees associated with flight are included on the student's tuition and fee invoice. Consequently, financial aid and loans can include these additional costs.

Additional expenses will include the Federal Aviation Administration required physical examination, flight related examinations, and FAA certificates.

Fees are subject to change. Examples are included here to give students and parents an indication of the additional cost of the flight portion of this program.

Scholarships:

The Connecticut Chapter 2007

CT 99's school

Private Pilot License

(recommended for all students interested in either aviation concentration)

All costs are current estimates and subject to change:

Books, Materials, & Misc. Equip.	$550
FAA Medical Exam	$75 (varies by doctor)
Private Pilot Written Exam	$70
Examiner's Fee	$200
Aircraft Rental and Flight Instruction	$7,812

A student should fly twice per week and will normally complete this requirement by the end of their freshman year within 50 hours of flying time. After 50 hours, additional fees may be required if the student has not reached a satisfactory level of proficiency.

Additional Ratings

Approximate Cost:
FAA License
Instrument Rating (45 hours)	$7,812
Commercial Pilot (120 hours)	$20,513
Certified Flight Instructor	$4,854

The exact cost is dependent on student proficiency and the amount of flight time it takes for the individual to reach that level of competency. Hours used to establish fees are based not on FAA minimums but on average hours it is likely for a student to obtain the required level of proficiency.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for eligible students. For information write or telephone:

Financial Aid Officer

Westfield State College
577 Western Avenue
Westfield, MA 01086
413-572-5407

Additional Information

For additional information on this program consult:

Aviation Coordinator,

Westfield State College
Department of Economics and Management
Western Avenue
Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 572-5694

Policy on Non-Discrimination:

As part of the Massachusetts Public Higher Education System, Westfield State College is committed to a pulicy of non-discrimination and affirmative action in its educational programs, activities, and employment practices. It is the pulicy of the College not to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, culor, national origin, age, religion, or handicap, in fulfillment of the requirements of Executive Orders 11246 and 11375, Titles IV, VI, VII, IX and X of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended in 1972, and all pertinent Laws, Regulations, and Executive Directives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and other applicable state and federal statutes.

Admission to the Program

To enroll in either aviation concentration a person must enroll as a student at Westfield State College, then declare Management as a major or minor. Please indicate on the application that you are interested in the Aviation Concentration.

All applicants interested in the Aviation Management Concentration must obtain a physical examination before enrulling in any aviation course.

All applicants are to advise the examining physician that they need:

FAA Medical Exam

There are three classes of medical certificates, named first, second, and third class. First class certificates are required for pilots exercising privileges of an airline transport rating. Second class medical certificates are needed for performing commercial operations, and third class medical certificates are adequate for training purposes. We recommend you obtain a second-class medical certificate initially to begin your flight training. There are several reasons for this recommendation: (1) they are less expensive than first class medical certificates, (2) for those of you under the age of 35, the requirements are identical, and (3) it requires a higher standard for vision requirements than a third class medical certificate. Although a third class certificate is adequate for flight training, the visual requirements are not as stringent as the first and second-class certificates. Whatever class of certificate you have we prefer your vision to be 20/20, either corrected with lenses or uncorrected, while operating aircraft.

Note to students: Certain portions of a general physical exam are not part of an FAA medical certificate application. We would suggest you discuss with your physician any additional examinations that might be appropriate to your monitoring and maintaining good general health.

Other Issues That You Must be Aware of Regarding Your Medical Certificate

If you have significant medical and/or legal problems, you should have copies of medical and/or court records for your examiner. You should be aware that drug and alcohul convictions (paying a fine is a conviction) are considered serious problems by government and the aerospace industry. Medical and behavior standards for professional pilots are among the highest in our society. Mistakes, poor judgment, and other “indiscretions of youth” can have lasting consequences related to your career.

To apply for admission, write or telephone the:

Director of Admissions

Westfield State College
Western Avenue
Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 572-5218

Other Sites:

http://www.myaviationschool.com/index.asp