Aviation
Launching into Aviation
This course will provide the foundation for advanced exploration in the areas of flying, aerospace engineering, and unmanned aircraft systems. Students will learn about engineering practices, problem-solving, and the innovations and technological developments that have made today’s aviation and aerospace industries possible. Students will look at the problem-solving practices and innovative leaps that transformed space exploration from the unimaginable to the common in a single generation. Students will also gain a historical perspective, starting from the earliest flying machines and leading to a wide variety of modern aircraft, and the integral role they play in making today’s world work.
Exploring Aviation and Aerospace
This core aerospace and aviation course provides the foundation for both pathways. It is designed to give students a clear understanding of career opportunities in aviation and aerospace and the critical issues affecting the aviation system. Students will also begin to drill down into the various sectors of aviation and the elements that make up the aviation and aerospace ecosystem. They will discover how advances in aviation created a need for regulation and will learn about the promulgation of civil aviation oversight. Students will explore modern innovations and develop their innovative ideas to address real world challenges facing the aviation industry. They will be exposed to a variety of career options in aviation and aerospace and take an in-depth look at the opportunities available.
Introduction to Flight
In the Introduction to Flight Course, students pursuing the pilot and UAS tracks will take a closer look at the aircraft they may one day operate. Students will begin with an exploration of the types of aircraft in use today before going on to learn how aircraft are made and how they fly. Students will understand how aircraft are categorized, be able to identify their parts, and learn about aircraft construction techniques and materials. They will gain an in-depth understanding of the forces of flight—lift, weight, thrust, and drag—including how to make key calculations. They will then touch on aircraft design, looking at stability, aircraft controls, and maneuvering flight. The course will conclude with a focus on career skills related to these topics.
Aircraft Systems and Performance
In the Aircraft Systems and Performance course, students in the UAS and Pilot tracks will take an in-depth look at the systems that make manned and unmanned aircraft work as well as the instrumentation powered by those systems. Beginning with aircraft powerplants and fuel systems, students will learn about the different options available and how they affect aircraft design and performance. They will go on to explore other key aircraft systems, including electrical, pitot-static, and vacuum systems. Throughout, they will learn about the flight instruments associated with each system and how to identify and troubleshoot common problems. This unit also covers airplane flight manuals, the pilot's operating handbook, and required aircraft documents. Finally, students will learn about the factors that affect aircraft performance and how to determine critical operating data for aircraft.
