On Thursday, Savannah Technical College was granted Federal Aviation Administration approval to teach the Aviation Maintenance Technology program, becoming the eighth college in the state and the only one in Coastal Georgia authorized to offer this training.

“This long-awaited announcement means that Savannah Technical College can now offer the full range of aviation training to meet the workforce demands in one of our region’s critical industries,” said College President Dr. Kathy Love. “The Aviation Training Center, dedicated last summer, was designed and built in anticipation of this important step.”

The College is now accepting applications for five additional aviation credentials including:

• Aviation Maintenance Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree
• Aviation Maintenance Technology Diploma
• Aviation Maintenance Technician Certificate
• Aviation Maintenance Technician – Powerplant Certificate
• Aviation Maintenance Technician – Airframe Certificate

The College anticipates classes will begin this summer. Classes will be structured in cohorts of 24 students, the maximum allowed by the FAA based on the requirement of a 8:1 ratio of students and specialized equipment. The summer term begins May 22, and the College has extended its application deadline for these programs. Should there not be enough time to admit a full 24-student cohort, classes will begin fall semester starting on August 25.

“We have people taking core classes now who have expressed an interest in the program”, says Academic Vice President Dr. Ken Boyd. “We will begin contacting them immediately to gauge their interest and readiness to start the program.”

These new credentials are added to those currently offered including Aircraft Structural Technology Diploma and three certificate programs:  Aircraft Assembly Technician, Aircraft Upholstery and Trim, and Luxury Craft Cabinetmaking.

All instruction will be delivered in the state-of-the-art Aviation Training Center at the College’s Crossroads Campus. Tal Loos, Dean of Aviation Technology, has more than 12 years in the aircraft maintenance industry and also serves as the Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME) for Savannah. For information about Aviation programs at Savannah Technical College, call Angela Lambert at 912.443.4094 or visit www.savannahtech.edu/AviationTechnology.

STC Aviation Fast Facts

• Savannah Technical College has graduated 549 students prepared for careers in aviation, with nearly 90% of them gaining employment locally.
• The 29,152 square-foot Aviation Training Center includes a hangar, four training labs and ­­­five classrooms.
• The College owns three fully-functional aircraft that are used for instructional purposes and are housed at the Aviation Training Center.