Career Pilot Technology curriculum prepares individuals for a variety of aviation and aviation-related careers including the commercial airlines, general aviation, the aerospace industry, the military, and state and federal aviation organizations.
Course work includes fundamentals of flight, aerodynamics, aircraft performance, meteorology, navigation, federal regulations, aviation management, and instrument and commercial ground and flight training.
Graduates will hold a commercial pilot certificate (license) with an instrument rating. Graduates may find employment as commercial, corporate, and military pilots, and flight instructors.
The Aviation Management & Career Pilot Technology program is approved by:
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue
Washington, DC 20591
Phone: (703) 230-1664
Federal Aviation Administration website
Federal Aviation Administration
Charlotte Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)
3800 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 233
Charlotte, NC 28273
Phone: (704) 319-7020
Federal Aviation Administration Charlotte Office website
Specific Program Requirements:
1. Students will be required to purchase and wear uniforms while attending class. First year students will wear blue captain shirts and navy blue pants. Second year students will wear white captain shirts and navy blue pants. The Career Pilot uniform also includes a black leather belt and black leather shoes. Uniforms include the A-B Tech Aviation logo and must be purchased at Read’s Uniforms in Asheville, NC. Students must purchase at least one (1) complete uniform appropriate to their year. Students are encouraged to purchase more than one uniform. Career Pilot uniforms cost approximately $225 each. Additional uniforms can be purchased at a discounted cost.
2. For Career Pilot students, the cost of flight training is a separate cost. The cost is estimated to be $9,481 for the instrument rating (AER-161), and $25,200 for the commercial pilot certificate (AER-171). The FAA private pilot certificate (license) is a pre-admission requirement to for enrollment into the Career Pilot Technology degree pathway. The cost of flight training for the private pilot certificate is estimated to be $8,607. These cost estimates reflect the FAA’s minimum required flight hours. Many flight students will require training beyond the minimum flight hours and will incur greater costs.
3. Career Pilot students must obtain an FAA 2nd class airman medical certificate via passing a flight physical conducted by an aviation medical examiner (AME). A listing of local AMEs can be found at https://www.faa.gov/pilots/amelocator/. The flight physical cost is approximately $100.
4. The FAA private pilot certificate is a pre-admission requirement for enrollment into the Career Pilot degree pathway. Students seeking the Career Pilot option must complete their private pilot flight training and possess a valid FAA private pilot certificate prior to being enrolled into this pathway. Students aspiring to enter the Career Pilot pathway can still enter the aviation program as Aviation Management students initially. Students in this scenario can, and should, still perform regular flight lessons to progress through flight training for the private pilot certificate. Once the private pilot certificate is obtained, the student should present the FAA certificate to A-B Tech. The student will then receive credit via licensure for the course, AER-151 Flight – Private Pilot and will qualify to enroll in the Career Pilot degree pathway.
5. Flight students in the Career Pilot degree pathway taking the flight training courses (AER-161 Flight - Instrument Pilot and AER-171 Flight - Commercial Pilot) should plan to complete three flight lessons each week when possible in order to complete the courses within the prescribed time frame (one semesterr for AER-161 and two semesters for AER-171). AER-161 requires a minimum of 35 flight hours and AER 171 requires a minimum of 120 flight hours. Many students require training beyond these minimums. As such, it is important to flight as often as possible each week and throughout the semester. Students enrolled in AER-161 and/or AER-171 at A-B Tech will complete all required flight training at WNC Aviation.
6. Students who enroll in the Career Pilot degree pathway who already have some or all of FAA pilot credentials (e.g., the private pilot certificate, instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate) included in the program may receive credit via licensure for the appropriate flight courses (AER-151 Flight – Private Pilot, AER-161 Flight – Instrument Pilot, or AER-171 Flight – Commercial Pilot).
7. Students passing their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) practical exam(s) will be awarded a letter grade of “A” for their instrument and commercial flight courses (AER-161, AER-171).
Specific Requirements
Courses requiring a grade of "C" or better: ACA, AER