What sets an aviation school apart from the rest? All the top aviation schools boast of the extensive coverage of their respective curricula. Some have more sophisticated equipment than others. Some make up for a lesser number of state-of-the-art aircraft with an impressive faculty roster. Because there are so many flight schools dotting that landscape, finding the best of the lot can be a complicated process. It doesn’t have to be. When choosing an aviation school one should just look more closely.
Let’s put two of the most reputable aviations institutions in the country under a microscope. Maybe we’ll discover for ourselves what makes them icons in aviation training and education.
Strength in Numbers
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University offers career training in aviaton, aeronautics, and aerospace engineering. This private institution is often found on lists of top aviation schools. This is not merely because of the sheer number of students that enter its gates annually. It also offers a wide array of undergraduate and post-graduate degree programs. So far there are 35 degree programs to choose from. This accredited university was established around 40 years ago in the early ‘70s. Perhaps the secret to its success is that it is always changing with the times. The university updates its degree progams regularly in both content and method of instruction. And, it does not hurt that it has branches in 170 locations around the world. It also offers a distance education program to 26, 000 distance learners worldwide.
Strong in Years
The Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology was founded in 1928. It offers programs that include training for proficiency in aerospace, aviation, technology and manufacturing. The graduates of its bachelor degrees and associate and diploma programs have been serving as pillars in the aviation industry for the past 80 years. Perhaps one of the secrets to its success as an institution is its strong linkages to commercial organization and government agencies. And it also extends carreer services to their graduates, going beyond the primary mandate of providing entry-level training.
Top Aviation Schools Do not Settle for Anything Less
The basic requirements to receive accreditation as an aviation school are very straightforward. Once fulfilled, an institution can be a legitimate aviation school. The school must offer courses in aviation. Their faculty must teach theoretical and practical skills related to flying airplanes, as well as in maintaining and repairing them. Aside from classroom teaching, other teaching-learning methods need to be employed such as field trips and immersion activities. These further enrich the student’s experience and prepares him or her for real life.
An excellent aviation school will have an amazing fleet of aircraft. However, possessing top-of-the line equipment to be used in instructions is just one of a long list of must-haves. The school must also have a roster of proficient faculty composed of professionals and experienced pilots and technical support. A reputable flight school must also be known for its active student body and supportive alumni. And most importantly its world-class curriculum must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA). And let’s not forget that top aviation schools have one more thing in common: they have a good safety record.
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