Avionics News August 2014 - 39

dollars of first-semester tuition, fees, room and board
helicopters, corporate jets or small aircraft?
It is okay not to have a complete answer to these questions;
just to discover the school isn't right for you. There is
perhaps you have multiple interests. But it is a good idea to
much to learn by touring a facility and many questions to
have something in mind before you move to the next step.
answer by observation.
You may be surprised to find the second question is not
Is the school involved in the aviation community?
asked of a school. This question is the natural follow-up to
Investigate how committed the school is to aviation
as a whole. It is easy to pay
the first question. I suggest visiting
association dues, but hosting a flyor contacting a place where you
in, a conference or other industry
would like to work and ask for the
activity shows more commitment
educational background of the staff.
ARE YOU
to the aviation community.
It is entirely possible the answer
INTERESTED
These activities also create more
could guide you straight to the right
IN BEING A
opportunities for students to make
school for you.
TECHNICIAN IN
the connections necessary to find
The rest of the questions can be
AN AVIONICS
employment.
answered by the school you are
FACTORY, AN
Where is it located? If your goal
inquiring about, either directly or by
AIRLINE, A
is to become an engineer, then an
reading its literature. For starters,
SMALL CERTIFIED
airport location is not very important.
where do the school's graduates go
REPAIR STATION,
If your goal is to work on airplanes,
to work? The answer should match
A MAJOR REPAIR
then an airport location rises in
the answer to the second question.
OPERATION, OR
importance. Keep in mind that you
Is the school accredited? A
SOMEWHERE
can have airplanes trucked to offcollege that grants degrees will often be
ELSE? WHAT TYPE
airport facilities. This can work
regionally accredited. These regional
OF WORK DO YOU
quite well. In fact, the Aviation High
associations of colleges and schools
WANT TO DO?
School of New York City has several
will make periodic visits to ensure
single-engine airplanes, multi-engine
the college or school has a learning
airplanes and a jet tucked into a city
environment up to national standards.
block in the heart of Long Island City.
There are additional accrediting bodies,
as well. The Aviation Accreditation Board International is an
Are the facilities clean? The pride an organization
organization dedicated solely to accrediting college aviation
takes in its facilities will speak volumes about the pride
programs. It's a good idea to ask a potential college if its
it takes in its work. The building doesn't have to be the
newest, but it should be well maintained.
avionics program is AABI-accredited. The National Center
What type of equipment is it using? The equipment
for Aerospace and Transportation Technologies also accredits
the organization uses for training aids should be a close
schools, and this will help explain whether the avionics
match to the systems in the field. These systems don't
program meets industry standards.
have to be the newest or most expensive; instead, they
What aviation associations does the school belong?
should be representative of the industry norms.
At the very least, the program should be a member of
What do the students say? This question is another
the Aircraft Electronics Association and associated
good reason to make a visit. A student can make a great
with AABI and NCATT. The AEA is an organization of
ambassador for a good program. If you don't get a chance
potential employers, and NCATT developed educational
to meet a student, then perhaps you can talk to an alumnus.
standards for avionics technicians.
Does it have dorms, and what are they like? This is
Many of the questions, if not all of them, can be
a place where you will be spending the next two to four
answered by an online search, telephone or email;
years of your life. You want to live in a nice place.
however, college is a huge investment, and you should
What are the cafeterias like? You want to eat in a
investigate further before making a choice. Make a
nice place, too.
personal visit. Traveling may be difficult and expensive,
but compared to several semesters of tuition and fees, it
Continued on following page
won't be much. You don't want to invest thousands of
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august

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Avionics News August 2014

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