KSU Polytechnic Campus Offering Aircraft Certification Courses For Industry Professionals

Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus is expanding its offerings in aviation to provide much-needed education for professionals in the field of aircraft certification.

Kansas State Polytechnic is launching a professional development program centered on the understanding and application of Federal Aviation Administration regulations and processes used in aircraft type and production certification. The courses will be taught as a combination of online and in person, with instruction beginning in January 2018 for the first offering. After completion, which can be achieved in one year, students will receive a certificate from Kansas State Polytechnic’s professional education and outreach office and have the opportunity to earn a total of 180 professional development hours.

“Aviation has been a cornerstone of this campus for more than 50 years and we’re proud to be able to build on our history while providing expertise to fill a need in the industry,” said Kurt Barnhart, associate dean of research and engagement for Kansas State Polytechnic. “There are emerging holes between professionals new to aircraft certification and those that have been on the job for numerous years and are skilled in this area. Many veteran employees are ready to retire, causing on-the-job training to taper off. These courses offer comprehensive, relevant education delivered by seasoned professionals to those who need to get up to speed quickly on the nuances of airworthiness and production certification.”

The aircraft certification program begins with an introductory course that provides an overview of the basic elements of the certification process, such as airframe, engine and aircraft components. The next two courses, aircraft type and aircraft production, are considered electives and can both be taken, or students can choose just one area of focus. Aircraft type covers a detailed examination of the design data process leading to issuing an airworthiness certificate. Aircraft production explores the fundamentals of showing how products conform to an approved type design. The final course will require students to apply their education from the previous courses to create a specialized project.

The online portion of each class is seven weeks and at the end of each, students will attend three days of in-person classes at the National Center for Aviation Training at Wichita Area Technical College. Larry Van Dyke, who has more than 45 years of experience in aircraft design, certification and aircraft project management, will serve as the instructor for the introduction course. Rangan Ramasamy will instruct the type course. Ramasamy has more than 25 years of experience in product safety, aircraft and system engineering design certification. The production and project courses will be announced in spring 2018 and offered in summer and fall 2018.

To register for Kansas State Polytechnic’s professional aircraft certification program, visit polytechnic.k-state.edu/profed/aircraftcertification. For questions concerning the courses, contact the professional education and outreach office toll free at 855-552-0079 or [email protected].

Kansas State Polytechnic has been offering programs in aeronautical technology since the campus’s inception in 1965 as Schilling Institute. Four aviation bachelor’s degree options are available — professional pilot, airport management, aviation maintenance management and unmanned aircraft systems — as well as other professional development courses in aviation.

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Story by Julee Cobb / Kansas State University