ABOUT THE PROGRAM
If your heart soars at the thought of aviation, if hands-on work is your forte, and if you revel in solving complex problems, then a career in aviation might be your calling. The demand for skilled aircraft mechanics is immense, not just in Vermont but across the nation.
Our post-secondary aviation program seamlessly picks up where the prerequisite program, the FAA General program*, leaves off. Tailored for students aspiring to earn their Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Aircraft Mechanic certification, the curriculum delves into aircraft assembly and rigging, sheet metal fabrication and repair, advanced composites, avionics, inspection procedures, and turbine and piston engine maintenance. Graduates have the option of pursuing their FAA Mechanic Certification (A&P) after completing the program.
*The Secondary Aviation and Aerospace Technology is a 490-hour prerequisite course, required and completable within one academic year before acceptance into the post-secondary program.
Course Structure: Students enroll in this FAA certified Part 147 program for one academic year, with classes scheduled 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Approximately 30% of the time is spent in classrooms, while the majority of learning unfolds in the hangar, working on our diverse fleet of airplanes and helicopters. The academic year is divided into two sections: Airframe and Powerplant, each encompassing about 750 curriculum hours.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Upon completing the program, students are eligible to apply for their FAA Mechanic Certificate. BTC facilitates all required testing in-house and can even issue temporary FAA certificates. Certified mechanics find opportunities in various aviation fields, working on different types of aircraft. Most employers offer avenues for career advancement and paid training. The program’s multidisciplinary training also equips students for other technical fields beyond aviation; many alumni have pursued engineering school or ventured into other technical areas.
EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE AVIATION FIELD
- Airline mechanic
- Sheet metal technician
- Avionics technician
- Composite repair
- General aviation (small aircraft)
- Helicopter mechanic
- UAV mechanic
- Component repair
Aviation Maintenance Technology, A.A.S.
Burlington Technical Center partners with Vermont State University to offer a pathway toward an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology. Students who complete their A&P certification through BTC’s FAA-approved program fulfill two-thirds of the degree requirements and need only 20 additional credits to complete their AAS at VTSU. Graduates are also eligible to test for their FAA Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings, opening doors to a wide range of aviation maintenance careers.
PROGRAM COSTS (ESTIMATED)
Year 1, S1 & S2: FAA General Tuition $5,000 (for adult students)
Year 2, Semester 1: Airframe Tuition $4,900
Year 2, Semester 2: Powerplant Tuition $4,900
Total Tuition for Adults: $14,800
Books: $250*
Tools & Roll Cab: $2,550*
Costs for tools and books: $2,800*
Total Estimated Program Costs: $17,600
Note: FAA testing fees not included.
*Student-sourced and not included in tuition.
Tuition assistance available through the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC). Learn more at vsac.org.
INSTRUCTOR BIO
Moses Daly has been an FAA certified A&P for 20+ years having worked in general aviation, for flight schools and the airlines. In addition to being an A&P, he has his Inspection Authorization (IA) and is an FAA Designated Maintenance Examiner (DME). He’s also a certified Commercial pilot and flight instructor who co-founded Vermont’s largest FAA Part 141 flight school, Vermont Flight Academy. In his spare time, he enjoys taking people for rides up and down Lake Champlain in his Cessna 172H. Moses has been sharing his love of all things aviation with BTC students for over 10 years.
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