Q.
What training does the course provide?
A.The Aviation Center qualifies and prepares the student for taking the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic examination.
Q.Are there any prerequisites?
A.No special skills are required, but good reading and writing abilities are very helpful.
Q.When can I start?
A.As soon as you would like to. The Aviation Center has an open enrollment curriculum and on-site
expedited registration, so you may enroll and begin classes the same day.
Q.What will I learn?
A.You will be trained in 45 different subject areas, concerning all aspects of aircraft maintenance and
repair. After completion you will be qualified to work on any type of civil aircraft, including small
airplanes, helicopters and airliners
Q.What will I be doing?
A.About half of each day is spent in classroom lecture. The other half is spent doing lab or shop work
Q.What are the requirements for graduation?
A.Passing scores of at least 70% must be achieved for all written tests and lab projects. By federal
regulation, attendance is mandatory. Minimum hours must be completed for each of the 45 subject
areas.
Q.What is the cost to attend?
A.Students pay $75.00 to enroll, per semester. Students must purchase their own books from local
airport stores.
Q.Why is this school so inexpensive?
A.The training you will receive at this school is equal to that provided at schools costing almost $30,000.
The reason the Aviation Center is so affordable is because it is a publicly funded institution,
operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District, Division of Adult and Career Education.
Q.What books are required and where can I buy them?
A.Three books are required for new students:
A.C.65-9A Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics General Handbook
A.C.43.13-1B Acceptable Methods, Techniques and Practices
FAR Handbook for Aviation Maintenance Technicians
These books can be purchased from any of several stores at Van Nuys Airport or from online sources. Call the Aviation Center for more information.
Q.What else do I need to buy?
A.You must bring writing materials and a basic scientific calculator. All other tools and equipment are
provided at the Center. Lockers are not available, so you must bring your materials daily.
Q.How long does the course take?
A.The course requires about 22 months for full time students to complete. Halftime students will take
about twice that time to complete.
Q.Why does the course take so long?
A.The Aviation Center is an FAA-approved program, meeting the requirements of Federal Aviation
Regulation 147. All programs meeting FAR 147 require almost 2000 (or more) hours of logged
attendance for completion.
Q.Can I test early and bypass courses?
A.By federal regulation, new students with no documented industry experience must attend the complete
program. Students with prior experience may request approval from a local FAA office for credit
toward either the Airframe or Powerplant portions of the course.
Q.What are my job prospects after graduation?
A.Our graduates are employed by every major U.S airline. One of the three largest airlines in the U.S.
rated our school as among the top five in the country. We emphasize integrity, employability and
job responsibility in our courses.
Q.What are the qualifications of your faculty, facility and staff?
A.The average industry experience of our full-time instructors is over thirty years. Our instructors all have
extensive experience in civil and military aviation, and are fully credentialed by the State of
California. The Aviation Center is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and
Colleges. Our faculty includes nationally published aviation writers and FAA award winners. In
addition to being experienced technicians, most of the faculty are also qualified civil pilots or
military aviators.
