Aviation Program Offers Focus on Practical Experience
Obtaining hands-on practice in an aviation program
is essential, as many employers are seeking graduates who are
comfortable with a variety of duties directly upon being hired. At
Centennial College, the Aviation Technician – Avionics Maintenance
offering is facilitated out of Ashtonbee campus to meet the needs of
Toronto’s sizeable aviation community. As such, the aviation program has
an aerospace with modern equipment reflecting the current trends in the
industry. The campus includes a fully functional aircraft hangar,
licensed by Transport Canada, complete with a “fleet” of 10 aircraft,
which are used as training aids by the aviation program students.
Those
interested in applying for this aviation program are required to have
completed an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or General Education
Development or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. In addition,
they must have completed the compulsory English 12C or U or skills
assessment or equivalent and Math 11M or U or 12C or U or skills
assessment or equivalent.
The focus of this particular aviation
program is on the aircraft’s various electronic systems: electrical
power distribution and control, navigation, flight instrumentation,
communication and radar. Faculty members who have experience and
technical expertise teach these topics as well as:
safety and
human factors, piston engines and propellers, sheet metal and aircraft
structures, tools, materials and processes; theory of flight, aircraft
publication, aircraft applied mathematics, electrical fundamentals,
avionics fundamentals, aviation installation practices, avionics
troubleshooting practices and more. As previously mentioned, the skills
taught to students in this aviation program are balanced between theory
and lab time, in which standard industry techniques and processes are
included and imbedded.
To ensure that students are getting the
most out of their aviation program, partners and supporters of the
offering serve as members of Centennial College’ advisory committees and
participate as guest speakers and panelists, sharing their knowledge
and expertise for the benefit and enhancement of the program.
Graduation
from this aviation program requires students to obtain at minimum a C
grade in all courses. After completion of the aviation program, students
acquire an Ontario College Diploma. In addition, Transport Canada
accreditation is provided to graduates who meet attendance requirements,
project completion requirements and attain 70 percent in each course.
Lastly, successful graduates of this aviation program who meet the
accreditation requirements are eligible for an 18-month experience
credit and technical examination credit towards the regulatory
requirements for issue of a Canadian Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
License.
Once aviation program
graduates enter the field, they may work at avionic-approved shops and
aircraft manufacturing companies or in non-aircraft related electronic
industries. More specifically, past grads have found careers with:
airlines/ operators (Air Canada, Kelowna Flightcraft, Great Slave
Helicopters); manufacturers (Bombardier, Magellan Aerospace, Pratt &
Whitney); the military (Department of National Defense); aviation
training (Flight Safety Canada); aviation repair and overhaul (SPAR
Aerospace, IMP Group, Field Aviation, Eurocopter Canada); and aviation
equipment/avionics (MC2, Wright Instruments).