Kansas State University at Salina 

Programs

K-State at Salina’s airframe and powerplant curriculum is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under Federal Aviation Regulation Part 147.  Graduates become certified airframe and powerplant maintenance technicians after passing the FAA’s written, oral, and practical exams.

The professional pilot program is a bachelor’s degree program in aeronautical technology.  It provides a core of aviation courses with additional focus on business related course work.  The bachelor’s degree program in professional pilot is accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International, 3410 Skyway Drive, Auburn, AL 36830. 334-844-2431, www.aabi.aero. There is also a two-year associate of technology degree, as well as a minor in aviation safety.

The professional pilot program leads to the issuance of the following FAA pilot licenses or ratings: private pilot, instrument rating, commercial pilot, multi-engine rating, certified flight instructor, and instrument instructor.  Other ratings options include multi-engine instructor and airline transport pilot.

K-State at Salina offers an FAA-approved FAR Part 141 program, which allows you to obtain commercial certificate in a reduced number of flight hours.  Flight simulators allow you to gain flight experience on the ground, which reduces the cost of the program.  The program also works with veterans to use their benefits.

Equipment and Facilities

The department is located on a 149 acre campus immediately adjacent to the Salina Municipal Airport (SLN) in southwest Salina.  The 33,000-square-foot Aviation Center is equipped with modern classrooms and computer labs.

Training equipment for the aviation maintenance program includes operable turbine engines, flyable piston engines, and complete flyable aircraft used in systems, inspections, repair, and replacement maintenance training.

Aviation maintenance facilities include a modern powerplant overhaul area and individual shop areas for specialized training. The facilities are organized similar to commercial or general aviation hanger operations. Approximately 70 percent of the training is hands-on, lab-oriented. 

The professional pilot program is equipped with the latest generation of flight simulators, an operations dispatch center, and a high-tech maintenance hanger. Two 27,000-square-foot hangers house K-State’s fleet of modern aircraft, which includes a CitationJet and King Air. The fleet also is made up of Sundowners, Bonanzas, Barons, and Skyhawks, including some with the G-1000 glass cockpit.

K-State at Salina has four flight training devices (FTDs): two Frasca 141 single-engine instrument trainers and two AST-3000 FTDs, which can be configured as single-engine, turboprop, or jet aircraft.  One is equipped with EFIS.  These FTDs provide valuable training experience with realistic emergency training exercises and real-time instrument flights.

Career Opportunities

With the nation’s aircraft fleet steadily expanding, the need for technicians to perform frequent inspections and maintenance grows.  In the aviation industry, all aircraft maintenance must be performed or supervised by airframe and powerplant technicians certified by the FAA.

Airframe and powerplant technicians inspect, repair, modify, and maintain aircraft for manufacturers, commercial airlines, businesses and corporations, and general aviation operators.

Graduates enter careers as certificated technicians at major airlines, national and international carriers, regional airlines, and corporate and general aviation operators.

Training in electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical systems; composite and metal fabrications and repair; avionics; engine overhaul; and troubleshooting provides graduates with key skills demanded by many industries beyond aerospace.

Pilots of today’s modern, sophisticated aircraft have to know more than the skills required to take off and land an aircraft.  Many rules, regulations, systems functions, avionics, navigation techniques, and weather information need to be learned and experienced.

Graduates of K-State’s professional pilot program are qualified commercial pilots equipped to enter corporate aviation, charter flying, commuter airlines, aviation management, aviation education, and other fields.

Specialized Opportunities

Composites

In the materials and fabrication lab, new, expanding technologies, such as composite repairs to fiberglass, Kevlar, and carbon fiber aircraft structures are studied. In the material fabrication division of the lab, students will learn how to repair aircraft using manufactured elements.

Nondestructive testing

New, advanced methods of defect detection are instructed, such as dye penetrate, eddy current, ultrasonic and magnetic particle inspection of aircraft parts.  In the nondestructive testing and materials fabrication lab, students learn the new techniques of building aircraft.  In the nondestructive testing division of the lab, students learn the methods for finding weaknesses in or damage to aircraft parts.

Transportation program

Transportation for Kansas State University official business is accomplished under the leadership of the Aviation Department, providing a unique mechanism to create a flying laboratory to enhance our flight-training program.  In partnership with the K-State family, the College of Technology and Aviation has successfully provided the corporate structure utilizing the CitationJet and King Air as flying laboratories.  The College provides qualified pilots, outstanding faculty, academic structure, state-of-the-art training facilities, and the operational environment.  The University family provides the destinations, timetables, and customer demands needed to complete a corporate training environment.  It is our goal to provide each professional pilot graduate with flight experience in these corporate level aircraft to be prepared to assume entry level airline or corporate positions.

For more information on the Aviation Department and our programs, go to:

www.salina.k-state.edu/academics/aviation or contact the Admissions Office at:

www.salina.k-state.edu/campusoffices/admissions , or call us at:

1-800-248-5782 (Kansas only) or 1-785-826-2640.